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Tesla Advises Customers Hit By California Blackout to Charge Up

  • Electric-car maker sent over-the-air alert to Bay Area owners
  • Musk: Solar arrays, storage batteries are headed for stations
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Millions in California Lose Power on Purpose
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Before PG&E Corp.’s massive blackout swept across Northern California, Tesla Inc. issued a politely worded but urgent message to its many area customers: charge up your car, now.

Customers tweeted photos Wednesday of the notice popping up on the touch screens of their electric cars, advising them to top off their batteries while they still could. Utility owner PG&E began shutting off electricity to parts of the region early Wednesday to prevent its power lines from sparking fires during an expected windstorm.