“And what was that about California begging EV owners not to charge their vehicles a week or two ago?”
That is fake news.
According to media reports, the California Independent System Operator told EV owners to “avoid charging electric cars” between 4 pm to 9 pm. The request to not charge vehicles during these times is part of the state’s effort to keep the power grid up and running.
https://www.team-bhp.com/news/california-ev-owners-asked-not-charge-cars-peak-hours#:~:text=According%20to%20media%20reports%2C%20the%20California%20Independent%20System,to%20keep%20the%20power%20grid%20up%20and%20running.