Tesla urges owners to charge up ahead of PG&E California power outages
Tesla advised its car owners to fully charge their vehicles ahead of widespread power outages in California on Wednesday.
California utility PG&E said it was shutting off power for around 800,000 people to prevent wildfires due to dry, windy weather.
"We recommend charging your Tesla to 100% today to ensure your drive remains uninterrupted," the company told customers Tuesday. "As always, your touchscreen will display live statuses of Superchargers in your area -- simply tap on a desired Supercharger station to confirm its availability. For Model S and Model X, turn on Range Mode to optimize your car's energy usage and maximize your range."
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCG | PG&E CORP. | 20.70 | -0.94 | -4.37% |
| TSLA | TESLA INC. | 345.16 | +12.27 | +3.69% |
The first round of outages began midnight Wednesday, and the second round was expected to begin at noon on the West Coast.
Supercharger stations allow Tesla vehicles to charge in about 30 minutes.
Tesla will also make sure customers' PowerWall home charger is fully juiced, to be used for a backup power supply, according to Engadget.
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PG&E filed for bankruptcy protection this year and admitted recently in court it may have caused nine wildfires in California this year.