On the evening of February 7, 2026, while driving her 2022 Tesla Model Y on the G15 Shenhai Expressway in Zhejiang Province, Ms. Chen encountered a harrowing situation. With 72 kilometers of indicated range still showing on the dashboard and only 2 kilometers separating her from the nearest service area, her vehicle suddenly lost all power and shut down completely. To make matters worse, the hazard lights failed to activate, leaving her in a precarious position.

Tesla's after-sales team initially attributed the issue to unstable battery conditions. They advised that, for highway driving, it would be prudent to recharge the vehicle when the remaining range drops to 100 kilometers, rather than waiting for a lower threshold.

Ms. Chen, however, raised valid concerns about the disparity between the displayed range and the sudden power loss. She argued that such advice compromises the practicality and reliability of electric vehicles (EVs), especially in critical situations like this.

This incident has ignited widespread discussions regarding the safety margin for EVs during highway travel. It has also underscored the potential reliability risks that EVs may face under extreme driving conditions, prompting calls for more robust safety protocols and clearer user guidelines.