During Hurricane Irma, Tesla gave Florida drivers a free jump in battery life. Tesla can do that?
Over the weekend, with Florida authorities ordering the evacuation of large swaths of the state, Tesla sent out software updates increasing the battery life, and thus the driving range, of some Model S sedans and Model X SUVs in evacuation zones. It is a temporary gift, expiring Sept. 16, but probably welcomed at the time by those drivers who needed to get out of dodge, or Miami Beach.
It raised a lot of questions, though, like: Tesla can do that?
The answer is yes. When you buy a Tesla, you have the option to pay more to unlock certain features, like full use of its 75-kilowatt-hour battery, The Washington Post explains. All Teslas are sold with the same battery. What Elon Musk and Co. did over the weekend was a free, temporary power boost for those drivers who didn't choose to pay for the upgrade. The fact that Tesla can do this, remotely, without warning or asking permission, is something new in car ownership. It would be like if Apple updated your iPhone without you doing anything, except much bigger, the Post's Brian Fung says:
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
If Tesla drivers don't mind the new model, it may be the future for car ownership.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Reddit IPO values social media site at $6.4 billion
Speed Read The company makes its public debut on the New York Stock Exchange
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Housing costs: the root of US economic malaise?
speed read Many voters are troubled by the housing affordability crisis
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Feds cap credit card late fees at $8
speed read The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a rule to save households an estimated $10 billion a year
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Immigration helped the US economy outpace peers
speed read The U.S. economy grew at an annualized rate of 3.2% last quarter
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
4-day workweek gets boost from UK study
Speed Read Following a six-month trial, the majority of participating British companies are still using the truncated schedule
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US sues to block Kroger-Albertsons merger
Speed Read The Federal Trade Commission sued to block the $24.6 billion merger between the grocery giants
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Nvidia sees historic stock rise on AI chips success
Speed Read U.S. chipmaker Nvidia achieved the biggest one-day increase in value of any company in history
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
New York may seize Trump's assets for $450M penalty
Speed Read The former president likely owes $600 million from two civil judgments in New York
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published