Key takeaways
- Tesla added Emergency Drive Away at U.S. Superchargers on October 1 with software update 2026.38.3. Drivers can shift into Drive while still plugged in, and the cable breaks away from the car.
- Tesla warns the feature damages the car and the Supercharger, records short camera clips for Tesla, and requires a service visit. One owner reported a $539 bill even though the car never moved. Tesla has not commented on that case.
- My view: finally Tesla speaks up and acts on safety. This button can save a life. Whoever presses it for fun deserves the bill, and in my eyes it could be even higher.
On August 1, 2026, a gunman opened fire outside an In-N-Out in Twin Falls, Idaho, where a Tesla Supercharger sits in the same lot. Police said he also fired at people in two Teslas that were charging; three people were killed and several were injured. Until then, a Tesla would not leave Park with the charge cable connected: the driver had to unlock the port on the screen, in the app or with the button on the handle, and wait for the latch to release.
On October 1, Tesla added Emergency Drive Away with software update 2026.38.3. At U.S. Superchargers, a driver can now shift into Drive while plugged in, hold the brake, tap Activate, and drive off as the cable breaks away. Tesla says the feature “will damage your vehicle and the Supercharger,” that the car sends short camera recordings to Tesla, that a charge port service visit is mandatory, that Supercharger repairs can cost up to $25,000, and that deliberate misuse “will invoke additional penalties.” Model S and Model X cars built before 2021 are not supported. Tesla’s Director of Charging, Max de Zegher, called it a feature “we hope you never need” and said it will be improved based on feedback. This week, one owner’s case went viral on X: a $539 service bill after pressing Activate without moving the car.
In this article: Finally, Tesla doesn’t stay silent · Max de Zegher hopes we never need it · The tragedy doesn’t have to be in the press release · A pity older cars don’t get it · $539? He could have paid more · The car doesn’t know you were joking · Austin shows why Tesla is strict · In a real emergency, you don’t think about the charger · The demo video shows the truth · USA first, as always · Not perfect yet, but a step · Now tell us about FSD too · FAQ
Finally, Tesla doesn’t stay silent
I have criticized Tesla a lot. When a Tesla Semi caught fire, Musk said nothing. This time it’s different, and I want to say it out loud: this is the kind of step we wait for from Tesla. They came out and talked about what eats us up inside, our safety.
Yes, they needed more time. But they still took it into their own hands, came out and announced maybe the most important feature there is, a feature for a human life. I really like what they did.
Max de Zegher hopes we never need it
Tesla’s Director of Charging, Max de Zegher, said they hope we will never need this feature. That’s beautiful. And what I like even more: he said it will be improved based on feedback.
So they didn’t just throw the feature at us. They are waiting for us to tell them what to change, so it becomes more useful and works better for us. That is how it should be.
The tragedy doesn’t have to be in the press release
Tesla didn’t mention the horror that happened at the charging station in Twin Falls. Honestly, I don’t care. The most important thing is that we will have this feature now.
A pity older cars don’t get it
It’s a pity that not every car gets it, older ones too. Model S and Model X built before 2021 are left out. But I understand. Maybe back then nobody thought this would ever be needed.
$539? He could have paid more
Now the case everyone on X is sharing. One owner pressed Activate, changed his mind and went nowhere. The car didn’t move an inch. The red alert stayed on the screen, only Tesla Service could clear it, and the bill was $539 for the charge port inspection. So far, it’s the only known case.
And I like that Tesla takes it so strictly. Even if you don’t move the car, you get a bill. In my opinion, whoever just plays with it should pay even more, so people understand this is not a joke. It’s not a toy for testing, so you have something to film, photograph or post on X.
He pressed it, then changed his mind. Seriously, people, do you think this is a game? It’s really absurd.
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| Shift into Drive while plugged in | A red warning appears on the screen |
| Hold the brake and tap Activate | The charging lock is overridden |
| Drive away | The cable breaks away from the port; coolant can leak |
| Right after activation | Short camera clips are sent to Tesla |
| Afterwards | A red “service required” alert stays on; only Tesla Service can clear it |
| Costs | Mandatory charge port service; one reported case: $539. Supercharger repairs up to $25,000; “additional penalties” for misuse |
The car doesn’t know you were joking
And people write with surprise that the alert kept shining even though the car didn’t go anywhere. You pressed a button that is basically meant to save your life, and you wonder why the car still shows the alert? It’s just a car. It doesn’t know what happened. It doesn’t know you were joking.
