Tesla owners who were in Hurricane Irma’s path in the Southeast recently got an unexpected boost to help them, after the carmaker remotely upgraded vehicle batteries to their highest capacity.
The boost gave customers’ cars an extra 30 to 40 miles, but it’s also temporary: The batteries will lose their extra juice this weekend.
The move came at the request of a customer who was worried about traffic and the range between charging stations during a massive evacuation that saw millions of Americans leave their homes in Florida, Georgia and neighboring states.
The battery boost applies to Model S and Model X vehicles that were built and sold with 75 kWh battery packs — but were software-limited to 60 kWh or 70 kWh capacities. Customers who bought the cars got them at a lower price, with an offer of paying to unlock the remaining battery power later.
the 2010s suck so bad
“We have build the whole product, we can afford to sell the whole product to you for the price you paid for it, but we’re not giving you access to the whole product on the off-chance that you’ll one day give us more money to have the whole product.”
That’s some fucked up capitalism at it’s most shitty and inefficient shit.
Additionally: if they can unlock battery capabilities remotely, they can probably lock down the battery too, right? So in a few years we’re going to see cars that lock themselves down because you missed a monthly payment?
#CapitalismSucksSoBad
So in a few years we’re going to see cars that lock themselves down because you missed a monthly payment?
GOD DAMMIT FUCK CAPITALISM
Tesla Remotely Expanded Car Batteries Near Irma’s Path, And Questions Linger
QueerAnarchism 