President Biden wants half of all new cars sold in 2030 to be zero-emissions, which critics say is a totally unrealistic plan given the infrastructure is nowhere near ready to support that. Just look at what the stress on California's grid during hot weather does to the power supply. But there are other concerns that have cropped up during extreme weather events, such as in Florida, where after hurricanes the saltwater corrosion of electric vehicle batteries has started numerous EV fires, which are notoriously difficult to put out.
In Chicago right now, Tesla owners are facing a different nuisance with their EVs. As temperatures dropped to the negative double-digits, charging stations are full of dead EVs.
"Nothing. No juice. Still on zero percent," said Tyler Beard, who has been trying to recharge his Tesla at an Oak Brook Tesla supercharging station since Sunday afternoon. "And this is like three hours being out here after being out here three hours yesterday."
Beard was among the dozens of Tesla owners trying desperately to power up their cars at the Tesla supercharging station in Oak Brook. It was a scene mirrored with long lines and abandoned cars at scores of other charging stations around the Chicago area.
"This is crazy. It’s a disaster. Seriously," said Tesla owner Chalis Mizelle.
Mizelle was forced to abandon her car and get a ride from a friend when it wouldn’t charge.
Another man summed up the situation succinctly: "We got a bunch of dead robots out here." (Fox 32 Chicago)
Tesla’s website recommends users activate the car’s Trip Planner feature before arriving at a charging spot so the battery pre-heats, ensuring it’s ready to charge. Or, users can precondition the battery before driving to a charging location.
But some Tesla owners said the issue was with the charging stations themselves. Many were also frustrated by the fact that they were not able to get help from the company, according to the report.
Electric vehicles hilariously proving yet again they are not the way of the future.
— MRCTV (@mrctv) January 16, 2024
Good thing a majority of American's see through the EV lies and still drive gas cars. pic.twitter.com/iqkn7Sz8SR