Somebody has to check what you did. Were you out of your mind when you pressed it?
Austin shows why Tesla is strict
In Austin, during the F1 weekend, a driver drove off with the cable still attached. That is an example of how people will use it as something normal: after charging, they won’t even get out of the car, they will just press it and drive away. Now I understand why Tesla did it this way, and why it put real measures in place against such people.
And the “I pressed it by accident” stories? I think people mostly write that to defend themselves in front of others on social media. I don’t believe Tesla is so dumb that it would build something this absurd. And if there really is a problem, Tesla will fix it with an update.
In a real emergency, you don’t think about the charger
Please understand why it is called an emergency feature. In the moment when somebody threatens your life and you have to leave fast, you don’t think about damaging the car or the charger. You think about how to get away fast, so nothing threatens you.
Tesla hasn’t said who pays when it’s a real emergency. I think that is exactly why it records the video: so it can see who was really running from a threat. And in that case, in my view, the person who was in danger won’t pay. That’s my guess.
The video recording and the penalties for misuse don’t bother me at all. The idiots who only want to make hype and use it for fun are egoists who don’t think about what it’s for. If I were Tesla, I would put the whole repair bill on whoever misuses it.
The demo video shows the truth
And it’s good that Tesla made the demo video. You see exactly what happens when you activate it: the cable tears off, and coolant leaks out of it right away. Nobody can say they didn’t know.
USA first, as always
That it works only in the US for now is not fair to others. But we see this paradox at almost every company: first it comes to the US, and with time to everyone else.
Not perfect yet, but a step
It’s not yet the way we imagine it, where the charger or the car simply cuts the power and releases the cable. I think Tesla will fine-tune that. The most important thing is that we finally see some progress. The solution may not be ideal now, but it shows that Tesla knows it has to solve problems like this.
Now tell us about FSD too
We still expect more from Tesla. If they told us just as openly how FSD behaves and why they keep so much data secret, that would be a bomb. I would start to believe that the good old visionary is coming back to us. I mean Elon Musk, who has had a lot of falseness lately. Maybe he will change. At least I can dream about it.
Also on Evolt News: A Tesla Semi fire, and Musk is silent · Musk, Robotaxi and Waymo · Tesla’s annual meeting
Featured image: Tesla Supercharger in Southlake, Texas. Photo: Ed Uthman / Mariordo, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
This article is opinion.
Tesla Emergency Drive Away: FAQ
What is Tesla Emergency Drive Away?
A feature added with software update 2026.38.3 on October 1, 2026, that lets a Tesla leave a U.S. Supercharger while still plugged in. The driver shifts into Drive, holds the brake and taps Activate, and the cable breaks away from the car.
Why did Tesla add Emergency Drive Away?
Tesla called it a feature it hopes owners never need. It arrived two months after a shooting on August 1, 2026, at a Supercharger next to an In-N-Out in Twin Falls, Idaho, after which owners asked for a way to leave a stall without waiting for the charge port latch.
How much does it cost to use Emergency Drive Away?
Tesla says a charge port service visit is mandatory and that Supercharger repairs can cost up to $25,000 depending on the site. One owner reported a $539 bill to inspect the port and clear the alert even though the car never moved. Tesla has not published a fixed price.
What if I see the Emergency Drive Away warning by accident?
Do not tap Activate. Shift back to Park and unplug normally using the touchscreen, the Tesla app or the button on the charge handle.
Which Teslas support Emergency Drive Away?
It works at U.S. Superchargers on cars with software 2026.38.3 or newer. Model S and Model X vehicles built before 2021 are not supported.
Does Tesla record video when Emergency Drive Away is used?
Yes. Tesla says short camera recordings are shared with Tesla when the feature is activated, and deliberate misuse will bring additional penalties.
Sources: Tesla Charging, Teslarati, Electrek, Not a Tesla App, Tesla North, Drive Tesla Canada, Carscoops.
Our Take
Tesla finally spoke up about safety and gave drivers a way out of a Supercharger when their life is in danger. It isn’t perfect yet, but it’s a real step, and Tesla promises to improve it based on feedback.
The $539 bill for pressing it without a reason? Fair. This button is for saving a life, not for content on X. Now, Tesla, be this open about FSD too.
