Tesla Increased Range Of Certain Models In Response To Hurricane Irma

Hurricane Irma is currently barreling through the Southeastern side of the US and emergency responders have been trying to keep damages to a minimum. Tesla is trying to do its part by giving owners of certain models of its electric cars increased range. While it’s nothing major, it could be enough to get some people out of harm’s way.

The increased range only applies to certain Model S and Model X units by Tesla. These models were supposed to come with 60kWh batteries, but instead, they have 75kWh capacities. By updating the software of these vehicles, owners can temporarily tap on the extra juice, Fortune reports.

Due to the mistake, the affected models were actually removed from this year’s lineup. Because of the threat brought about by Irma, however, it might have been fortunate that some drivers actually got to buy these vehicles.

The improvement in the range isn’t anything major. Drivers are only getting about an additional 30 miles out of it, give or take. Then again, those extra miles might just mean the difference between some families getting swallowed by the storm and escaping it.

It would seem that Tesla made no major announcements with regards to the improvement either. It wasn’t until owners started noticing the change did word spread of the update on sites like Reddit.

For now, the official deadline for when the temporary range boost will last is September 16th, USA Today reports. As such, drivers have until then to enjoy the extra range with their vehicles, which might come in handy during the constant commutes caused by the storm.

Just in case fans of traditional cars start saying that this isn’t anything to feel good about, it’s worth noting that fuel shortages have been reported in the areas affected by Irma. On the other hand, there are plenty of ways to get electricity for charging electric cars.