But it’s only available for Superchargers in the US.
Tesla has introduced a new feature that will allow you to drive away even while you’re still plugged into a Supercharger in case of emergencies. This comes a couple of months after a driver was shot inside of the Tesla taxi he was charging at an In-N-Out Burger location in Twin Falls, Idaho. To be able to go from Park to Drive on a Tesla after charging, you’ll have to unlock the charge port from the vehicle’s infotainment system or its app, or by pressing a button on the charger handle. As you can see, that’s a problem if you need to get out of there quickly.
After the incident, Tesla owners called for the automaker to implement a quick get-away system, even if they have to pay for it so that it doesn’t get abused. Now, Tesla has announced Emergency Drive Away on X with a short demo of how it can be activated. If you shift into Drive while the charger is still attached to your car, your infotainment system will show a notice that you’ll have to activate the feature to override the lock. It also shows a warning that driving with the cable connected will cause damage to your car and to the Supercharger station. “Use only in an emergency,” it says. To switch on the feature, you’ll have to hold the brake pedal and tap Activate on the screen.
To gain access to the feature, you must upgrade to the latest software. At the moment, it only works with Superchargers in the US, and pre-2021 Model S and X vehicles are not supported. On X, the company says deliberate misuse “will invoke additional penalties.” When asked what kind of physical and monetary damages one can expect if the feature is used, the company replied that “electrical and civil cost can be up to $25k.” It’s not quite clear if Tesla will ask you to pay for activating the drive-away feature in case of actual emergencies.
