Tesla Model 3 and Model Y Cold Weather Winter Driving and Charging Tips

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Eleven Chilly Climate Tesla Tricks to Ease Your Vary Anxiousness and Keep away from Getting Stranded this Winter

Right here within the Northeastern United States, winter is upon us. And with the acute chilly temperatures come challenges for any automotive or truck. Simply as many ICE automobile homeowners plug of their engine block heaters in a single day in chilly climate, there are a number of issues to contemplate when driving and charging an electrical automobile throughout excessive chilly climate. My colleague Carolyn Fortuna has chimed in already with some suggestions for charging an EV in frigid weather. Listed below are a couple of extra chilly climate tricks to maintain your Tesla Mannequin 3, Mannequin Y, Mannequin S, Mannequin X or Cybertruck rolling throughout bouts of utmost chilly climate.

Chilly Climate Reduces Vary and Slows Charging

One factor many Tesla and different EV homeowners discover throughout chilly climate is that their vary is considerably diminished when the mercury drops. Should you’re driving lengthy distance, the Tesla navigation system will accomodate for this by routing you to Superchargers extra continuously than it does throughout hotter climate. Don’t depend on the remaining vary quantity in your show as an correct indicator of your remaining vary as this quantity relies on EPA vary scores and doesn’t take into accounts temperature, grade, wind, local weather management use and driving fashion. The navigation system makes use of far more conservative vary estimates.

I’ve pushed throughout nation (New York Metropolis to Seattle and again) and up and down the east coast many occasions in the course of the winter in my Mannequin 3 and might say from expertise that there are many Tesla Superchargers alongside main (and minor) highways. In most areas in the USA and southern Canada, there are greater than sufficient Superchargers to finish just about any street journey, even in winter. But it surely’s at all times good to be ready for surprising conditions and there are a number of issues you are able to do as a way to maximize your vary. Listed below are eleven tricks to make your winter EV street journeys secure and stress-free.

Tip #1: Preheat Your Automotive Earlier than a Journey

Lithium batteries are like people. They don’t like being chilly. Happily Tesla has a “Defrost Automotive” function that means that you can pre-heat or defrost your automotive earlier than a visit. And this not solely warms up the cabin so the motive force and passengers are comfy nevertheless it additionally warms up the battery getting it nearer to a perfect working temperature. By warming up your automotive whereas it’s nonetheless plugged into your property charger, it can save you your battery for the drive and start that drive in a toasty heat automotive with a toasty heat battery. In case you have an everyday commuting schedule, you possibly can schedule the automotive to preheat the cabin by a particular time and depart for work on daily basis. “Defrost Automotive” function is obtainable within the Tesla Cellular App. You’ll be able to add it to your Tesla app’s residence display screen by holding in any of the shortcut buttons and dragging the defrost button to switch one of many different buttons.

Customize the shortcut butons in your Tesla Mobile app
By holding any of the shortcut buttons within the Tesla app, you possibly can drag in several buttons like “Defrost Automotive” or “Unlatch Door.”

Tip #2: Defrost Your Automotive Earlier than Clearing Off Snow or Ice

Along with warming up the cabin and battery, the “Defrost Automotive” function can also be superb to make use of in case your automotive is roofed with snow or ice after a storm. After 20-Half-hour of defrosting, many of the snow or ice masking your automotive can have melted permitting you to simply take away what stays with a brush. This will additionally stop your door handles or charging port from freezing up as effectively.

Using the "Defrost Car" feature of the Tesla app will melt away most of the ice and snow on your car after a storm.
Utilizing the “Defrost Automotive” function of the Tesla app will soften away the ice and snow in your automotive after a storm.

Tip #3: Maintain Your Tesla Cellular Connector within the Automotive on Journeys

Whereas the Supercharger community is each in depth and dependable (largely), it’s at all times good to be ready in case of an emergency or surprising detour. Tesla’s Cellular Connector means that you can faucet into any 120V or 240V energy outlet and achieve anyplace from 4 miles to 40 miles of vary per hour. It’s finest to maintain one in your automotive in case you get too removed from a Supercharger. It’s like holding a gasoline can in your ICE automotive. You could by no means want it, nevertheless it’s good to understand it’s there.

Along with the Cellular Connector itself, I maintain a couple of plugs and adapters in my automotive so I can faucet right into a 240V dryer plug or RV outlet or a 5/20 120V plug for quicker charging. I additionally maintain a thick 14-gauge 100-foot outside extension twine in my trunk in case of emergency. On a latest street journey, excessive chilly climate diminished my vary a lot that I really bought about 100 yards from a Supercharger when the automotive shut down. Fortunately I used to be in a shopping center and a pleasant retailer supervisor allowed me to plug into her outlet for quarter-hour to get the battery sufficient cost to make it the remainder of the way in which to the charger. This can be a very uncommon occurence, however I’m glad I used to be ready.

