--- title: "Dead Cars Surround Chargers as Teslas Struggle in Frozen Weather" description: "Tesla owners are becoming deeply frustrated with their vehicles not being able to charge as cold temperatures grip Chicago." date: "2024-01-16" modified: "2024-01-16" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/tesla-drivers-struggling-frozen-weather" categories: - "Advanced Transport" - "Tesla" tags: - "chicago" - "evs" - "tesla" - "the digest" --- # Dead Cars Surround Chargers as Teslas Struggle in Frozen Weather ![Tesla owners are becoming deeply frustrated with their vehicles not being able to charge as cold temperatures grip Chicago.]() *\Image: Getty / Futurism\* ## Polar Express A deep freeze has gripped Chicago, with temperatures plunging to an Arctic [minus 32 degrees Fahrenheit]() over the weekend. As a result, Tesla owners are becoming deeply frustrated with their vehicles not being able to charge or hold a charge, even after a trip to a Supercharger. As local news station [*Fox 32* reports](), dozens of owners are lining up at supercharging stations in the Windy City. Some owners are even leaving their vehicles behind, turning some public charging stations into "car graveyards." The news isn't exactly a vote of confidence for the carmaker, highlighting a glaring drawback of electric vehicles. And it's not just Tesla: EV batteries [drain much faster]() in freezing temperatures, which can greatly affect performance. ## Frozen Batteries Meanwhile, Tesla has been caught trying to change that narrative. [*Reuters* reported]() last summer that Tesla had created a "diversion team" to cancel range-related appointments with disgruntled customers. Many of these complaints were related to Tesla vehicles being vulnerable to cold weather. South Korean regulators also fined the company [to the tune of $2 million]() last year over exaggerated claims of its cars' range in cold weather. The regulators noted that the range drops by over 50 percent in cold climates. So what can Tesla owners do in the meantime? Experts say that at least a small part of the issue can be traced back to user error. "It’s not plug and go," Mark Bilek of the Chicago Auto Trade Association told *Fox 32*. "You have to precondition the battery, meaning that you have to get the battery up to the optimal temperature to accept a fast charge." That kind of advice likely won't come as much of a help to those stranded without a vehicle. "This is crazy," one owner told the outlet. "It’s a disaster. Seriously." **More on Tesla:** *[Elon Musk Posts Video of Optimus Robot, Gets Busted for Fakery]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()