STILL NOT READY FOR PRIMETIME: It’s so cold, Teslas are struggling to charge in Chicago.

In some cases, tow trucks were called to move the cars, in scenes that were relayed by local TV news. The Tesla owners’ plight became an emblem of the misery extreme cold is inflicting on wide sections of the U.S.

“I’ve been here for over five hours at this point and I still have not gotten to charge my car,” Tesla driver Brandon Welbourne told CBS News Chicago, as car horns blared nearby. “A charge that should take 45 minutes is taking two hours.”

Other drivers spoke about how the cold seemed to drain their batteries more quickly than normal.

“Fill ‘er up” still takes five minutes or less.