Tesla has started rolling out an update that allows drivers to leave a Supercharger in an emergency without getting out of the car to disconnect the cable. The feature is called Emergency Drive Away and appeared in software update 2026.38.3.
Previously, Tesla blocked the car from shifting into Drive mode if the charging cable remained connected. Now, after selecting Drive, a warning appears on the screen. The driver must hold the brake pedal and confirm the activation of Emergency Drive Away.
After the car starts moving, the connector physically breaks. Tesla explicitly warns that this procedure will damage the car and the charging station, so the function is intended exclusively for emergency situations. The company also announced additional penalties for intentional misuse of the mode.
According to Tesla, Supercharger damage, depending on the specific station, can cost up to approximately $25,000 (about 2.1 million rubles). In addition, after activation, mandatory service will be required to repair the car's charging port.
Initially, Emergency Drive Away only works on Superchargers in the US and requires software version 2026.38.3 or newer. The feature is not available for Model S and Model X produced before 2021.