Tip #4: “Navigate to Supercharger”

When the Tesla Navigation system is aware of you might be driving to a Supercharger, it would routinely heat the battery to its superb charging temperature as you drive. This does use a bit of little bit of battery energy to heat the battery, however it would scale back the period of time wanted on the charging station by permitting the battery to cost quicker. Should you’re on a street journey and also you let Tesla plan the route based mostly on charging stops, this may occur routinely. But when as a substitute you choose a shopping center or restaurant or gasoline station as your vacation spot and plug right into a charger at that vacation spot, the battery might have to be warmed a bit whereas charging and this may probably prolong your charging time.

Tesla NAV Automatically Routes to Superchargers.
While you use the Tesla Navigation system for a protracted distance journey, the automotive will routinely route you to Superchargers alongside your route.

Tip #5: Know Tips on how to Maximize Your Vary

Most often, I don’t fear about vary in any respect. I’m capable of drive usually (someplace across the pace restrict) in my Tesla, speed up shortly and set the cabin temperature to 69 levels (good). However in case you discover that your vary is dropping shortly on account of excessive climate or chilly temeratures, and also you’re fearful that you just gained’t have sufficient battery energy to make it to the subsequent charger or your last vacation spot, you are able to do a couple of issues to cut back battery drain and prolong your vary.

  • Sluggish Down – Driving at 60 MPH makes use of a lot much less energy than driving at 80 MPH. Additionally accelerating extra slowly will prolong your vary. You’ll be able to set your automotive to “Chill” mode to cut back acceleration or simply go lighter on the pedal.
  • Use the Seat Heaters, Luke! – Seat heaters are far more environment friendly than the usual local weather management followers and heating parts. Newer Mannequin 3s and Mannequin Ys use a warmth pump to warmth the cabin extra effectively, besides, seat heaters are essentially the most environment friendly technique to maintain your buns heat. Should you drop the cabin temperature by a couple of levels and switch up the seat heaters, you possibly can squeeze a bit of extra vary out of your battery with out making anybody uncomfortable.
  • Don’t Navigate to Supercharger – Sure, I do know, this contradicts with earlier recommendation. Usually you wish to navigate to a supercharger to heat the battery up earlier than charging, however in case you’re at risk of working out of juice, change your navigation to a location *close to* the supercharger and this may stop the automotive from utilizing battery energy to heat the battery whereas driving. It means you’ll cost a bit extra slowly when reaching the charger (at first), however it would assist prolong the vary a bit in case you want these additional few miles.

Tip #6: ABC – “All the time Be Charging”

Whereas Tesla recommends capping your day by day cost at 80% to increase battery life (besides the Mannequin 3 RWD which must be charged to 100% not less than as soon as every week), it’s OK to go over 80% cost once you’re occurring a visit. Lithium Ion batteries can degrade quicker if left at excessive cost ranges (under 10% or above 90%) for prolonged intervals. However in case you’re about to go on a protracted drive, it’s completely acceptable to cost your battery above 90%. Even in case you do cap your battery cost at 80%, it’s finest to go away your automotive plugged in always (effectively, besides whereas driving). By leaving the automotive plugged in, you possibly can compensate for any lack of vary as a result of chilly or on account of background operations like Sentry Mode. Should you set your max cost to 80% within the cell app on on the automotive’s predominant display screen, the automotive will solely draw sufficient energy to keep up that degree of cost.

Tesla charging in winter
The Tesla cost port is weatherproof and secure to make use of throughout rain and snow storms.

Tip #7: Give Your self a Buffer

Tesla’s Navigation system is designed to get you from level A to Level B in essentially the most environment friendly approach potential. However in case you blindly comply with the navigation, you could arrive at a resort or at a distant mountain cabin with simply 10% or much less of your vary left. The belief Tesla makes is you can cost your automotive at that vacation spot. If it’s actually chilly outdoors, your usable vary can drop even additional in a single day which can stop you from making it to your subsequent cease or to a charger the subsequent day. I normally keep a bit longer at my last charging cease to ensure I arrive at my vacation spot with not less than 25% cost. This enables me to maintain Sentry Mode energetic in a single day and have an honest cost to begin the subsequent day.

Tip #8: Make Certain You Have the Proper Tires for the Climate (or Even Chains)

Not particular to EVs, however some new Tesla homeowners have a impolite awakening their first winter when the inventory “All Season” tires on their vehicles don’t maintain up effectively in snow or on ice. Teslas really deal with extraordinarily effectively on snow, significantly the AWD variations, however tires which can be optimized for heat climate use can get stiffer (and fewer “sticky”) because the temperature drops. Some will not be even rated to be used under 40 levels Fahrenheit (4 levels Celsius). When my inventory Michelins wanted substitute, I went with a set of Vredestein Quatrac Professional. They deal with significantly better than the inventory Michelins did on snow and ice, they usually last more as effectively. They don’t have nice rolling resistance in order that they’re not essentially the most environment friendly tire. However personally I’ll sacrifice a little bit of vary for improved consolation, security and dealing with. There are a whole lot of good decisions on the market for all climate tires that deal with effectively within the snow so do your analysis on locations like TireRack and Client Experiences.

