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In some areas of the United States hit by the ‘Arctic cold wave’, a charging crisis is occurring as electric vehicles are flocking to charging stations.
This is because the battery runs out faster than usual in the cold.
There are even expressions that charging stations have become “graveyards for electric vehicles,” as more and more vehicles are towed away after being discharged while waiting for charging.
Correspondent Kang Na-rim reports from New York.
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Chicago, USA, where the perceived temperature dropped to -34 degrees Celsius.
Every Tesla charging station is full of cars, so there are no empty seats.
Electric vehicle batteries discharged at a rapid rate in cold weather, causing a rush of vehicles.
[사지드 아메드/테슬라 운전자]
“Look around here, they’re all Tesla vehicles. We have been waiting and waiting for over an hour in this old parking lot full of Tesla cars.″
Some chargers froze and stopped working, and the charging time doubled from usual, resulting in a complete charging crisis.
[대릴 존슨/우버 기사]
″It’s terrible. It takes an hour to wait and two hours to charge, which drains the battery really quickly. You have to go to the charging station twice a day. It’s absolutely terrible.″
There were many vehicles that were towed due to discharge of electricity while waiting for their turn.
[웨스 프랑스/테슬라 운전자]
“By the time I got to the charging station, my car’s battery had dropped to 5% faster than usual. We ended up having to come here and have the car towed.″
Because electric vehicle battery performance deteriorates in low temperatures, the driving range of electric vehicles in sub-zero weather is reduced by about 20% compared to room temperature, and using a heater causes battery consumption to accelerate.
In the electric vehicle industry, some say that not only electric vehicles but also internal combustion engine vehicles perform poorly in cold weather, and that the problem is that there are not enough charging stations compared to the penetration rate of electric vehicles.
The New York Times reported, “Chicago’s electric vehicle charging stations have become scenes of despair as drivers wait in line.”
As snowstorms and cold waves are forecast to hit many parts of the United States again this weekend, the hardships of electric vehicle drivers are expected to continue.
This is Kang Na-rim from MBC News in New York.
Video coverage: An Jeong-gyu (New York) / Video editing: Kim Chang-gyu / Video source: WGN NEWS
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2024-01-18 11:27:59
