Rescue Mode

[aprusan]

Given the amount of Tesla cars on the road, it would be great if there was a "Rescue mode" whereby a Tesla driver could donate some battery power to a stranded Tesla on the road.
Both cars would have to be in the Rescue Mode (one to donate and one to receive)and utilize a cable with Tesla plugs on both ends.Obviously ,you would have to have ample power to put your Tesla in the donate mode. This would be a software
modification by Tesla.
Recently while on vacation in a rented Tesla, I almost didn't reach a supercharger because I didn't charge to full capacity
and didn't factor uphill mountain highways into my calculations. Rescue mode would have helped me reach the supercharger without worry.

 

[GigaGrunt]

Not that easy.

 

[TORQU3]

I think I remember something about early roadsters could do this but they have since abandoned this feature.

 

[smatthew]

Why would another Tesla driver waste their time and money giving you electrons? Something about your lack of planning....

 

[MP3Mike]

Here is Elon's response to someone asking that last July:

Elon Musk‏Verified account @elonmusk 4 Jul 2018

Replying to @Cody_Walker9

Very early on, we had the ability to use the car as a battery outputting power. Maybe worth revisiting that.

 

[Dan123]

Given the amount of Tesla cars on the road, it would be great if there was a "Rescue mode" whereby a Tesla driver could donate some battery power to a stranded Tesla on the road.

I think that's called a towing rope.
SPEEDWAY 20 ft. x 2 in. Heavy-Duty Tow Strap with Safety Hooks-37011 - The Home Depot

 

[zhu-]

didn't factor uphill mountain highways into my calculations.

Did you plan the trip yourself or set it into the car's navigation? The car analyzes topography data for navigation to give a more accurate estimate.

 

[aprusan]

Why would another Tesla driver waste their time and money giving you electrons? Something about your lack of planning....[/QUOte
Yes, but occasionally that could happen to someone, for ICE cars that involves getting a gas can ,a helpful person if so inclined ,could give that person a lift to the gas station or loan them a gas can.Certainly stopping for stranded motorists can be dangerous so its your choice to stop. maybe one day you will lack planning and need help.

 

[ewoodrick]

I don't carry around a funnel and tube to get gas from another car, I don't know of anyone that does.

There's generally a LOT MORE 120V electric plugs available than gas stations. May not be really fast, but then that's the penalty.
And for less of a penalty, there's a large number of J-1772 locations around.

 

[aprusan]

Did you plan the trip yourself or set it into the car's navigation? The car analyzes topography data for navigation to give a more accurate estimate.

I used the navigation and based solely on miles I would have made it.
This was Page Arizona to Flagstaff Az. The car I used was a model X with the smallest battery.
If I was more patient I would have fully charged the car

 

[GolanB]

Several years ago AAA began an Experimental program to charge EVs on the road that ran out of juice. I would expect that as more EVs get sold this service will become more prominent. It’s ultimately cheaper and faster to supply 25-30 miles of charge (or whatever is required) to get a car to the nearest charger vs towing.

Theoretically, they could equip their trucks with a 50KWh battery for energy storage and get several cars running between charges back at base.

The idea you’ve described in general is a good idea, and not just sharing energy with other cars, but potentially with your home as well as a secondary storage source.

 

[TT97]

I would actually prefer to see a vehicle-to-home system. Nissan was looking at this a few years ago (not sure if it ever happened). In case of a black out at your home, you can use the car similar as a "powerwall" to power your home. With the battery in a Tesla, you can power your house for several days on a charge (and you can make a trip to an operating supercharger for a prolonged blackout).

I don't have enough blackouts at home to justify the $20k+ cost for a powerwall system but being able to use the car would be great. Unfortunately, even with solar, the system shuts down in case of blackouts without a battery backup system.

“Vehicle to Home” Electricity Supply System

 

[woodguyatl]

Why would another Tesla driver waste their time and money giving you electrons? Something about your lack of planning....

Why wouldn’t they?

 

[TiggerTime]

Why wouldn’t they?

Because unfortunately in this day and age most people only think about themselves.

 

[Jawz]

Because unfortunately in this day and age most people only think about themselves.

I think that's way too simplified. Nowadays, lives are hectic, streets are clogged, and everyone (including me) wants to get from point A to point B ASAP. It's a drag to spend another 30-60 min trying to charge another car whose owner may not have been "smart" enough to plan his trip ahead of time. Another big factor is "alienation": Two decades ago, you could go up to a stranger and say "hi" without reservation. Nowadays, every stranger is a potential terrorist, child molester, or (god forbid) an "immigrant"!

Sad times ppl, sad times...

 

[Shock-On-T]

Why would another Tesla driver waste their time and money giving you electrons? Something about your lack of planning....

Haven’t you ever helped someone who ran out of fuel? It would be the equivalent of that.

 

[Shock-On-T]

I think that's called a towing rope.
SPEEDWAY 20 ft. x 2 in. Heavy-Duty Tow Strap with Safety Hooks-37011 - The Home Depot

Actually you can use the regen to recharge if you’re being towed.

 

[ngogas]

lol.... you are now thinking like an android phone. battery sharing.

 

[smatthew]

I think you'd have to monetize and gamify power sharing for it to take off.

Say I run out of juice. Oops. I could call for a tow and waste 1-3 hours of my life. What if I could hit a button on my screen, and specify the amount of charge I want, and how much I'm willing to pay for it. Drivers in the area who have opted-in could receive your request, and if they want, accept your request and get paid for helping you out. I bet most people would easily pay $40 for a 10kW charge if it saved them from waiting for a tow truck.

I know a few uber and lyft drivers with model 3's who would love to supplement their income as a mobile rescue charger.

Then let drivers earn badges. First Power Share. 10kW Shared. 100kW shared. 1000kW shared, etc.