Tesla Sentry Mode captures vandal’s attempt to break Model 3 charging plug

Joey Klender

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Posted on January 11, 2020

A Tesla Model 3 being charged overnight was subjected to a strange attack after a group of vandals began to tamper with its charger. The entire event was caught on one of the Model 3’s Sentry Mode cameras. Model 3 owner and YouTuber Fernando C posted the video from January 10. He states his vehicle was parked in the garage of the Park MGM Casino in Las Vegas at 2 AM when the incident occurred.

One male perpetrator initially tried to open the driver’s side door, but he seemed to be unfamiliar with the Model 3’s door handle mechanism and hence, he was unsuccessful. Another male then walked over and attempted to forcefully remove the charger from the Model 3’s charging port jack by its cord, also to no avail.

After realizing the charger was locked into the vehicle, the man then attempted to kick the charging plug from its side. This was also met with no success. The two men decided to just kick the car itself. The Model 3’s alarm was then triggered, prompting the two men to flee the scene.

The description of the video on YouTube states: “Our Model 3 was able to alert us that someone was tampering with the vehicle at 2am in Vegas. I had Sentry Mode on and it recorded these individuals trying to break off the charging plug. I was able to report and send this to Park MGM Security. Technology is kind of cool!”

While this is just another instance of hate toward Tesla vehicles and the electric car community as a whole, the incident could have been much worse. If the vandals succeeded in damaging the charging plug or the Model 3’s charging connector, the Tesla owner would have been subjected to hundreds, if not thousands of dollars, in repairs.

Teslas automatically lock the charging connector into the car when it is plugged in and locked. This is one of the main factors that thwarted the vandals from their attempts at dislodging the Model 3’s charger. While his car was still vandalized and potentially damaged from the kicks the perpetrators laid into the side of the vehicle, the incident could have been much worse.

Teslas have been the target of many acts of vandalism in the past. Owners have reported keying, tire slashing, ICEing, and “Coal Roll”-styled attacks in the past few months. Damage to charging connectors has also been reported in the past but instances of this happening are far less frequent.

These attacks prove that the hazing of electric vehicles is still a very relevant issue. Some people hold such potent hatred for electric vehicles and environmental sustainability that they chose to damage vehicles that people bought with their hard-earned money for no obvious reason. Unfortunately, it will likely be a while before these attempts at vandalism stop. Luckily, Tesla’s Sentry Mode catches many of the vandals in the act and assists owners in bringing them to justice.

You can watch Fernando C’s video of his Tesla Model 3 being vandalized below.

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Tesla Sentry Mode captures vandal’s attempt to break Model 3 charging plug

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Every Tesla Model Y sighting so far: Subtle refinements from unveiling event to today

Joey Klender

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Posted on January 11, 2020

A Tesla enthusiast recently compiled all of the sightings of the Model Y in chronological order. The video shows how Tesla has been fine-tuning the vehicle ahead of its initial production phases and its first deliveries later this year.

YouTuber and electric vehicle enthusiast Ryan Shaw compiled a complete collection of every Model Y sighting, from its first public sighting in April 2019 in Fremont, California outside of Tesla’s headquarters to most recent ones shared online. From this sighting alone, it was evident that the Model Y is indeed a larger, taller version of the Model 3 sedan. It also provided a brief hint at the vehicle’s third row seats, which appear to provide very little space.

Amidst Tesla enthusiasts spotting the car on what seemed like a daily basis, the company did everything from equipping the vehicle with calibration equipment to testing out different wheels that are were initially only available to the Model 3 in China. Tesla seemed to be leaving no stone unturned when it came to the Model Y, refining the vehicle’s design and features as-needed to ensure a successful launch of its first SUV-style vehicle since the Model X.

One of the biggest topics of discussion surrounding the Model Y is its size. Some may have been under the impression that it would not be as spacious as traditional crossovers. These speculations were addressed as Tesla started to roll out the Model Y for public road testing, and photographs and videos were taken of the vehicle driving next to a number of popular cars on the road. Based on these sightings, it is becoming evident that the Model Y’s size will be comparable to popular crossovers like the Honda CR-V.

Quite interestingly, the chronology of the Model Y sightings show the subtle refinements that Tesla’s release candidates have been displaying over the months. Initial sightings of the vehicle in the wild featured rough edges on the crossover, such as mismatched trims and a lack of badges. This was not the case with more recent footage and photos of the vehicle, which reveal a crossover that looks every bit like it’s slated to enter production soon.

The Model Y will begin production at the Fremont factory by the Summer and those who have pre-ordered the vehicle are expected to take delivery soon after. The vehicle will also be produced at Gigafactory 3 in Shanghai and Gigafactory 4 near Berlin. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has even announced that the Model Y would be GF4’s first production vehicle.

Crossovers are currently a dominant force in the American automotive sector and make up for a majority of vehicle purchases in the United States. While manufacturers like Audi, Jaguar, Kia, and Hyundai have all released all-electric crossovers, Tesla will use its established ecosystem of trademark driver-assist features, OTA improvements, and charging network to give the vehicle an advantage in the market.

You can watch Ryan Shaw’s video of every sighting of the Tesla Model Y below.

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Every Tesla Model Y sighting so far: Subtle refinements from unveiling event to today

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Tesla’s replanting of trees near Gigafactory 4 complex may be more difficult than expected

Joey Klender

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Posted on January 10, 2020

Tesla and the State of Brandenburg are preparing for afforestation in lands surrounding the recently purchased lot where Gigafactory 4 will eventually stand.

Brandenburg BUND Conservation Officer Axel Heinzel-Berndt stated that Tesla officers have been contacted by environmentalists several times since the company has started removing trees from a portion of its €40.91 million, 300-hectare property.

The company has promised to replant three times as many trees as it knocks down in areas surrounding Gigafactory 4. However, Heinzel-Berndt says the task may be more difficult than the automaker thinks because the amount of land optimal for the growth of new trees is small.

“It will be difficult to find arable land on this scale. But it is also conceivable that, instead, species-poor pine forest is converted into mixed forest,’ he said in an interview with taz.de.

Tesla has also summoned the help of a local company to determine what type of trees would thrive in the areas they plan to replant. The company is looking for trees that would be suitable for endangered bats and sand lizards in the area. The electric car maker is planning to relocate the anthills of wood ants that inhabit the area as well.

Tesla began cutting trees down on 90 hectares of the property on January 6. The company must have the initial tree removal phase completed by February 27 because Brandenburg’s bird breeding season begins a few days later on March 1. Tesla’s Environmental Impact Report stated they were worried about the many different species of wildlife in the area and were mostly concerned about harming as few animals as possible.

Heinzel-Berndt himself supports Tesla’s presence in the country, as electric cars are better for the environment than internal combustion engines. While he is aware that the upcoming production plant is not popular with every citizen, he sees it as an opportunity to improve the environment and the earth and appreciates Tesla’s mission.

“Environmental and climate policy measures should be socially compatible. In this respect, you should not reject such an offer lightly. That is our current state of discussion,” he added.

Tesla has already started posting jobs for the German production facility and plans to hire as many as 8,000 employees when the factory hits its maximum production phase in a few years. Gigafactory 4 will begin producing the Model Y in July 2021 and the company plans to eventually build half-a-million cars a year at the complex.

Tesla’s replanting of trees near Gigafactory 4 complex may be more difficult than expected

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