Tesla owners run into battery charging trouble in Chicago's bitter cold

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EVERGREEN PARK, Ill. (CBS) -- Some Tesla drivers learned the hard way about how cold weather affects battery life.

At a charging station at The Evergreen Marketplace, at 9200 S. Western Ave. in Evergreen Park, Teslas were lined up early Monday morning. Some of the Teslas' batteries died in Chicago's sub-zero temperatures, leaving the cars sitting askew and immobile in the parking lot.

Driver said some of the charging stations weren't working, and those that were working took a lot longer than usual to charge.

"I've been here for over five hours at this point, and I still have not gotten to charge my car," said Tesla driver Brandon Welbourne. "A charge that should take 45 minutes is taking two hours."

Welbourne said he saw at least ten cars towed.

Tesla advises owners to keep the charge level above 20 percent during bitter cold weather.

The company's support website said it's normal to see energy consumption increase because the Teslas use more energy to heat the battery and cabin.

"We have made several updates to improve your driving experience in freezing temperatures, including better overall thermal performance, quicker Supercharging, and improved cabin conditioning," the company said.

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