No charge for your electric vehicle after Coachella? Roadside assistance company has an electrifying solution

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – As thousands depart the valley after Coachella, some are doing so in electric vehicles. As we saw last week, though, long lines of festival goers looking to charge their EVs can cause some problems for the valley's infrastructure.

Last Monday, we reported on big slowdowns at electric vehicle charging stations across the Coachella Valley. It stemmed from a large number of festival goers all straining the valley's charging infrastructure as they started their journeys back home. 

At the Tesla Supercharger in downtown Palm Springs, a line of Teslas spilled out from the parking garage, onto Museum Drive, and around several blocks downtown. Our crews caught drivers who were only waiting for 15 to 30 minutes, but as the line stretched, the wait times easily stretched to an hour or more for those arriving later.

That problem created an opportunity for some businesses, like EV Rescue. Serving all of California, the owner of the company said he would preposition a few of his trucks to be ready to respond and provide emergency charging to EV drivers whose batteries ran flat before they could make it to a charging station – or who ran out of juice while waiting.

He said he did this both on Sunday night and Monday morning, with crews working 12-hour shifts. 

Prices for these emergency charges can mount quickly, though. According to EV Rescue's website, an emergency charge could set you back about $160.

News Channel 3 is bringing you an inside look at how these companies provide this emergency service. We're also bringing you a closer look at what infrastructure problems still exist in the valley when charging stations are pushed to their limits by festival season. Stay with us for the latest.