Guy ran out of battery in Tesla far from home and did something unthinkable instead of going to a charger
- This Tesla owner ran out of battery in the middle of nowhere
- He came up with a clever idea to charge the car
- He used regenerative braking, and it worked
Published on Oct 21, 2024 at 9:52 AM (UTC-4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on May 15, 2025 at 11:50 AM (UTC-4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
A Tesla owner ran out of battery when he was far from home and also far from a charger.
What he did was quite clever.
He called a friend, had him tow the Tesla, and used regenerative braking to charge the car up.
It had never been tried before – that we know of – but it worked.
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A genius idea
This is one of those situations when people just come up with genius solutions based on seemingly simple facts.
The Tesla owner explained in the video on the Warped YouTube channel the logic behind his thinking.
He knew that Teslas use kinetic energy while braking to recharge the battery, and he knew that, even while being towed, his Tesla would inevitably accelerate and brake all the time.
In the end, he realized there was no reason why this shouldn’t work and, well, he was right.
Obviously, charging this way isn’t exactly ideal because it’s quite slow.
Even so, while traveling at around 70mph for 25 miles he was able to charge the car just enough to drive to the nearest charging point.
Tesla wants to change the way we charge cars
A while back, Tesla fired most of the Supercharger team.
Just a few days later, Elon Musk explained that the company was still aiming to expand its Supercharger network, just not at the same pace.
The company is even building a retro diner in Los Angeles where people can have food while charging their Teslas.
Then, after the robotaxi unveil event, some people connected the dots and realized why Musk decided to slow down the expansion of the network.
Tesla’s robotaxi, known as Cybercab, only supports wireless charging.
It doesn’t even have a charging port.
For the time being, wireless charging basically only exists in theory.
There are several companies working on it, not just Tesla, but it still feels utopian.
But technology has a way of accelerating its trajectory a lot faster than people predict.
So we shouldn’t be surprised if 10 or maybe even 5 years from now all new EVs came with wireless charging.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
