Tesla Mannequin 3/Mannequin Y Winter and Chilly Climate Driving Suggestions

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With winter in full swing right here within the Northern Hemisphere, we’re getting a variety of questions and feedback from new Tesla homeowners about methods to optimize their chilly climate EV possession and driving expertise. Listed here are ten ideas to remember when taking your new (or new to you) Tesla out within the chilly climate. Be aware: a few of these ideas apply to any EV (or any automotive, for that matter) whereas others are Tesla-specific.

Tip #1: Verify These Tires!

It could appear apparent, however tires make an enormous distinction in dealing with on snowy and icy roads. Most trims of the Mannequin 3 and Mannequin Y come normal with respectable all-weather tires that may get you by in mild snow. However the Efficiency trims particularly include excessive efficiency summer time tires that don’t deal with effectively in snow. With the battery weight of an EV and lots of fashions geared up with twin motor all wheel drive, Teslas can carry out extraordinarily effectively in winter, even in heavy snow, however not with the mistaken rubber. On the very least, swap in a set of all-weather tires in the event you’re anticipating snow. In the event you dwell in an space with heavy snow then we’d suggest getting a set of true snow tires just like the Michelin X-Ice or one thing comparable.

Some homeowners of the Efficiency Mannequin 3 and Mannequin Y purchase a full set of 18-inch or 19-inch rims with devoted snow tires to swap in throughout the winter months. And in the event you’re anticipating heavy snow, hold a set of tire chains within the frunk or the trunk, simply in case. Additionally, even you probably have nice snow or all-weather tires, they gained’t do you any good in the event that they’re worn out. So examine the treads on all 4 tires and ensure to inflate all of them to producers’ suggestions earlier than a visit. This may optimize each efficiency and effectivity.

Tip # 2: Chilly Climate Impacts Vary and Charging Velocity So Go away Your self a Buffer

All automobiles are affected by excessive climate however EVs are inclined to lose extra vary than their ICE counterparts when the temperature drops beneath zero. Lithium batteries additionally take longer to cost when the battery is chilly, so go away slightly additional time on street journeys and be ready to cease a bit extra continuously to cost. Whereas the “vary” quantity on the highest left of the Tesla information display relies on EPA vary in ultimate driving circumstances, Tesla’s built-in navigation system offers a way more correct estimate of driving vary, accommodating each for driving velocity and temperature.  And if the temperature drops or elevation adjustments affect your vary, then the Navigation will typically re-route you to a better Supercharger. So if the Navigation tells you it’s time to cost, then it’s time to cost. Don’t assume you understand higher and may make it to the subsequent Supercharger (this one I’ve discovered from expertise).

Tip #3: Defrost/Preheat Your Automotive Earlier than a Journey

Lithium batteries don’t carry out as effectively within the chilly. Luckily Tesla has a “Defrost Automotive” function that permits you to pre-heat or defrost your automotive earlier than a visit. This not solely warms up the cabin, so the driving force and passengers are comfy, however 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 own home charger, it can save you your battery for the drive and start that drive in a toasty heat automotive with a toasty heat battery. You probably have an everyday commuting schedule, you may schedule the automotive to preheat the cabin by a particular time earlier than you permit for work every single day. The “Defrost Automotive” function is obtainable within the Tesla Cellular App. You possibly can add it to your Tesla app’s house display by holding in any of the shortcut buttons and dragging the defrost button to exchange one of many different buttons.

As a bonus, “Defrost Automotive” additionally melts off most snow and ice, making it simpler to clear you automotive of any ice and snow build-up. On latest fashions, it additionally thaws out the cost port door making it much less more likely to get frozen shut.

Tip #4: Don’t Go away Dwelling With out your Cellular Connector or Transportable Charger

Whereas the Tesla Supercharger community is each intensive and dependable, it’s at all times good to be ready in case of an emergency or surprising detour. Tesla’s Cellular Connector permits you to faucet into any 120V or 240V energy outlet and acquire anyplace from 4 miles to 35 miles of vary per hour, relying on the outlet. There are a selection of third celebration moveable chargers obtainable as effectively, simply be sure that to get one with the proper (NACS) charging plug. It’s greatest to maintain one in your automotive on any street journey in case you get too removed from a Supercharger. It’s like protecting a fuel can in your ICE automotive. Chances are you’ll by no means want it, however it’s good to understand it’s there. Along with the Cellular Connector itself, I hold 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 hold a thick 14-gauge 100-foot out of doors extension twine in my trunk in case of emergency.

Tip #5: Use “Navigate to Supercharger” The place Doable

When the Tesla Navigation system is conscious which are driving to a Supercharger, it’s going to mechanically heat the battery to its ultimate charging temperature as you drive. This does use slightly little bit of battery energy to heat the battery, however it’s going to scale back the period of time wanted on the charging station by permitting the battery to cost quicker. In the event you’re on a street journey and also you let Tesla plan the route based mostly on charging stops, this pre-conditioning will occur mechanically. But when, as an alternative, you choose a restaurant or shopping center as your vacation spot and plug right into a charger at that vacation spot, the battery could should be warmed a bit whereas charging and this can probably prolong your charging time because the battery warms to its ultimate charging temperature.

Tip #6: Be Conscious of What Makes use of Energy

On most of my each day drives and street journeys, I don’t fear about vary in any respect. I drive usually (someplace across the velocity restrict) in my Tesla Mannequin 3, speed up rapidly and set the cabin temperature to 69 levels (good). However in the event you discover that your vary is dropping rapidly as a consequence of excessive climate or chilly temperatures, and also you’re apprehensive that you just gained’t have sufficient battery energy to make it to your vacation spot, you are able to do a couple of issues to cut back battery drain and prolong your vary.

