A video showing a massive line of Tesla electric cars waiting their turn at a charging station in Louisiana is making the rounds on the internet this week. What are the details?
The video, posted on Facebook by Texas resident Candace Metz on Sunday, appears to show more than a dozen Tesla vehicles wrapped around a parking lot near Interstate 10 in Louisiana, just off Prien Lake, Road in Lake Charles.
"Yesterday I was in Louisiana along I-10. I stopped to get gas when I noticed a line of cars all waiting," Metz wrote in the video's caption. "Come to find out — it was a line of Teslas waiting their turn to charge up."
"Curious, I pulled over and asked the guy how long it took to charge — he said normally 30 min[utes] but these stations are running slow due to demand so it’s over an hour per car," she continued, adding, "Take a look at this line ... Each car is over an hour to charge."
"Hope those people have food and clothes — they may not make dinner," she quipped.
A Google Maps search of the area showed that the drivers were crowded near a 120kW Tesla Supercharger station. According to the auto manufacturer's support page, Supercharger stations allow for "up to 200 miles in 15 minutes of charge."
The next closest Supercharger station is more than 100 miles away in Alexandria, though a few less-efficient Destination Charging stations are available nearby. However, Destination chargers only provide for "up to 44 miles of range per hour charged." Why does it matter?
The video quickly garnered attention online as commenters debated whether traditional gas-powered vehicles remain more efficient than newer electric vehicles even as gas prices skyrocket across the U.S. amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The cost of gas spiked to historic highs in recent weeks as private companies boycotted Russian energy and the Biden administration later placed an embargo on Russian oil as a way to penalize the Kremlin for its unprovoked assault.
Yet as gas prices soared, hurting America's middle class, Vice President Kamala Harris and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg responded to the crisis by gleefully pushing electric vehicles, boasting about the country's vast network of charging stations.
However, with the average cost of a new electric vehicle at more than $55,000 and videos like this one cropping up, that may be a tough sell.
"No thanks, I'll keep to my $5 a gallon gas!" Metz exclaimed in the video.
Several commenters agreed with her sentiment, adding, "Welcome to the future of [Democrat] Green energy" and "This is what the New Green Deal Hippies want us to do!"
Poster Comment:
If you have to drive 60 miles round trip to get a 200 mile charge, then this is not a good deal, especially considering the wasted time driving two ways and waiting in line plus the actual charging time vs filling up a tank of gas.
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