A proposed settlement has been reached with Tesla, Inc. (“Tesla” or “Defendant”) in a class action lawsuit. This case concerns allegations that Tesla improperly charged “ Idle Fees” to certain customers who purchased Tesla vehicles with free lifetime Supercharging. The lawsuit further alleges that if customers refused to pay Idle Fees, Tesla disabled or said that it would disable those vehicles’ access to Superchargers. Tesla contends that its conduct complied with applicable law and its agreements with customers. Tesla denies that it did anything wrong and that the claims have any merit. The Court has not decided who is right.
The lawsuit is called Shenkman v. Tesla, Inc., Case No. RG21102833. It is pending in the Superior Court for Alameda County, California (the “Litigation”). The parties have agreed to settle the lawsuit (the “Settlement”), subject to Court approval.
“Class Members” are defined as individuals identified by Tesla's records who are entitled to benefits under the Settlement.
Summary of Class Members’ Legal Rights and Options in this Settlement | Deadline | ||
Submit a Claim | The only way Class Members may receive cash payments from this Settlement is by submitting a valid and timely Claim Form. The fastest way for Class Members to submit a Claim Form is online here. If Class Members prefer, they can download the paper Claim Form here and mail it to the Settlement Administrator. Class Members may also email the Settlement Administrator to receive a paper copy of the Claim Form. | September 25, 2026 | |
Object to the Settlement and/or attend a hearing | Class Members may object to the Settlement by writing to the Court about why they don’t like the Settlement. Class Members may also ask the Court for permission to speak about their objection at the Final Approval Hearing. If Class Members object, they may also file a claim for Settlement benefits. | September 25, 2026 | |
Do nothing | If Class Members do nothing, they will not receive cash payments from this Settlement. Class Members will still receive the non-cash benefits of the Settlement. | No Deadline | |
These rights and options - and the deadlines to exercise them - are explained further in the Notice and the FAQs.
Upcoming Important Dates
Notification Email
7/24/2026
Claim Deadline
9/25/2026
Objection Deadline
9/25/2026
Final Approval Hearing
12/2/2026 at 1:30 p.m. PT