Electromobility - Please avoid doing so
Electric vehicles encounter issues with certain weather conditions. If it's extremely cold, their range is affected. If it's very hot, the vehicles don't charge as quickly. It's human nature to want to mitigate the inconveniences of technology with simple tricks – but not always a good idea.
For years, a so-called "Handkerchief trick" has been haunting electric car forums, particularly among Tesla vehicle owners. The theory: By wrapping a wet handkerchief around the connector of a Tesla Supercharger, the additional cooling increases the charging power. Reports, such as an article from "InsideEVs", support this claim. In a test, wrapping a wet cloth around a Tesla Supercharger connector significantly increased power intake.
Tesla warns against "Handkerchief trick"
In the original article version, it initially stated: "As for safety concerns raised by some owners in online discussions over the years, here's what you should know: First and foremost, Tesla's Superchargers are more than capable of functioning safely in the rain, so a wet cloth won't cause any damage."
This is true – electric vehicles can be charged carefree in the rain and tests have been conducted where water is sprayed between the connector and the outlet – and nothing happens. Should one tempt fate because of this? Probably not.
Approximately two months after the specialized magazine "InsideEVs" brought more attention to this trick, the manufacturer spoke up. Tesla states: "Placing a wet cloth on the grips of the Supercharger cables does not increase charging power and interferes with temperature monitoring, posing a risk of overheating or damage. Please refrain from doing this to allow our systems to function correctly and to enable our systems to accurately identify charging problems."
Electric vehicle drivers need shelters
Numerous Tesla customers took this article as an opportunity to express their frustration over charging speeds during high temperatures. "Improve cooling during the charging process so we don't have to adapt to achieve the promised charging speeds," one writes. Another suggests: "Perhaps a sunshade should be installed over the Superchargers to keep the locations cooler."
In fact, canopies at charging stations are not self-evident. However, the advantages of sun and rain cannot be ignored. It's only a matter of time before charging stations are standardized to better protect against weather influences – and the people who want to charge their cars there. Then, such "tricks" would no longer be popular.
Despite Tesla's warning against the "Handkerchief trick," some electric vehicle drivers continue to search for solutions to improve charging efficiency, particularly during hot weather. One Tesla owner suggested installing sunshades over Superchargers to keep the locations cooler, enhancing charging speeds.
