Tesla owners say EV batteries won't charge as brutally cold temperatures hit Chicago

As freezing temperatures and bitter cold hit millions of Americans this week, Tesla owners in the Chicago area are struggling to charge their electric vehicles, in some cases leaving them stranded.

Some Tesla owners were stranded Monday in Evergreen Park, Illinois, a Chicago suburb, with dead batteries and not enough working charging stations. A Tesla owner told local station WLS in Chicago that he saw at least 10 cars get towed after running out of battery and dying.

Temperatures in the Chicago area have plummeted in the last week, with wind chills dipping between -20 to -30 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.

In Oak Brook, another Chicago suburb, a driver told Fox32 he waited six hours over two days at a charging station and still had no charge in his Tesla.

WLS reported that drivers waited hours in Oak Brook for a charge to their electric vehicles. Some cars died while waiting, and drivers had to leave their vehicles stranded at the charging stations.

What does Tesla say about driving in the cold?

On its website, Tesla says its vehicles use more energy to heat the cabin and battery in cold weather, and that it's "normal to see energy consumption increase."

The electric vehicle company, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, said a blue snowflake icon may appear on the vehicle's touchscreen and in the app if the battery is too cold for full power and ideal range, and drivers may notice "reduced regenerative braking and acceleration." Once the battery is warmed, the snowflake will disappear.

Tesla recommends to leave vehicles plugged in whenever possible. Keeping the charge level above 20% when not plugged in will reduce the impact of cold temperatures.

Tesla says charging, driving and preconditioning are ways to warm the vehicle's battery.

USA TODAY has reached out to Tesla for comment.