MOSCOW, January 18 Americans in a number of states continue to experience problems with charging Tesla electric vehicles, as charging stations stopped working due to frost, the Associated Press reports.
“For nearly a week, frigid temperatures from Chicago to North Texas have made life difficult for electric vehicle owners who have faced reduced range and have to wait for hours at charging stations,” the agency said in a statement.
According to the Associated Press, the problem lies with lithium-ion batteries, which cannot charge properly in cold temperatures. As the agency notes, owners of electric vehicles need to activate the built-in function of warming up the batteries before charging in order to reduce waiting time, but not everyone knows about it.
According to weather forecasters cited by local media, from Thursday to Friday in the states of Indiana and Illinois, where the problem was the worst at the beginning of the week, there will be snowfalls, due to which up to 10 centimeters will fall in a number of areas snow. Temperatures will remain at -6 degrees Celsius throughout the weekend.
Tesla itself has not provided an official comment. The company's website states that at low temperatures, electric vehicles may consume more energy to heat the vehicle's interior. Tesla advises users to plan their trips and pre-warm the battery before charging.