Some homeowners of Teslas in addition to different excessive efficiency vehicles who occur to reside with harsh winters purchase a second set of wheels with devoted snow tires. These will be swapped in each winter and off each spring. Should you’re going someplace with a whole lot of snow, take into account shopping for a set of chains and maintain these within the automotive for emergencies. Some roads require chains in sure months of the yr, so it’s finest to do your homework in case you’re going to be visiting areas with numerous snow. Be aware that you just usually solely want chains on the rear wheels, even on an AWD mannequin. Having chains on the entrance wheels can doubtlessly trigger rubbing whereas turning in case you don’t have sufficient clearance.

Tip #9: Keep at Accommodations with Vacation spot Chargers The place Attainable

Should you’re taking a multi-day street journey, staying at a resort with a degree 2 charger accessible can shave off one among your supercharging stops. Simply make sure to ask the resort upfront if you should reserve a spot and if the spots are literally reserved for EVs. We’ve heard from some weary vacationers that they arrive at their resort solely to seek out the EV charging spots blocked by ICE vehicles. Many resort web pages will checklist EV charging as an amenity, however you can too use the PlugShare app or website online to seek out motels with EV chargers. The PlugShare app can also be helpful in case you’re removed from a Tesla supercharger and wish to discover different Degree 2 and Degree 3 charging choices close by.

PlugShare app shows Tesla and other EV chargers near you or along your travel route.
The PlugShare app reveals you Tesla and different EV charging stations close to you or alongside your journey route.

Tip #10: Spray Some WD-40 (or lock de-icer) into These Funky Flush Door Handles

Tesla’s door handles are flush with the automotive physique for a purpose: aerodynamics. By eliminating the air drag of door handles you possibly can improve the automotive’s effectivity, thereby rising vary. Different EV makers like Hyundai have copied this flush design for a similar purpose. However the flush design of the Mannequin 3 and Mannequin Y door handles can result in the deal with getting frozen caught in excessive chilly climate a bit extra typically than conventional door handles. As a preventative measure, you possibly can spray some WD-40 or lock de-icer contained in the door handles to stop them from freezing. Most often, defrosting the automotive upfront by means of the app or scheduling will stop the handles from locking up. But when that doesn’t clear up the issue, you should use the aspect of your fist to loosen the ice (knock round the entire deal with a couple of occasions in a circle) and by pushing in on the back and front of the deal with to loosen it up. If a frozen door deal with or cost port door occurs to you, you can too use a Ziploc bag with sizzling water in it, some windshield de-icing spray or a hand hotter to thaw it out inside a couple of minutes.  I at all times maintain a twig bottle of Prestone De-Icer in my trunk when travelling in winter.

Tip #11: Maintain Some Handwarmers in Your Glove Field

Handwarmers are a great factor to maintain in your automotive for numerous causes. One, to maintain your palms heat if you end up working outdoors for some time, However they can be used to deal with some Tesla particular points. Handwarmers can be utilized to thaw a frozen door deal with or cost port door, or to unstick a frozen cost port latch.  Early variations of the Mannequin 3 (2017-early 2020) are extra vulnerable to having their cost port latch freeze and turn into inoperable in excessive chilly climate. In early 2020, the corporate added a “cost port inlet heater” to the Mannequin 3 and to the Mannequin Y. So in case your automotive is from 2020 or newer, utilizing the “Defrost Automotive” function will heat up your cost port latch as effectively, stopping it from getting caught. However in case you discover that you just get a flashing yellow or crimson mild subsequent to your cost port (as a substitute of a blue or inexperienced mild) and listen to a repeating mechanical clicking sound when making an attempt to attach a charging cable to your automotive, it’s potential that your charging port latch is caught. On this case, you possibly can insert a hand hotter pad into the cost port space for a couple of minutes to thaw the cost port.

Portable Hand Warmers can help thaw a frozen charger latch or charging cable when you're travelling in an EV in extreme cold weather.
Hand heaters like these can thaw out a caught cost port latch or Supercharger cable when travelling in excessive chilly climate.

However there’s an much more helpful goal for a hand hotter. One of many predominant points that led to the much-hyped failure of the Chicago area Superchargers earlier this yr was that the Supercharger cables have been falling out of their holsters and into the snow. This will occur throughout excessive chilly climate because the cable stiffens up and this causes the cable finish to fall out of its holster and onto the bottom. If the charging cable falls into snow, the top of the cable can get filled with snow, inflicting it to fail to attach once you strive plugging it into your cost port. This will make it appear as if the Supercharger isn’t operational. Some Tesla homeowners within the Chicago debacle discovered that they may thaw out the charging cable by placing it close to their heater vents for a couple of minutes, and as soon as thawed, the Supercharger labored as anticipated.  However in case you’re low on battery and don’t wish to crank up your heater, a hand hotter can serve the identical goal. Simply wrap one across the finish of the charging cable for a couple of minutes, shake out the soften and cost away. Here’s a 10 pack from Amazon.

With a bit of preparation and undertanding of how chilly climate can have an effect on your EV driving and charging, you possibly can keep secure and heat and totally charged throughout your winter travels.

Received your personal chilly climate EV journey suggestions and solutions? Tell us within the feedback.

Associated Studying:

The Art of Charging an EV in Frigid Cold

How to Help Your EV Have More Range in the Winter


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