A dangerous practice of placing a wet towel on Tesla charging stations to speed up the charging of electric vehicles is spreading on social media. The American manufacturer warns of the significant risks associated with this manipulation.
A trick born from the impatience of drivers
Faced with sometimes long lines at Supercharger stations, some Tesla owners have come up with a way to bypass security systems to speed up charging. The technique, dubbed the “wet towel trick,” involves wrapping the charging connector in a damp towel.
The aim is to trick the temperature sensors built into the charger. In theory, this would prevent the system from reducing charging power if it overheats, allowing for faster charging.
Tesla's firm response
Alerted by the proliferation of videos promoting this practice on social networks, Tesla had to react officially. In a message published on its X account (formerly Twitter), the manufacturer warns against the dangers of this manipulation:
“Placing a wet towel over the Supercharger cable handles does not increase charging speed and interferes with the temperature sensors, creating a risk of damage from overheating. Please refrain from doing this so that our systems can function properly and true charging issues can be detected by our systems.”
Real security risks
Contrary to what the proponents of this trick claim, Tesla claims that this practice does not bring any benefit in terms of charging speed. Worse still, it can have serious consequences:
Superchargers designed for all conditions
Tesla points out that its charging stations are already equipped with high-performance cooling systems, particularly on the most recent models. These devices maintain an optimal temperature for the connectors and batteries, regardless of the weather conditions.
Superchargers are designed to operate efficiently in a variety of weather conditions, whether itโs intense heat, extreme cold, rain or snow. Adding a wet towel only interferes with these sophisticated systems.
The persistence of a dangerous practice
Despite Tesla's warnings, many drivers continue to use this trick. Social media is still full of videos claiming to demonstrate the effectiveness of this method for speeding up charging.
This situation highlights several issues:
The importance of following official recommendations
Faced with this worrying situation, Tesla insists on the importance of respecting the instructions for using Superchargers. The manufacturer points out that these recommendations are the result of years of research and development, aimed at optimizing the safety and efficiency of the charging process.
To ensure an optimal and safe charging experience, Tesla recommends that users:
Towards better user education
The emergence of this dangerous practice highlights the need for better education for electric vehicle drivers. It is crucial that users understand the basic principles of how batteries and fast-charging systems work.
Tesla and other automakers may want to consider stepping up their communications efforts to:
In conclusion, the Tesla Supercharger wet towel trick is a perfect example of the dangers that misinformation can pose in the field of new technologies. It is everyone's responsibility, manufacturers and users alike, to prioritize safety and rely on reliable information to get the most out of electric mobility.