Winter-Ready Tesla: Unveiling Features and Tips for Cold Weather Driving

In the challenging conditions of winter driving, your Tesla vehicle comes equipped with numerous features aimed at enhancing your driving experience. In this blog post, we'll delve into some essential suggestions and functionalities to ensure you make the most of your Tesla in the cold winter months.

1. Keep Your Vehicle Plugged In

In cold weather, your vehicle expends more energy to heat the battery and cabin. To minimize energy consumption, it's advisable to keep your Tesla plugged in whenever it's parked. This ensures that energy-intensive features like cabin and battery preconditioning rely on an external power source rather than the vehicle's battery, preserving energy for driving when you unplug.

2. Harness the Power of 'Scheduled Departure'

By utilizing the 'Scheduled Departure' feature, you can save a substantial amount of energy at the beginning of your trip. Specify your departure time through the touchscreen or Tesla app, allowing your vehicle to determine the optimal time to start charging and preconditioning. Proper preparation ensures your vehicle reaches the desired charge level and cabin temperature at departure, maximizing efficiency and performance from the moment you hit the road.

3. Manually Preheat Before Driving

Enhance pre-drive comfort by manually preheating the cabin using the 'Climate' > 'Turn On' option in the Tesla app or selecting 'Climate' > 'Defrost Car' for defrosting.

4. Updated Energy App

The Energy app on your touchscreen now offers a visual representation of real-time and projected energy usage. Receive insights into real-time consumption versus expectations, along with tips on optimizing energy consumption while parked. The updated Energy app, available from software version 2022.36 onward, provides a comprehensive view of energy usage in various scenarios.

5. Watch for the Snowflake Icon

If your battery is too cold for full power and ideal range, a blue snowflake icon may appear on your touchscreen and app. This indicates potential reductions in regenerative braking and acceleration. Keeping your vehicle plugged in and maintaining the charge level above 20% when not plugged in helps mitigate the impact of cold temperatures. Once the battery warms up, the snowflake icon disappears, and charging, driving, and preconditioning contribute to warming the battery.

6. Leverage Vehicle Navigation

For trips involving Supercharging, use the vehicle's navigation system to optimize charging. Navigating to a Supercharger automatically preheats your battery, maximizing charging speeds upon plugging in. Updated Trip Planner features, such as more accurate charging plans, intelligent preconditioning, real-time wait times and pricing, and improved dynamic routing, enhance Supercharging and long-distance driving experiences.

7. Snow and Ice Driving Tips

When anticipating snowy or icy conditions, these tips will help you store and drive your Tesla safely:

Reposition Wipers and Mirrors:

• Service Position for Wipers: Select 'Controls' > 'Service' > 'Wiper Service Mode' > 'On.'
• Deactivate Mirror Auto-Fold: Adjust settings based on your Tesla model.

Defrost Snow and Ice:

• Use the Defrost feature in the Tesla app before driving.

Clear Important Surfaces:

• Ensure critical surfaces like the hood, roof, and tailgate are free from snow buildup.

Frozen Door Handles:

• Follow model-specific instructions to handle frozen door handles.

Frozen Mirrors and Windows:

• Manually open and close mirrors if frozen, and use the Defrost feature for windows.

Frozen Autopilot Sensors and Cameras:

• Clear sensors and cameras of snow, ice, mud, and dirt for optimal autopilot performance.

Frozen Charge Port:

• Address a frozen charge port using Preconditioning or the Defrost feature in the Tesla app.

Frozen or Covered Cabin Air Intake:

• Remove ice, snow, and debris from the cabin air intake for optimal cabin heating.

By following these guidelines and utilizing the features designed for winter driving, you can ensure a safe and enjoyable experience in your Tesla during cold weather conditions.