If electric cars have become commonplace in large cities, this is still far from being the case in certain remote areas. This couple, owners of a Tesla Model Y, understood this well during their visit to the small American town of Ekalaka, Montana.
Although sales of electric cars are exploding in Europe and around the world as we saw in June 2023, seeing a watted model on the road is still a small event in some remote places. Chad Lauterbach and Allis Markham, a couple who own a Tesla Model Y, realized this when they arrived in Ekalaka, a small village of 400 inhabitants of Montana (UNITED STATES).
Accused of theft of electricity by the local newspaper
The front page of the local newspaper speaks for itself: right next to a story about the upcoming Pet Parade, a large photo of their Tesla takes up the front page with the following caption: “Stolen Volts”. The article thus explains that a “unidentified electric vehicle” To used a power outlet on the main street town to recharge, suggesting in passing that the owner did not pay for the stored energy.
In fact, the couple, originally from Los Angeles, traveled to Montana to volunteer for the annual dinosaur party at the Carter County Museum, located near Ekalaka. Because, Allis Makham is a renowned taxidermistwho worked on reproductions of dinosaurs for the museum several times.
To make this long journey between LA and Montana, Allis and Chad preferred to take their Model Y rather than their 1989 Land Cruiser FJ62. No wonder when we know the appalling fuel consumption of the vehicle, of the order of 23 liters per 100. After arriving at their accommodation (a farm located 30 km from the city), the batteries of the Tesla were almost empty. And with no Supercharger nearby, the task was going to be complex. There was a 120V outlet, but going back and forth between the farm and the town would require at least 10 hours of charging afterwards.
An unexpected recharge that does not pass
Fortunately, their host graciously lent the couple a Ford F-150 to get around during their stay. It’s only when he gets to town that Chad notices a 14-50 power outlet on the main thoroughfare of Ekalaka. As a reminder, these outlets display a power 5 to 6 times higher than a conventional American wall outlet, which means that a charge to travel 40 km would take about an hour or two, compared to ten.
Chad therefore brings his Tesla back to recharge it using an adapter (he has an armada in his trunk). Only, his companion fears that the inhabitants do not necessarily see Chad’s opportunism in a good light. After a first successful charge, the conductor decides to come back the next day to fill up with electrons again. Except… the outlet is now closed.
A scandal that ends rather well
Neither one nor two, a resident who attended the scene invites Chad to consult the local newspaper. According to him, the title of the front page should be of great interest to him. As said above, he therefore finds his Tesla there in close-up, with an accusation of theft of electricity as a bonus. To quickly put an end to the burgeoning scandal, Allis Markham decides to go a few blocks to the headquarters of the Southeast Electric Cooperative, the local energy supplier to “pay for the crimes of the unidentified electric vehicle”.
After laughing at the situation with the employees, the couple insisted on paying $60 as restitution for the few days of use on the town’s electrical network. They even got a receipt, the very first for an EV recharge published by SECO.
Finally, this grotesque story could have a nice repercussion since the SECO representative left a small dedication on the newspaper bought by the couple: “Thanks for your honesty! We begin the process to install an electric charging station […] We have to adapt to our time!”.
Source: Electrek
