What Would You Have Done?

Phone key is more useful than the smart key. Just need to be by the car and press the handle button to unlock it.

 

It turns out that locking is manual by default—done by pressing a button next to the connector—but you could also set it to automatic in vehicle settings.

What Would You Have Done? | PriusChat

 

That is different than my '24 RAV4, which locks and unlocks with the regular doors, both in personal experience and in the hard-copy manual.

But the '23 RAV4 Owner's Manual (on-line version) gives a still different pattern: By default, it autolocks on plug insertion, unlocks with the doors. Other choices are to auto-unlock when charge is complete, or turn the locking system off.

I don't know why Toyota made 3 different default locking patterns on vehicles that I would have guessed to be identical.

I'm also imagining that some public charging plugs might not have the locking tab, either by intent or by force. I just haven't yet been watching them for that.

 

Does a locking plug unlock after it shuts off? Seems only right for charging etiquette.
Maybe even 80% or something

 

Maybe they'll set it up so that the two cars can compare notes about their relative battery states? Maybe factor in distance-from-home as well, and the emotional tone of your last three social media posts to create a "charge desperation index" to work out who gets to use it?

Or you know, maybe just build more chargers?

This really, really looks like a situation best solved by MOAR.

 

That’s a big if, with the little information we have to go on

 

The plugs themselves have no actuator to perform the lock or unlock action. They do have a locking tab, which the car can latch on to via its own solenoid or actuator motor.

 

Perfect, the car could be programmed to release at a certain level

 

This whole situation is based on many false expectations.

1) The Tesla driver was excusing his boorish activity by claiming an urgent need to recharge. His evidence was a 1% remaining battery charge and the need to get home. There was a report last year where Tesla claimed that they have a hidden extra energy reserve that is still available once the car claims 0% remaining power. So the arrogant usurper most likely would have made it home to finish charging.

2) The arrogant BEV driver excused his behavior by assuming that the PHEV had a gas reserve to fall back on. This might or might not be true. A PHEV can easily travel quite a distance without having sufficient gas in the tank to finish the voyage. It's not a problem as long as you charge frequently, same as any other BEV.

But there was no way that the power pirate would have known for sure.

My reaction would be to point this out to the guy and then report the guy's license number to Tesla, or maybe include the VIN from his car's windshield.

 

Report that Tesla has hidden extra miles is false, if there ever was such a report

 

Many do, Tesla the most.

Tesla saves more range at 0% than other EVs, test finds

 

so they loseit at the top and gain it at the bottom?

 

Going past zero range is entering the state of charge range low enough to possibly degrade the battery's long term health. You could also drive many ICE cars past zero on fumes in the tank, but why risk it outside of a real emergency?

 

Hmmm. Guess it was not a false report.

As long as they don't guarantee the capacity of the buffer, then they can use their "software capacity lock" to limit the range to something close to the range that was registered with the EPA.

I've always been intrigued by the way that Tesla does not usually list the battery capacity for their cars. That gives them a LOT of leeway when it comes to disabling bad battery cells within the pack.

 

It's unknown how much buffer they have at the top.

 

I didn't see where you mentioned what your state of charge was when the BEV driver unplugged your car - of how much gas you had onboard.
You did mention that it was a 'free' charging station which lead me to believe that there have have been more than one person in this situation with a sense of entitlement.
THEY were at least kind enough to leave a note, which you could have done as well.

SO.....
You have two fuel sources.
They had one - and they were flat-lined.
One of the many disadvantages of having a single fueled vehicle.

First of all, you did the right thing in driving away.
If you have some lingering sense of being entitled to the few miles that were remaining on your free charge then you are also doing the right thing by venting HERE rather than confronting a person who ALSO feels entitled to free fuel.

BT Dubbs.....
What I would have done if I were the BEV driver is to carefully unplug .your car and load enough fuel to limp to the next working charging station (free or otherwise) and a divert field. I would have remained on site to explain my situation and perhaps pay you for the fuel to offset that portion of your 25-mile EV range that you feel you were 'entitled to.'

That's me being me.

I also have a single fueled vehicle and I know what it is like to run low on fuel.

Primes have a 600+ mile tank range when adult driven.

Sometimes?
Living well is the best revenge - IF that's your jam.

 

I remember reading that Tesla allows you to use 100% of the battery if you choose, is that incorrect?

 

I think it was the ‘hidden extra energy reserve’ terminology that threw me off.
Batteries have interesting and seemingly complicated qualities.
As the linked article mentioned, you can’t put a specific number on how many miles are left, because batteries are much more sensitive to environmental and driving factors than gasoline. even gas is not completely predictable, which is why they state the reserve as gallons, and not miles.
I doubt Tesla or any mfg wants drivers to use that reserve outside of emergencies , and even then, you can’t determine how far it will take you

 

I don't know about Las Vegas but out here we've got at least two separate banks of chargers at the malls. Usually a dedicated paid Tesla charging bank, 4 - 6 cars minimum even in the tiniest of strip malls and then the J1772 or free 110VAC outlet plugs - usually found on your favorite EV app.
IMHO; the guy should've stuck around and apologized personally - if he/she was indeed that desperate for a charge. That's just etiquette and being a thoughtful human being.

I probably would've unplugged them - bad behavior requires consequences; the J1772 adapter to Tesla connection probably isn't locked. I realize that's bad karma on my part, so be it... I'm pretty sure the cheap-skate just wanted a free charge while he/she shopped.

 

They do, though it may not be a true 100% for the non-LFP packs. I believe they a tiny buffer, like 3%, in case the battery heats up after it is finished charging. Either way, it is a high enough charge that repeated use of that level will shorten the life.

There is a difference between just continue driving, and having to do something extra to access the reserve. It isn't like Tesla has a separate reserve battery you have to switch to like a second gas tank. Then the after zero range mile amount depends on how accurate the 'DTE' estimate was.

On another note, Tesla counting those after zero miles in the car's official range doesn't make them hidden.