ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Tesla’s instructions to locate the manual door release for the rear doors of its Model Y SUV. Tesla For front passengers, the manual door release is an unmarked lever directly in front of the window controls, the manual explains. For rear passengers, the manual release first requires you to pull out a mat at the bottom of the rear door pocket, then remove an access door to finally pull a mechanical cable. In a statement, Transport Canada spokesperson Flavio Sachett Nienow noted that Teslas are “equipped with a manual release that allows the driver and occupants to open the doors and exit the vehicle in the event of the loss of electrical power. However, a vehicle’s condition and an occupant’s injuries and mobility as a result of a high-severity crash may influence the ability to exit any vehicle.” The high-voltage system that runs the motor is automatically disabled when the airbags deploy “to keep first responders safe when they make attempts to remove an occupant from the vehicle.” The low-voltage system used to operate the doors, trunk and seats remains operational, he said, but only for about 10-15 minutes if there’s no high-voltage power. “The high-voltage battery also acts like an alternator and keeps the (low-voltage battery) charged up and operational, but when it’s shut down it can’t charge the (low-voltage battery) any longer and it starts to deplete,” he added. Once that system is depleted — or if it is damaged in a crash — the electronic doors won’t open from inside or out, he said. “A bystander or first responder can break the window to gain access to the manual door release handle. Depending on model year, design, etc., they install tempered windows in the doors so they can be broken easily to gain access,” he added. The manual override mechanism would also allow an occupant to get themselves out. Schmitz says Teslas are safe and the company goes further than others in working with firefighters and paramedics. “Tesla is an amazing car company that is way ahead of anyone else in my opinion from a first-responder perspective.” Marco Chown Oved is a Toronto-based climate change reporter for the Star. Reach him via email: moved@thestar.ca. Related Stories