Freezing Chicago Cold Leaves
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.
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.
