Tesla owners have run into trouble amid freezing temperatures
- Some Tesla owners in Chicago learned how battery life can be affected by cold weather the hard way
- Some Teslas’ batteries died in the city sub-zero temperatures, leaving cars sitting askew and immobile in a parking lot
- Drivers claim some Superchargers weren’t working, and those that were took a lot longer than usual to charge
Published on Jan 17, 2024 at 2:42 PM (UTC+4)
by Adam Gray
Last updated on Jan 18, 2024 at 9:13 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Alessandro Renesis
Chicago’s sub-zero temperatures have left some Tesla owners in a spot of bother.
Apparently, Tesla were lined up early morning at a Tesla Supercharger station in Evergreen Park.
The reason? The vehicles’ battery dies in the freezing temperatures, leaving the EVs sitting askew and immobile in the parking lot.
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It’s fair to say, these Tesla drivers learned the hard way about how cold weather affects battery life.
To make matters worse, though, drivers claim some of the charging stations weren’t working, and those that were working took a lot longer than usual to charge.
“I’ve been here for over five hours at this point, and I still have not gotten to charge my car,” said Tesla owner, Brandon Welbourne.
“A charge that should take 45 minutes is taking two hours.”
Welbourne added that he saw at least ten cars towed.
If you’re a Tesla owner, you might want to take heed of the EV maker’s advice.
Tesla advised owners to keep the charge level above 20 percent during bitter cold weather.
What’s more, the company’s support website says it’s normal to see energy consumption increase because Teslas use more energy to heat the battery and cabin.
“We have made several updates to improve your driving experience in freezing temperatures, including better overall thermal performance, quicker Supercharging, and improved cabin conditioning,” the company said.
One owner who knows only too well how cold weather can affect battery life is Dennis Wang.
The YouTuber, recently documented a 1,340-mile cross-country road trip in the much-hyped EV pickup.
Wang and his friend took a Foundation Series version of the truck on a 27-hour road trip from Austin, Texas to Joshua Tree National Park in California.
And while Wang, who runs DennisCW, a YouTube channel focusing on Tesla, put the Cybertruck through its paces and enjoyed the ride, he reportedly ran into some issues along the way.
“It’s the most comfortable Tesla that I’ve owned, but in terms of efficiency, it was definitely lacking in range, and we had to stop a lot along the way,” Wang said.
Despite having an estimated range of 515km (320 miles) on its all-wheel drive option, Wang claims, at times, it felt as if that range was cut in half.
Apparently, the pair had to stop 12 times during the 1,340-mile trip, which equates to just over 110 miles between charges, and they had to stop every one to two hours to recharge.
The pair took it in turns to drive and the stops turned what would’ve been a 20-hour road trip into a 27-hour one.
Wang believes the inefficiencies in range are due to cooler temperatures in Texas, as well has his tendency to speed.
He did however say that he’d seen improved range when driving in California, presumably due to the state’s more temperate climate.
Wang isn’t the first to point out some potential issues with the Cybertruck’s estimated range.
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Adam Gray is an experienced freelance motoring journalist and content creator based in the United Kingdom. Using his media accreditation with manufacturers’ press offices, Adam test drives the latest cars and attends new vehicle press launches, producing written reviews and news pieces for a variety of lifestyle and business publications. Here at Supercar Blondie, Adam applies his journalistic skills penning social-first content around current news and trends. When he’s not behind the wheel of the latest car or writing up another viral story, Adam can be found at his local rink playing ice hockey or at the Riverside Stadium supporting his beloved Middlesbrough FC.
