Electric cars: their recharging disrupted by the heat wave

 

Due to the scorching heat, electricity production in China's Sichuan province has dropped sharply in recent days. Many charging stations were unavailable, in order to save electricity.

In China, the heat wave is causing severe difficulties for electricity production. Indeed, the province of Sichuan (in the west of the country) is crushed by strong heat, at the moment. As in France and in the world, this has various effects. Among them, the mass evaporation of water.

However, the province produces a large part of its electricity thanks to hydroelectric dams... That is, thanks to water. So, without this element, no electricity. The energy production has been impacted by the temperatures. This last one was strongly reduced.

Except that who says production at half-mast says similar path for consumption. Thus, the local authorities have rationed electricity. They didn't beat about the bush. The biggest factories, more energy consuming, were forced to close. Quite simply. A decision that has impacted several firms linked to the automotive industry. For example, the battery manufacturer CATL. This has disrupted the supply of batteries to Tesla.

The electric charging stations cut

Individuals have also suffered from these bans. Indeed, many charging stations have been made unavailable, in order to save electricity. This concerned in particular the cities of Chengdu and Chongqing.

According to a local media, quoted by Automotive News Europe, Tesla also cut off access to a dozen of its Superchargers in two cities for several days. Only two of them were left in operation. This for... a single night. Convenient.

The same goes for Nio (a Chinese electric car manufacturer), which put battery exchange stations on hold in Chengdu. They then invited their customers to share their home charging point. The ideal setting to make nice encounters!

Fortunately, some services reacted a little better. They offered preferential prices at different times of the day or evening. This is to attract customers and to better distribute the demand for electricity.