Manually preconditioning Tesla: How does it work?

If you drive a Tesla, you've probably heard of "battery preconditioning".

But what exactly does that mean, how does it work, and most importantly: Can you manually precondition your Tesla?

In this article, we will answer all the important questions surrounding this topic.

Tesla preconditioning and why it's important

Preconditioning is a smart feature that brings your Tesla's battery to the ideal temperature before you charge at a fast-charging station. Why? It's simple: when the battery is at the optimal temperature, charging time is reduced and efficiency is maximized. This gets you back on the road faster – without any unnecessary waiting.

The whole process happens automatically if you select a setting in the Tesla navigation system. Supercharger Enter the destination. During the journey, the vehicle will then begin preconditioning so that the battery is ready upon arrival.

How to manually precondition a Tesla battery?

This is where it gets interesting. Many Tesla drivers have wondered whether they can manually start preconditioning, for example via the Tesla app or the vehicle menu. The short answer is: No, at least not directly.

Tesla has not yet included a feature that allows you to manually precondition the battery. The process is controlled automatically once a fast charging station is selected as the destination.

However, if you want to drive to a charging station that is not listed in the Tesla navigation system, you will face a small problem.

Are there any workarounds?

A common trick among Tesla drivers is to enter a nearby Supercharger as the destination in the navigation system, even if you ultimately want to go to a different charging station.

This starts the preconditioning process. However, this method is cumbersome and only works if a Supercharger is nearby.

It can also be done manually – with accessories

If you absolutely cannot do without the function of manually preconditioning your Tesla battery and are not satisfied with workarounds, then you will have to resort to third-party accessories.

This function is made possible by the popular S3XY buttons from the manufacturer Enhance. Thanks to the associated "Commander", these gain OBD access to the vehicle software and thus offer numerous additional features – including the regulation of recuperation, the changing of the acceleration mode and also the preheating of the battery.

The accessory is available for all Tesla models, and the functions are easily controlled via an app. For those who don't like buttons, there's also the... S3XY knob even a more elegant solution.

Why isn't there a native option yet?

The topic is frequently and hotly debated in the Tesla community. Many drivers would like Tesla to introduce manual controls for preconditioning – similar to the ability to activate the air conditioning or seat heating via an app.

So far, Tesla has not implemented this request, presumably because the focus is on providing the most seamless and automated user experience possible.

Conclusion

Currently, you cannot manually start preconditioning in the menu or via the Tesla app. The automaker relies on automated processes here, which work well in most cases.

Nevertheless, there are situations where a manual option would be practical. Until Tesla responds to this, the only remaining options are the aforementioned workaround with the Supercharger – or accessories like S3XY buttons or the S3XY knob.

Do you have any experiences or tips regarding preconditioning? Feel free to share them in the comments or with other Tesla drivers.