Though electric cars have always had a dedicated fanbase, they've become quite a bit more popular lately. This is due in no small part to efforts from companies like Tesla to push electric vehicles into the mainstream with mass market options like the Model 3.

As popular as EVs may be, "range anxiety," or the fear that long-distance travel will be difficult or impossible with an EV, has always been a concern. Tesla mitigated these worries among their own customers by initially promising them free, unlimited access to lightning-fast Supercharger stations around the world. While that promise has since been rescinded for new customers, Supercharging fees have still remained relatively low, at least in comparison to traditional fuel costs.

Unfortunately for Tesla fans, that seems to be changing now. As reported by Electrek, Tesla's Supercharging fees appear to be quietly rising across the United States. The outlet reports Supercharging fees per kilowatt-hour in Oregon have doubled from 12 cents to 24 cents while California Tesla owners will see fees rise from 20 cents per kWh to 26 cents per kWh.

These price hikes may not seem terribly significant at first but small price increases can add up in the long term, particularly for Tesla owners that rely on Supercharging for more frequent long-distance trips.

When asked to comment on the situation, a Tesla spokesperson gave the following statement to Electrek:

We occasionally adjust rates to reflect current local electricity and usage. The overriding principle is that Supercharging will always remain significantly cheaper than gasoline, as we only aim to recover a portion of our costs while setting up a fair system for everyone. This will never be a profit center for Tesla.

Regardless of their reasoning behind this move, opting to silently raise the price of Supercharging might not be a popular decision among some of Tesla's more vocal customers.