5 winter tips for Tesla drivers to save electricity

The winter season is to a certain extent the bugbear of many e-car drivers, - after all, the battery is less efficient in cold temperatures than at a pleasant 20 degrees. Nevertheless, Tesla owners can make the cold season pleasant and efficient with a few tips and tricks.

Tip 1: Planned departure time

Under Climate -> Pre-air conditioning -> Schedule there is the feature "Planned departure time". If you enter a time there, your vehicle will bring the battery up to temperature in good time for driving off. What sounds wasteful at first has a sensible background: a warm battery works much more efficiently than a cold one. This difference is so great that it is actually worth using the energy to preheat the battery.

By the way: With Planned departure time, the battery is also fully charged to the desired level at the planned time, provided you have plugged in the vehicle.

Tip 2: Preconditioning and defrosting

Another way to precondition the battery is to use the "Pre-conditioning" and "De-icing" functions in the Tesla app. The former preheats the interior for you, while the latter also heats the windows to remove snow and ice and save you from scratching. However, both functions also preheat the battery, allowing you to use your Tesla as efficiently as possible from the very first meters.

Tip 3: Supercharger use

If you want to charge at a Supercharger, it is always advisable to enter the intended station as a destination in the navigation system (if the system has not already done so). This also means that the Tesla preheats the battery in good time so that you can charge with the highest possible power and as gently as possible for the battery.

Tip 4: Remove snow from sensors

Safety-relevant assistance systems such as emergency brake assist and autopilot require information from sensors and cameras in order to function properly. To ensure a safe and relaxed journey, it is therefore advisable to clear all cameras and sensors of snow and ice before setting off. Some of this may already be done by the "De-ice" function, but it never hurts to check.

Tip 5: Leave your Tesla plugged in

Whenever possible, you should leave your Tesla plugged into the home socket. This has the advantage that the energy required to preheat the battery, for the air conditioning system and for defrosting can be taken from the power grid and the battery and therefore the range do not have to be used. 

But don't forget to set a load limit in the settings. Otherwise, the vehicle is always fully charged, which significantly reduces the service life of the battery.

Also nerve-wracking in winter: snow, rain and slush,  which quickly find their way into the car clinging to your shoes and leaving behind all kinds of unwanted dirt. With practical Tesla mats, your car stays clean even in this wet and cold season.