Club Lexus Forum Sounds Off on Electricity-stealing Tesla
Are power grabbing EVs going to become a problem? Our forum has many thoughts on the possible electric revolution.
There’s a lot to consider when it comes to electric vehicles. Yes, they’re better for the environment. But will they still drive and feel like a car? And what about the cost? And what about the safety? It’s a lot of unpack. Thankfully, the folks at the Club Lexus forums are doing the hard work.
In a recent thread, we discussed a story about a Tesla owner in Florida who plugged his car into a stranger’s home without permission. And he left it there for 12 hours! Homeowner Phil Fraumeni awoke last week to discover a white Tesla Series 3 parked on his grass. Then Fraumeni noticed that the EV was plugged into his electric outlet on his house.
He called the police, who located the Tesla owners. Apparently their battery was running low as they were visiting friends in the neighborhood, so they just pulled over and plugged in. And they left it plugged in for 12 hours. Infuriating and rude? Absolutely. Kind of illegal? Well, yeah!
Forum member mmarshall agreed, and raised a good point about how could be an issue we see more of.
“In principle, I see little difference between doing that and siphoning someone’s gas. Except that a house can’t run out of electricity and leave an empty tank behind. But this is a perfect example, IMO, of why we, nationwide, need to get moving on an adequate network of electric-charging stations for vehicles. Outside of California (which has a decent network), the way things are right now, there is just too much chance that BEV owners who overstretch their battery-charges will end up doing exactly what you see in the picture.”
EZZ didn’t think it was anything more than one guy being a jerk.
“He’s just a dumba$$. The Tesla goes nuts when you get within the last 10% of your battery and directs your navigation to the nearest Supercharger. You can even look up the next destination charger because you’re connected to Google Maps through the car’s internet (which is always available). You can lead a horse to water….”
Patgilm agreed, and even brokered some Lexus to Tesla outreach.
“Come on, I’m sure this is an isolated incident and is so rare…Honestly, if a Tesla owner was stuck I would have no problem letting them charge up at my house if they just asked.”
Some felt that BEVs are unlikely to be a problem as there just not that many on the road. And they wondered, will we really see that dramatic a change in coming years? mmarshall again raised a solid point.
“In my area, Tesla 3s are multiplying like rabbits. I agree they are not going to take over the roads overnight, but that does not mean that we should not plan for the future. Like it or not (and I am not that big a big fan of electrification myself) eventually it will be the wave of the future…although, due to Musk’s classic mismanagement, Tesla may or may not be a part of that oncoming wave. What you think or want, or what I think or want, at this point, has little relevance…on a nationwide scale, the electrics are coming, and we had better be ready for it with an adequate charging system.”
What followed is a very interesting and engaging conversation about Tesla, EVs, hybrids, and the business management (and mismanagement) of Elon Musk.
As for stealing electricity, we can’t help but find ourselves cheering for Allen K‘s suggestion.
“I would’ve unplugged it and kept the adapter…”
What do you think about EVs? Is Tesla the future, or is it going down in flames? Join in the discussion on the thread in the forums!
Photos: WPBF-ABC, Club Lexus
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