It seems like some people will do anything to avoid paying a Tesla bill – and in the case of one Finnish man, that also includes blowing up his Tesla car. Nothing big, just a car explosion.
It’s almost like he had a big decision to make between whether to pay big to fix his Tesla or enjoy a live-fire show! We are not kidding!
A Finnish man decided he wasn’t going to pay Tesla’s $22,600 fee to replace his 2013 Model S’s battery and instead chose to take matters into his own hands with explosive results. Let’s dig deeper!
What Happened?
The story began when Tuomas Katainen discovered he would need a new battery for his Tesla after it had been sitting idle for over a month for battery repair issues. The cost for the new battery was an eye-watering $22,600, and instead of opting for this option, he decided to go fire away.
In the uniquely creative and eye-catching video featuring a dummy of Tesla CEO Elon Musk that’s dropped from a helicopter, to make it to the last ride in Model S. Pommijätkät posed an interesting question to Katainen: what is better, a working Tesla or setting off 66 pounds of dynamite?
Katainen liked the more feisty option and planned the whole stunt with the YouTuber. The video ended with a rather big explosion of Katainen’s Model S, leaving viewers wondering if it was worth the risk in exchange for the excitement.
Ultimately, this debate highlighted the growing discontent among electric vehicle owners around repair costs and their demand for more transparency when it comes to owning an EV.
Safety aside, this blown-up Tesla owner has missed his chance at getting back onto the road in its style again! At least there’s always Uber! Err..but maybe the message of the owner’s protest is loud and clear.
The Viral Video
Amongst thousands of video commenters, two main themes emerged: frustration with the price of repairs and a demand for more transparency and regulation related to EV ownership. This has resulted in an urgent call among consumers for lawmakers to introduce nationwide policies that protect motorists when it comes to repair costs.
Taking matters into your own hands isn’t always the best course of action and this Finnish man, Tuomas Katainen, found that out the hard way. After being billed a whopping $22,600 to replace his Tesla Model S battery, he said to Tesla reps that he would come and pick up his EV from the repair centre.
While loading the EV he left telling Tesla people that this is the last time they are going to see his Model S as he has decided to blow the EV. He teamed up with YouTuber to explode his car with 66 pounds (30 kilograms) of dynamite instead.
The video begins with the name of the YouTuber Pommijätkät or The Bomb Dudes after long shots of the scenic beauty of Finland and how hard the living conditions there are in the country.
The caption with the name of the channel reads “the man of his words” and shows a trailer towing the 2013 Model S.
Careful consideration and planning were essential for Katainen and Pommijätkät in order to make sure the operation would be a success. The group had to make sure they chose the right location – a quarry at Jaala, a small rural town in Southern Finland – and properly account for factors like the explosive’s huge pressure wave and its direction so that it would not pose any risk to their safety.
Ultimately, the experiment was successful and served as an eye-opening experience highlighting the need for better electric vehicle pricing and regulations.
Tesla Battery Replacement Costs
Most people would have taken the easy way out and gone for the battery replacement, but he chose a different path. Instead of spending money on a new battery, he decided to take a more dynamic approach by troubleshooting the problem altogether. Getting rid of the problem. The vehicle.
But why? Why does Tesla charge so much for a battery replacement?
EV owners around the world have expressed frustration over the high cost of repairs, as well as a need for “right-to-repair” laws to make sure EVs are accessible to everyone who wants them – even those without access to certified technicians.
With electric vehicles being essentially computers on wheels, there is often a lack of outside garages that are able and willing to repair out-of-warranty models. This puts extra pressure on both EV owners and automakers alike, forcing them to either learn how to do their own repairs or be faced with expensive bills from dealerships in order to keep their cars running.
As the world transitions towards electric vehicles, we are left with a conundrum – there are few garages outside of dealerships with people fully trained to repair out-of-warranty EV models. These cars, in essence, are just computers on wheels and require special knowledge in order to fix them. Not everyone possesses them and hence the reliability of costly parts and repairs.
What To Expect In The Future?
Katainen bought the used Tesla, but it was far from the smooth ride he had hoped for. After only 1,500 kilometres of use, he encountered the error code. Unwilling to go through the tedious process of sourcing cells and requesting permission from Tesla to repair the car, instead he came up with his own solution: blowing up the vehicle.
In the 1950s, people began to replace their cars after 30,000 miles due to the faulty automatic transmission. Those were the initial days when the Auto transmission was just making the rounds.
Rather than conducting a full overhaul of the car, it was cheaper and simpler to buy a new one. This started the unfortunate tradition of buying someone else’s problem when purchasing a used car. With improved plastic and rubbery parts, this is much less of an issue today; however, the cautionary tale remains.
The debate around right-to-repair laws and costly parts and repairs is therefore an important one for anyone considering transitioning toward electrified transport. EV transitions will ultimately determine how much freedom EV owners will have in maintaining their vehicles in the long run.
Right-to-repair is the concept that owners of products should have the right or ability to modify and tinker with their own possessions. This can range from repairing common household appliances, to swapping out parts in an electric car.
Not having access to such experts can leave EV owners with expensive bills from dealerships or without knowing how to do their own repairs. This is why it is so important for countries transitioning towards electrified transport to look at adopting right-to-repair laws; not only will this give EV owners more freedom when it comes to vehicle maintenance, but it will also help ensure the number of qualified technicians grows alongside the adoption of EVs.
So, EV owners don’t have to depend on dealership repairs or end up paying as much as the cost of a new vehicle for such repairs.
Bottomline
Tuomas Katainen was determined to avoid the eye-watering fee of $22,600 he needed to replace his Tesla Model S’s battery. To execute his master plan, he enlisted the help of YouTuber Pommijätkät (traditionally known as “Bomb Dudes”).
Unlike their name suggests, however, these Bomb Dudes aren’t necessarily just out there blowing things up – they are also well-informed people who know what it takes to animate an explosive situation safely. With all safety gears, precautions, and plenty of dynamite, Katainen and Pommijätkät set out to make a statement with this Tesla explosion – that Tesla can’t always get away with hacking its way through things no matter how essential it may be.
The idea behind right-to-repair is based on people having the freedom to choose how and when they repair things, as well as who does it. It has become an important debate for countries transitioning towards electrified transport, due to increasing reliance on technology in car repairs and maintenance. By adopting right-to-repair laws, EV owners may be able to save money by doing their own repairs or fixing their cars with certified technicians outside of expensive dealerships.
The video shows this story and the resulting blast in Finland. Though highly entertaining, it also serves as an important reminder that taking risks isn’t always worth it – especially when those risks mean getting rid of a classic Model S.
This story also serves as an important reminder to people who are thinking or are on the verge of getting repairs or looking for battery replacement in near future. It is always best to get the fitness check of used EVs to get some sort of surety or possible miles on their cars.
I could buy a decent car for $22,600!
Who’s got $22,600 laying around?
You’ve got to wonder if this very wasteful idea would have surfaced if social media did not exist. What a stupid thing to do, and all for views on Youtube…the cost of the vehicle, the cost of the explosives and the cost of clean up would have been far more than what the owner could have received to sell the car for parts. Stupid is as stupid does.
EV’s are okay if you buy them new and trade them off before they’re worthless. So basicly drive 2 years then trade.