Tesla Says Newer Models Less Prone to "Bricking"
Tesla has been weathering a storm of questions regarding its Tesla Roadsters ‘bricking’. Earlier today, the company posted an entry in its blog explaining the situation, and claiming that newer models can last significantly longer without being plugged in.
The blog post titled “Plug It In” reminds Tesla Roadster owners to plug in their vehicles when not in use. Additionally, the company says that newer Roadsters will have the option to “contact Tesla headquarters once the state of charge falls below a specified level, and we can then contact the owner.”
This is coming after a blogger noted that a fully discharged Tesla Roadster was left unplugged for two months. When the owner attempted to recharge the car after the two months, it wouldn’t work, and required a $40,000 repair.
Tesla finally noted that “Model S and Model X will have batteries that can sit unplugged for over a year when parked with only a 50 percent charge. And when that year is up, all you need to do is plug it in.” Meaning that negligent owners will have a longer grace period before their car’s batteries fail.
Despite Tesla’s claims and reminders about plugging in its vehicles, no where in the blog post does it explicitly say that Tesla vehicles cannot brick.
Sami has an unquenchable thirst for car knowledge and has been at AutoGuide for the past six years. He has a degree in journalism and media studies from the University of Guelph-Humber in Toronto and has won multiple journalism awards from the Automotive Journalist Association of Canada. Sami is also on the jury for the World Car Awards.
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If I leave my car sitting with a half tank of gas for 12 months, I am fairly certain that only a tiny amount will have evaporated away. And if my tank runs dry, I won't cost me $40,000 to fill the tank and get it running again. Tesla should be ashamed of itself. There is no excuse for poor product design.
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