Summer is approaching - and with it comes lots of sunshine and high temperatures. This is actually good news for Tesla drivers, as electric cars are much more efficient in the heat than in winter. Nevertheless, there are a few tips to make your summer as comfortable and economical as possible. Find out the five most important ones here in this article.
Tesla tips for the summer
Tip 1: Dog Mode
A car can heat up quickly in the sun. This is not only uncomfortable when getting in, but also a big problem if you want to leave your dog in the vehicle for a quick shopping trip. Tesla has solved this problem with the so-called dog mode.
If this is activated in the climate control system, the air conditioning remains active even when you leave the vehicle. In addition, the current temperature and an indication that the dog is fine are shown on the display as an all-clear for passers-by. The alarm system is also switched off so that the dog's movements do not trigger it.
But beware: even dog mode is only a short-term solution, you should never leave animals behind for long periods of time, especially in summer when temperatures are high.
Tip 2: Vent function
Once the Tesla has heated up properly, there is a way to cool it down without consuming electricity. If you activate the Vent function in the Tesla app, all the windows open a small gap to allow hot air to escape. Of course, you can also close the windows again using the app.
This is a practical method of cooling the car by a few degrees to save energy.
Tip 3: The right sun protection
The Tesla glass roof is a wonderful feature, but in summer it can cause the interior to become extremely hot due to the sun's rays.
At Teslabs you can find the right sunshades to ensure a pleasant climate in your Tesla even in summer.
Tip 4: Climate settings
If you open the climate settings by clicking on the climate icon, you will find four options in the top right-hand corner: "Off", "On", "Dog" and "Camp".
While "Off" is relatively self-explanatory, "On" leaves the air conditioning switched on even when you leave the vehicle - convenient, for example, if you are only going to the ATM for a short time. "Dog" activates the aforementioned dog mode and "Camp" maintains the interior temperature, allows power to be supplied via the USB ports, keeps the touchscreen active and deactivates the alarm system.
Tipp 5: Kabinenüberhitzungsschutz
The Model 3 has a so-called cabin overheating protection. This is activated via Vehicle -> Safety and switches off the air conditioning (or depending on the selection) as soon as the internal temperature exceeds 40 °C. The protection remains active for up to 12 hours or until the battery level falls below 20 %.
Bonus tip: Leave it plugged in
If you have a charging facility at home, you should leave your Tesla plugged in permanently - not so that the battery is always fully charged (that would even be harmful), but because the necessary power is then drawn from the socket and not from the battery when the pre-air conditioning is activated. This gives you more range when you set off.
What's your favorite tip for the summer? Write it in the comments now!
