Tesla Owners In California Asked To Charge Less To Preserve Power Grid During Extreme Heatwave

Amid a severe heatwave, Tesla owners in California are being asked to charge their electric vehicles less in order to lessen the burden on the power grid. Tesla has begun serving in-car notices to its customers, urging them to charge less both at home and on the company’s Supercharger stations during peak hours.

“The current heat wave is impacting the grid in California,” the notice states. “If possible, we ask that you reduce Supercharging and home charging between the hours of 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. to support the statewide efforts to manage demand.”

Owners have also been warned of potential power shut-offs in the state. Power companies are known to turn off electricity in regions experiencing severe heat in order to mitigate the risk of wildfire.

With temperatures in excess of 100 degrees Fahrenheit, California's power grid is expected to be taxed considerably harder than normal due to people trying to keep their homes cool. Gov. Gavin Newsom has also asked residents to use as few appliances as possible from 3-10 p.m. each day to keep electricity use in check.

The record-breaking heat in California has also led to 30 wildfires raging across the state, consuming over 120,000. In Death Valley, one of the hottest locations in the world, the Furnace Creek weather station recently recorded a near all-time-high temperature of 130 degrees.

“I've been following California's weather for 15 years and I haven't seen it in my career,” said Brian Garcia, a warning coordination meteorologist in San Francisco. “There are others in this office who have been here for 20 to 30 years who haven't seen it in their careers either.”