Extraordinary footage from New Zealand shows the moment a carjacker fails to enter a Tesla, proving the popular EV’s “clever handles have prevented crime”.
A large balaclava-wearing man attempted to enter the car while stopped in traffic, footage posted on the Kiwi EV Adventures shows.
The man can be seen jumping out of the driver’s side of his white Nissan as both cars stop in traffic.
He then runs at the Tesla’s driver’s side as the dash cameras pan between rear-view and side-view angles.
The man, dressed in construction worker attire, strikes the car numerous times, gesturing aggressively at the driver while fumbling and failing to open the door, as its retractable handles present little more than a smooth surface.
The brief but terrifying encounter lasts only 25 seconds before the Tesla driver is able to make a run for it.
Taking to Facebook on Wednesday morning with the footage, the account Kiwi EV Adventures, run by independent motoring journalist Gavin Shoebridge, wrote, “This Hamburglar tried and failed to carjack a Tesla in New Zealand last night.”
“His sausage fingers couldn’t grasp the retracted door handles,” Shoebridge continued.
“It’s not the first time those clever handles have prevented crime. Good job, Tesla.”
Tesla has been lauded over the years for its hi-tech security features.
‘Sentry Mode,’ uses cameras – front-facing, rear, and side – and other sensors to scan the surroundings for potential threats.
Additionally, Teslas boast a number of other features that can severely hinder access to the vehicle, including door handles which retract if you do not use them within one minute after they extend.
Tesla’s impenetrability, however, has posed some issues.
Business Insider recently reported that a US TikTokker was stuck in her Tesla for 40 minutes during a software update as temperatures in the car soared to 46C.
In another incident, a 20-month-old girl was reportedly trapped inside a Tesla Model Y when the vehicle’s battery died without warning amid an Arizona heatwave.
Firefighters reportedly told the toddler’s grandmother, “urgh, it’s a Tesla. We can’t get in these cars” as they arrived to free the child.
The girl was rescued safely by firefighters, who needed to use an axe to break the window.
On Reddit, where the New Zealand footage also emerged, users said the Tesla was a poor choice of target for the failed carjacker.
“Stealing a car that is GPS tracked, has eight cameras recording and the owner has the ability to stop the car from their app on their phone is peak dumb,” one wrote.
Another added: “Breaking into a tesla in a traditional way is near impossible.”
“The windows are all laminated glass, and it locks when you drive. You’d need a sledgehammer and a few minutes to get in.
“It’s not just Teslas but quite a few high-end cars.”
