(Glenn Kalinoski, Headline USA) The subfreezing weather impacting much of the U.S. has exposed a major headache for electric vehicle owners, proving to be yet another setback in President Joe Biden’s failed efforts to foist fossil-fuel alternatives onto disinterested consumers who see greater risk than reward in the pricey automobiles.
Chicago-area Tesla owners have reported difficulty while trying to charge their EVs. Drivers have found themselves stuck at charging stations with dead batteries. And those able to charge their batteries found it was taking much longer than it would take in milder temperatures. There were also instances in which charging stations were not functioning, according to Newsweek.
A station with 20 Tesla superchargers in Skokie, Illinois, was full almost all day Monday with drivers waiting for spots to open up. Drivers were worried about becoming stranded if their batteries ran out while they waited, according to WGN-TV9.
Uber driver Darryl Johnson waited for hours to get to a charger. But his frustration didn’t end as his battery started draining faster than normal.
“You’re back at the charger twice a day,” Johnson said.
The challenges EV owners are facing may continue in the coming days, and the nightmare facing Chicago-area EV drivers could expand to other parts of the country.
A second arctic air mass is on the way, moving in more subfreezing temperatures across the U.S. Below-average temperatures are forecast, with some cities facing highs in the the single digits, teens or 20s, according to weather.com.
“Nothing. No juice. Still on zero percent,” said Tyler Beard, who was trying to recharge his Tesla at an Oak Brook, Illinois, Tesla supercharging station. “And this is like three hours being out here after being out here three hours yesterday.”
Beard was among dozens of Tesla owners trying to power their cars at the Tesla supercharging station in Oak Brook. Long lines and abandoned cars could be found at other charging stations in the Chicago area.
“This is crazy. It’s a disaster. Seriously,” said Tesla owner Chalis Mizelle, who was forced to abandon her car.
Another man summed up the situation: “We got a bunch of dead robots out here,” according to Fox32-Chicago.
The Biden administration this month announced more than $620 million in funding toward the installation of EV charging stations, according to a press release from the Department of Transportation.
The money will be used for 47 projects in 22 states and Puerto Rico. This will include EV charging and hydrogen fueling stations. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said the funds will create 7,500 charging ports, according to CNN.
