Amid the frigid grip of winter in the Windy City, Chicago’s electric vehicle (EV) owners found themselves facing an unexpected challenge. As temperatures plummeted to negative double digits, their cherished EVs stood helpless, struggling to charge at Tesla supercharger stations across the city. This unprecedented cold snap unleashed what some have dubbed an “EV Armageddon,” but behind the headlines, the resilience of EV enthusiasts shines through.
EVs, known for their environmental appeal and futuristic allure, proved to be less than ideal companions when faced with the unforgiving winter chill. Unlike their gasoline counterparts, the charging process of EVs relies on a chemical reaction that becomes sluggish in freezing temperatures, hampering the charging speed and reducing their range. As the mercury dipped, fast charging became a nearly impossible task.
Fox Chicago captured the scene as desperate Tesla owners converged on the Oak Brook neighborhood supercharger station, forming long lines of vehicles waiting for a lifeline of electricity. Abandoned cars stood as grim reminders of the ongoing battle between man and nature, where the frigid cold emerged as the clear victor.
One weary Chicago resident, who had spent hours at the charging station, expressed his frustration, saying, “Nothing. No juice. Still on zero percent.” He recounted his ordeal, having endured a similar fate the previous day. The struggle was real, and it seemed as though the odds were stacked against the beleaguered EV owners.
Another Tesla owner echoed the sentiment, describing the situation as a “disaster.” She lamented, “This is crazy. It’s a disaster. Seriously.” Yet another frustrated owner humorously referred to the silent, unresponsive EVs as “dead robots” scattered across the station.
Local outlet WGN shared the plight of a Tesla owner who relied on his vehicle for work, driving for Uber. He spoke of the agony caused by the battery’s limited range and the extended charging times in the biting cold, stating, “It’s horrible. … It takes two hours to charge, then the charge leaves really quickly, so now you’re back at the charger twice a day.”
However, Mark Bilek of the Chicago Auto Trade Association offered a glimmer of hope. He explained that the charging problem could be resolved with the simple push of a button, emphasizing the need for EV owners to familiarize themselves with their vehicles. Bilek clarified, “Like any new technology, there’s a learning curve for people.” He continued, “It’s not plug and go. You have to precondition the battery, meaning that you have to get the battery up to the optimal temperature to accept a fast charge.”
The challenge lies in the fact that many EVs limit their batteries’ fast-charging capability in extreme cold to protect the battery from potential damage. Preconditioning becomes essential to ensure the battery reaches the optimal temperature, making charging safer for the vehicle.
An expert explained, “If you’re in cold weather, it’s actually going to activate the thermal management to heat up that battery. And so the goal would be by the time you get to the charger, the battery is warm enough that it doesn’t matter what the temperature is outside.”
Despite potential solutions, the issue posed a significant hurdle for Tesla owners in the city. Videos shared online captured the eerie sight of a supercharger station filled with non-functioning EVs, dubbing it an “EV Armageddon” on Chicago’s south side.
