This winter's extreme cold temperatures across North America have revealed serious issues with electric vehicles, especially Teslas, leaving many owners stranded. In Chicago's Oak Brook suburb, where the mercury has consistently dropped far below zero, local media described public charging stations morphing into "car graveyards" as motorists were unable to charge their frozen vehicles.
Abandoned Teslas Litter Chicago Charging Stations
We cringed as we read reports of dozens of abandoned Teslas at Chicago-area charging locations. Owners futilely tried charging their immobile EVs in vain before the plunging cold zapped their batteries. "This is crazy. It's a disaster. Seriously," exclaimed one stranded Tesla driver named Chalis Mizelle. Another quipped, "We got a bunch of dead robots out here."
The scenes were repeated at multiple Chicago charging stations as temperatures remained stubbornly frigid. It was a tense time for EV owners desperately trying to revive their powerless vehicles. “Nothing. No juice. Still on zero percent, and this is like three hours being out here after being out here three hours yesterday,” explained Tyler Beard, whose Tesla hadn't charged at all.
Why EVs Struggle in Freezing Cold
But why do EVs like the Tesla struggle so badly in bitter cold conditions? The problem lies within the physics of the lithium-ion batteries powering these vehicles. Battery electrolytes are liquids allowing positively charged lithium ions to flow between the negative and positive electrodes within the battery. This flow of ions generates electricity.
However, in freezing temperatures, the electrolyte thickens substantially slowing the ion flows and hiking electrical resistance within the battery. And the colder it gets, the worse these effects become. So frigid conditions significantly sap battery capacity and charging ability.
Preconditioning Batteries: An Imperfect Solution
Tesla advises drivers to precondition batteries before winter trips by activating climate controls 30-45 minutes prior to departure. This preheats the battery enabling faster charging. But it also drains the battery further. For short trips under 30-45 minutes, Tesla says to precondition batteries beforehand while plugged into a charger.
But as we've witnessed recently, even preconditioning cannot conquerextreme cold. And for multi-day periods of intense freezing temperatures, these workarounds provide little relief.
Scientists Seek Better Cold Weather EV Batteries
Clearly, better cold-weather solutions are urgently needed for EVs. Promising developments are underway as researchers strive for improved lithium-ion batteries capable of handling temperature extremes. For example, South 8 Technologies' "Liquefied Gas Electrolyte" batteries could potentially operate from -60°C up to 60°C if commercialized.
LG Chem Targets Cold Weather Improvements
LG Chem is also working on better electrode chemistries and architectures seeking faster charging times along with expanded temperature operation ranges. While Tesla has talked up its 4680 battery cells now in development, real-world production has proven challenging.
So better cold-weather batteries may arrive eventually, but not in time for this winter. That leaves many EV owners facing difficult decisions during extreme cold snaps.
What EV Owners Can Do
The recent cold spell delivered a wake-up call regarding EVs and extreme low temperatures. While preconditioning batteries provides some protection, it is no guarantee against the harshest winter conditions. That leads to our number one recommendation: avoid driving EVs in bitterly cold weather when possible.
Of course, that may be easier said than done if an intense cold snap hits while out of town or commuting to work. So also equip your EV with an emergency car chargerdesigned specifically to jumpstart power in cold weather when desperate. Prepare and hope for the best. Stay warm out there!