OFFBEAT

It’s Real: Tesla Dumpster Pool

August 25, 2022

When we first saw the Tesla dumpster swimming pool, we thought it was fake – but while it’s real, it’s still a bit of a joke.

Regardless of how we’d feel pulling up to a hotel that advertised a water-filled dumpster as a “pool,” it’s a fact that summer temperatures have been particularly brutal all across Europe, and people are looking for any way they can cool down. And here’s Tesla, offering people the chance to splash around a bit while they’re charging their cars.

At a charging station in Hilden, Germany, Tesla has added a pool that appears to be made out of an empty container with the brand’s logo added to the side. Up to four people can use the pool at a time, and everyone has a 10-minute limit. Tesla owners are required to show their app and prove that they’re charging a Tesla to get into the pool. According to Business Insider, the carmaker is in charge of taking care of security and safety, and the company has partnered with a local dry cleaner to deal with towels. The pool’s filtration system is run by solar power.

The station is one of the largest in Germany, with 40 superchargers on site. It already has its own cafe.
Tesla has made noises about expanding its offerings at various charging stations, including a large space in Hollywood for a diner, drive-in cinema, and 28-kiosk supercharging station.

Is this “super pool” practical? Probably not, considering it would probably take more time to undress, put on a bathing suit, splash around in the pool, dry off, maybe take a shower, dry off again, and get dressed than it would to charge up your car at one of the station’s 300 kW fast chargers. But this is the company that loves to make a “splash,” as it were, with gimmicks like the Boring Company’s Not-A-Flamethrower and the ridiculous-looking Cybertruck, so should we honestly be surprised?