Tesla battery dies while plugged in and owner gets locked out — here’s why

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Tesla battery dies while plugged in and possessor gets locked out — here'southward why

(Paradigm credit: Tesla)

Did you know electric cars actually take two batteries? There's the big 1 that drives the machine, and a regular 12v car battery that handles the smaller stuff like lights and the door.

The 12v battery can likewise die on you if you don't drive very often, even if you lot proceed your car plugged in all the time. It'south all thank you to a quirk of the electronics you lot might not take known about.

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This was a trouble faced by television receiver automobile man James May recently, after discovering that he couldn't unlock his Tesla Model S. Yes, fifty-fifty Tesla cars have this problem, much to May'due south disappointment.

The thing nearly 12v car batteries is they tend to lose their charge if they're not recharged often plenty. Gas cars do this by driving around, while electrical cars utilize ability from the larger plug-in battery.

But as May discovered with his Tesla, which is kept plugged in all the fourth dimension, the big battery stops providing power when it reaches 100%. So while the 12v battery was powering smaller parts of the Model S, like the reckoner, the larger battery wasn't topping it upwardly again.

Then it ran out of power, and because the 12v battery besides controls the locks he couldn't get inside to pop open the hood. Cue what tin can best exist described equally dismantling a Tesla-shaped jigsaw so May could jump starting time the bombardment.

It's easy to presume that the big battery means electrical cars have no need for a traditional 12v car battery. I know I did, until I actually did some reading ahead of purchasing ane.

So if you are an EV owner make sure you don't let that 12v bombardment die on yous. And be prepared in case it does. Make sure you know how to get to it, and you have the appropriate tools to get it back to life. Whether that'southward a simple pair of spring cables, a trickle charger or an emergency battery pack.

Nissan Leafage (Interior) (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Thankfully, non all cars are as tricky to handle as a Tesla. I went out to bank check my own Nissan Leaf, and the biggest problem I had was actually finding the hood latch. Access to the battery isn't blocked by plastic sheets, and like many modern cars in that location'southward all the same a backup lock and central mechanism that doesn't need power.

• More: Everything you lot need to know nigh the Tesla Cybertruck

Tom is the Tom's Guide'due south Automotive Editor, which means he tin can usually be found knee deep in stats the latest and best electric cars, or checking out some sort of driving gadget. It's long manner from his days equally editor of Gizmodo UK, when pretty much everything was on the table. He's unremarkably constitute trying to clasp another behemothic Lego set onto the shelf, draining very big cups of coffee, or complaining that Ikea won't let him buy the stuff he actually needs online.

Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/news/tesla-battery-dies-while-plugged-in-and-owner-gets-locked-out-heres-why

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