A scene that was as surreal as it was amusing caught the attention of thousands on social media.
The video, shared by the popular account @onlyindade, shows a Tesla parked next to a building in Miami, while a long black cable hangs from a second-floor window, apparently to charge the car from an apartment.
"Neighbor, I saw someone in the neighborhood who just bought a new Tesla, but what’s up with that, man? No way! They had the money for the Tesla, but they couldn't even afford to put a charger in. Unbelievable!” is heard being said in a mocking tone by a Cuban recounting the scene.
Although it is not certain whether the owner of the Tesla is Cuban, the ingenuity displayed has been dubbed yet another example of the famous "criollo engineering."
The video went viral within hours, and the comments started pouring in: “They’re charging the Tesla like it’s a cell phone with 2% battery,” wrote Only in Dade. Others joked with phrases like “Probably in Hialeah,” “That light bill is going to be higher than the engine,” or “Those who can, do; those who can’t, criticize.”
The scene has recalled other documented cases by CiberCuba where Tesla owners improvise charging stations in public spaces or use homemade generators. While the image reflects a mismatch between the luxury of the vehicle and the precariousness of the resource, it also shows how, in Miami, humor and creativity always go hand in hand.
This is not an isolated case. In January 2025, a Tesla driver in Miami was caught using an outlet at a shopping center to charge his vehicle, sparking debate about the use of public resources.
The video, also shared by Only in Dade, garnered more than 8,800 "likes" and mixed comments, with some criticizing the driver for being an "opportunist."
In another incident, a couple of Cuban grandparents got stuck while driving a Tesla in Miami, causing frustration for the driver and laughter from the other passengers in the vehicle. The grandmother, in desperation, exclaimed: “Damn… the mother of Tesla!”, as they tried to make sense of the car's system messages.
When the cutting-edge technology of Tesla vehicles meets the creativity and humor characteristic of the Cuban community in Miami, it creates situations that, while they may seem unusual, are part of the urban folklore of the city.
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