Seriously?

The latest EV trope making the rounds is a Tesla charging station in Chicago where iced-over cars endure a grueling death spiral in -10-degree cold, awaiting their chance to be defib’d by the next available charger.?

My mind immediately goes to what the owners were thinking, and I’m sure there are as many explanations as driving styles. While each driver expressed their despair with the same detachment usually reserved for politicians when presented with a major policy failure, namely, “Enough is enough. This must end!”, to a person, each proclaimed, “This is unacceptable!”

I couldn’t agree more. But, I am a bit confused about which part. Is it unacceptable that batteries produce less power when they’re cold? Sure. I remember learning that in high school. Is it unacceptable that an EV owner has to plan ahead in the face of an arctic blast to make sure they don’t run their car below 10% charge? I guess. And, is it unacceptable that understanding this isn’t an option and should’ve been imprinted on the buyer’s mind at delivery? Of course.

I can’t imagine owning an EV without access to home charging. I understand this carves out a large percentage of potential buyers who live in apartments or park on the street, but it happens to be the present reality. Relying on public charging systems is a little like betting on sports–it’s thrilling when you win, but, well, you know.?

The other part is the obvious question of when the manufacturers will take the lead in educating consumers on EVs. Actually, since the federal government is underwriting a lot of the transformation, maybe they should take on the task, or at least the cost, using a private/public partnership. Car makers know how to do this better than anybody.?

So, stay tuned for more reporting on the plight of the EV. Oh, and keep an eye on Tesla deliveries. This could be their biggest quarter ever. Wait, what?