**Tesla’s Warning Against “Wet Towel” Trick**
Tesla car culture is notorious for its inventive hacks and shortcuts, but not all of them are as effective or safe as they might seem. One such hack, known as the “wet towel” trick, has caught the attention of Tesla Charging department, or what remains of it, prompting the company to issue a public warning to its customers. The “wet towel” trick involves wrapping a damp cloth around the Supercharger cable handle in an attempt to accelerate the charging time. However, Tesla’s recent announcement emphasizes that this practice can have severe consequences.
According to Tesla, the Supercharger is equipped with temperature monitors to prevent overheating while charging the vehicles. Some Tesla owners mistakenly believe that cooling down the charging handle with a damp cloth will deceive the temperature monitor and result in faster charging. However, Tesla has made it clear that if the sensor in the charging handle detects a lower temperature than the actual one during the charging process, the towel-wrapped charger can pose a risk of overheating or damage.
Interestingly, despite the potential dangers associated with the “wet towel” trick, it took Tesla more than two months to officially address the issue and advise customers against using this method. During this time, the hack gained popularity on various auto news websites and Reddit forums, drawing attention from Tesla owners. In response to an article from InsideEVs.com, Tesla Charging issued a warning on its official account, urging customers to refrain from employing the dangerous car charging trick.
This delay in communication and the subsequent cautionary statement by Tesla exemplify the challenges faced by a major automaker without a dedicated public relations (PR) department. In 2020, Tesla made the controversial decision to dissolve its entire PR team, leaving the company’s communication strategy in a precarious position. Additionally, in the following year, CEO Elon Musk publicly expressed his opposition to hiring a PR team, stating that he preferred not to “spend money on advertising & manipulating public opinion.”
The absence of a PR department undoubtedly played a role in the delayed response to the “wet towel” trick, as Tesla lacked a structured communication channel to promptly address emerging issues. This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of effective PR in the automotive industry, where immediate and accurate information dissemination is crucial to ensure customer safety and satisfaction.
As Tesla continues to innovate and shape the electric vehicle market, it will be interesting to observe whether the company reevaluates its stance on PR, recognizing the value of a dedicated team in maintaining reliable and transparent communication with its customer base. In a world where information spreads rapidly through online platforms, having a robust PR strategy becomes increasingly imperative for automakers to safeguard their reputation and foster trust among their customers.