• Gradual 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 possibly can set your automotive to “Chill” mode to cut back acceleration or simply go lighter on the pedal.
• Use the Seat Heaters – Seat heaters are rather more environment friendly than the usual local weather management followers and heating components. 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 solution to hold your self and your passengers comfy. In the event you drop the cabin temperature by a couple of levels and switch up the seat heaters, you may squeeze slightly 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 pre-condition the battery for charging, however in the event you’re at risk of operating out of juice, change your navigation to a location *close to* the supercharger and this can 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’s going to assist prolong the vary in the event you want these additional few miles.

Tip # 7: ABC – “All the time Be Charging”

Whereas Tesla recommends capping your each day cost at 80% to increase battery life (besides fashions with LFP batteries, which ought to by charged to 100% not less than as soon as every week), it’s OK to go over 80% cost once you’re happening a visit. Lithium Ion batteries can degrade quicker if left at excessive cost ranges (beneath 10% or above 90%) for prolonged intervals. However in the event you’re heading out on a protracted drive, or are in the course of one, it’s completely acceptable to cost your battery above 90%. Even in the event you do cap your battery cost at 80%, it’s greatest to depart your automotive plugged in always (besides whereas driving). By leaving the automotive plugged in, you may compensate for any lack of vary as a consequence of chilly temperatures or background operations like Sentry Mode. In the event you set your max cost to 80% within the cell app on the automotive’s principal display, the automotive will solely draw sufficient energy to keep up that degree of cost.

Tip #8: Keep at Inns with Vacation spot Chargers The place Doable

In the event you’re taking a multi-day street journey, staying at a lodge with a degree 2 charger obtainable can shave off certainly one of your supercharging stops. Simply you should definitely ask the lodge prematurely if it’s good to reserve a spot and if the spots are literally reserved for EVs. Many resorts don’t implement “EV Charging Solely” parking, which ends up in the spots continuously being blocked by ICE automobiles. Some lodge websites will record EV charging as an amenity, however you too can use the PlugShare app for Android or iOS or the PlugShare website online to search out resorts with EV chargers. The PlugShare app can also be useful in the event you’re removed from a Tesla supercharger and wish to discover different Stage 2 and Stage 3 charging choices close by.

Tip #9: Lubricate Door Handles and Window Gaskets

Tesla’s flush door handles assist enhance aerodynamics, and they also enhance vary. However the flush design of the handles can result in the deal with getting frozen caught in excessive chilly climate. As a preventative measure, you may spray some WD-40 (silicon method) or lock de-icer contained in the door handles to forestall them from freezing. Equally, it’s a good suggestion to sometimes lubricate the window gaskets with a rubber therapy which is able to hold the home windows from freezing towards the gaskets. For particulars and hyperlinks to those, take a look at my companion article: Tesla Winter Necessities: Don’t Go away Dwelling in Chilly Climate With out These Gadgets.

Most often, defrosting the automotive prematurely by the app or scheduling will stop the handles and home windows from locking up. But when that doesn’t resolve the issue, you should use the aspect of your fist to loosen the ice (knock round the entire deal with a couple of instances 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 too can 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 hold a sprig bottle of Prestone De-Icer in my trunk when touring in winter.

There’s additionally an “unlatch door” button within the Tesla app that may pop the driving force’s door open even when it’s frozen shut. In winter, I often add this button to my app shortcuts.

Tip #10: Hold Some Handwarmers in Your Glove Field

Handwarmers are a very good factor to maintain in your automotive for various causes. One, to maintain your fingers heat if you end up working exterior for some time. 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 (2017-2020) 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 was manufactured in mid 2020 or newer, utilizing the “Defrost Automotive” function will instantly heat up your cost port latch as effectively, stopping it from getting caught. However in the event you discover that you just get a flashing yellow or pink mild subsequent to your cost port (as an alternative 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 doable that your charging port latch is frozen caught. On this case, you may insert a hand hotter pad into the cost port space for a couple of minutes to thaw the cost port.

However there’s an much more helpful objective for a hand hotter. Typically Supercharger cables (significantly the thicker cables on Gen 2 Superchargers) can stiffen in excessive chilly climate and this could make them fall out of their holders and onto the bottom. If the cable falls into snow, the top of the cable can get full of snow, inflicting it to fail to attach once you try and plug it into your cost port. Typically merely shaking or tapping the cable finish to take away the snow is all you want, but when not, then a hand hotter can be used. Simply wrap one across the finish of the charging cable for a couple of minutes, shake out the soften and cost away. Right here’s a ten pack from Amazon.

The Backside Line

With slightly preparation and understanding of how chilly climate can have an effect on your Tesla EV’s vary, driving dynamics and charging, you may keep secure and heat and totally charged throughout your winter EV adventures.

Obtained your individual chilly climate EV journey ideas and solutions? Tell us within the feedback.

Contemplating a Tesla? Use my referral hyperlink for a bonus in your buy or Schedule a Demo Drive at a location close to you.

Associated Studying:

The Artwork of Charging an EV in Frigid Chilly

How you can Assist Your EV Have Extra Vary within the Winter

The Artwork of Driving Electrical Automobiles within the Chilly

Tesla Winter Necessities: Don’t Go away Dwelling This Winter with out These Ten Gadgets