The Truckee branch of the California Highway Patrol (CHP), known for its humorous law enforcement approach, recently gained significant attention on social media. They playfully mocked the owner of an Audi e-tron GT in a post on 28/6 after the vehicle ran out of power on a mountain road.
The driver pulled over and, instead of calling for a tow truck to the nearest charging station, opted to use a personal portable generator to slowly recharge the car's battery.
"Prayers won't add miles to your battery, but fortunately they had their own generator," the CHP humorously shared. They posted a photo of the incident, accompanied by Bon Jovi's "Livin' On A Prayer" as background music.
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Police car parked behind the dead electric Audi on the road. *Photo: CHP* |
On a more serious note, the CHP observed that driving on mountain roads, experiencing changes in elevation, and maintaining higher speeds can deplete an electric vehicle's battery much faster than anticipated. Truckee, a high mountain town in the northern Sierra Nevada range of Nevada County, California, features rugged terrain with an average elevation of 1,773 meters.
Police encourage drivers to plan ahead, fully charge their batteries, and always maintain an ample reserve range. Ignoring this advice could lead to a similar situation, resulting in an "unplanned stop in the emergency lane."
The 2026 Audi e-tron GT, the model involved, has a starting price in the US of 127,700 USD for the S e-tron GT version. This model features a 105 kWh battery pack, combined with an all-wheel drive system and two motors, producing 670 horsepower. It offers a range of 483 km and boasts 320 kW DC fast charging capability, allowing the battery to charge from 10% to 80% in 18 minutes.
Audi also offers an even more powerful version, the RS e-tron GT Performance, priced at 170,500 USD. This version delivers 912 horsepower and accelerates from 0 to 97 km/h in just 2,4 seconds. However, its operating range is reduced to 447 km.
This story is not intended to discredit electric vehicles, though it might appear so initially. Traditional internal combustion engine vehicles frequently encounter similar issues, such as engines overheating on steep inclines or consuming excessive fuel during long mountain climbs.
The key difference lies in the unexpected nature of electric vehicle battery depletion for those who assume the displayed range is a fixed countdown rather than a variable that constantly changes with real-world conditions.
My Anh (via Carscoops)
