Tesla Owners Struggle To Charge Their Cars In Frigid Chicago Temperature

(RTTNews) - Tesla (TSLA) drivers in Chicago were observed making desperate attempts to charge their electric vehicles, navigating the challenges posed by sub-zero temperatures.

On Monday, Fox reported that many cars were lined up at the charging station at The Evergreen Marketplace, at 9200 S. Western Ave. in Evergreen Park since morning. While a few waited patiently in the queue, several others abandoned their cars in the freezing snow.

"I've been here for over five hours at this point, and I still have not gotten to charge my car," said Tesla driver Brandon Welbourne. "A charge that should take 45 minutes is taking two hours."

Another Tesla owner, Chalis Mizelle, told Fox that she was forced to leave her car and get a lift from a friend after it failed to charge.

"Nothing. No juice. Still on zero percent," said Tyler Beard, who has been trying to charge his car since Sunday afternoon. "And this is like three hours being out here after being out here three hours yesterday."

Previously, Tesla owners had voiced their concerns about a similar problem, illustrating the issue by sharing videos depicting car doors frozen shut.

The Chicago area was hit by the coldest weather in the past five years over the weekend, during which the temperature dropped to minus 32 degrees, the National Weather Service reported.

Tesla advised its customers to keep the charge level above 20 percent as EV batteries drain much faster during cold weather, which in turn affects the vehicle's performance.

The company said, "We have made several updates to improve your driving experience in freezing temperatures, including better overall thermal performance, quicker Supercharging, and improved cabin conditioning."

Mark Bilek of the Chicago Auto Trade Association said that all EVs face the same conditions during freezing weather. He further advised the customers to hit the preconditioning button to get the battery up to optimal temperature to trigger a fast charge.