Tesla, Nio turn off EV charging in China amid power crisis

BEIJING • China's power crisis has hit electric vehicle (EV) owners, with firms such as Tesla and Nio suspending some charging facilities.

User apps show charging stations are down in Chengdu in Sichuan province - where China's worst drought since the 1960s has slashed hydropower generation even as a punishing heatwave has sent electricity demand surging - and the nearby city of Chongqing.

Nio posted temporary notices on its app's charging map page informing owners that some of its Chengdu battery-swopping stations are "off-line" because of the "severe overload on the grid under the persisting high temperatures".

Tesla turned off or restricted services at over a dozen super-charging stations in the two cities, leaving just two open, and only at night, as at Aug 17, local media reported, citing a letter from a driver.

Sichuan's power cuts have added to the woes of manufacturers including Toyota Motor and battery producer Contemporary Amperex Technology, which have had to shut factories.

Teld New Energy, which has about 300,000 charging pylons nationwide, is asking drivers to check if the services are online before setting out, because local power authorities have requested a shutdown of some facilities. It is also offering preferential rates for users who charge late at night or early in the morning to avoid the peak time for power demand.

Meanwhile, Nio has called for users in Sichuan to share their home chargers between Aug 20 and Sept 20.

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