The total solar eclipse was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for millions of people, but traveling home from the event quickly turned into a challenge for hundreds of Tesla owners.
The moon was positioned for a few minutes on Monday so that the entire view of the sun was blocked in several states, plunging millions of people into darkness during the early afternoon.
The path of totality started in Mexico and extended across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine before heading over the North Atlantic.
The spectacle drew crowds from around the nation as people headed to areas in the path of totality to witness the event. Meanwhile, officials across the country voiced concerns about stretched public safety resources and an "enormous strain" on local hospitals and congested roadways.
Read more: Earn Cash Back at EV Charging Stations
Several organizations, including the New York State Police, warned visitors against traveling in cars that couldn't withstand long delays, such as electric vehicles (EVs).
"If from out of the area, don't use vehicles that can't travel for 10-plus hours without charging—stranded EVs in traffic will be towed," the New York State Police warned in a statement.
Many Tesla owners returning home after the event quickly learned that finding a charging station and topping up their vehicle would add significant time to their trip. The Livesey family from Massachusetts noticed the battery on their Tesla was low after traveling to view the eclipse in Vermont. When they located a station that was open, they found dozens of vehicles already waiting to charge, according to a report by WCVB.
"I got there with 1 mile [left] only to find out there were about 60 cars waiting to be charged," Monica Livesey said, according to the report.
The family joined forces with another and began assigning numbers to Tesla owners waiting to charge their vehicles. After four hours, the family finally had the chance to charge their Tesla. They had just handed out ticket No. 189, and more vehicles were still arriving.
"I don't know where all these people came from. I didn't know there were that many Teslas," said Livesey's 13-year-old daughter, Jessica, according to the report.
At a Tesla Supercharger, it can take approximately 15 minutes to top up the vehicle to a 200-mile range.
Newsweek has reached out to Tesla by email for comment.
Multiple studies have named the lack of access to public charging infrastructure as one of the largest obstacles to battery-electric vehicle adoption in the U.S. Despite the hassle, Livesey said the spectacle was still worth the challenge of getting home.
The last total solar eclipse to darken America's skies occurred on August 21, 2017, in Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia and South Carolina. The previous one to that in America was in 1979.
The next time a total solar eclipse crosses over several states won't be until 2044.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Anna Skinner is a Newsweek senior reporter based in Indianapolis. Her focus is reporting on the climate, environment and weather ... Read more
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.
