You’re road tripping, the sun is shining, music is blasting and you’re on your way to your destination. All of a sudden, you notice your Tesla’s battery running low and there are no chargers nearby – what now?! We have brought out 10 ways that will help save battery and reach your destination without the Tesla dying out.
1. Don’t make any sudden or rapid accelerations
When driving around in the city or even on a highway, the key to battery efficiency is to drive smoothly without making any sudden accelerations or stops. When accelerating, take it easy and don’t floor the gas pedal in order to get going. Be smooth and only press it halfway. If you think you need help to break the habit, then Teslas have a built-in feature called “Chill mode”. When enabled, it makes the accelerator more smooth and cuts off Tesla’s full power in order to be more efficient.
2. Maximize regenerative braking
When you need to slow down or stop, the obvious way is to press the brake pedal. But Teslas have regenerative braking which can be used for getting some range back into the battery. So next time when you see a red light, let go of the accelerator sooner. This will help you get some juice back into your Tesla and make your trips last longer.
3. Drive within the speed limit
The speed limits are out there for a reason! For your and others’ safety, but also for saving battery. Like with internal combustion engines, the speed limits are made in relation to the vehicles. They are most economical and safe when they are driving within the speed limit, when exceeded, they lose in terms of efficiency. This goes for Teslas as well, and if you have a crisis at hand, drive even slower. It’s easy – the slower you drive, the less you waste your battery; the more you speed, the more battery you lose.
PS! Each hard acceleration can cause a battery loss of 4+ kilometers.
4. Your Tesla is not a battery bank if you need it to last
We know, that charging your phone while driving is super convenient and sometimes very much needed, but if you want to save your Tesla’s battery, then don’t charge your phone or other devices using Tesla’s own battery. Charge your devices beforehand or charge them while your Tesla is also charging, because then the power doesn’t come from the car, but from the power grid!
5. Stay away from fast chargers
What?! You heard right, if you want to maximize your overall battery life then it’s crucial to use slower chargers because they aren’t as harmful to your battery as, for example, superchargers. Although it is slower and might take multiple times longer to charge, it is safer and cheaper!
PS: If you want to be even more efficient, then never let your battery drop under 20% and never charge it over 90%, because that also cuts the battery life.
6. Keep the A/C off if you need to save your battery
When driving to the nearest charger and you’re in a need of a few more kilometers, then turn off your air conditioner. The A/C uses a lot of power, therefore, if you can, turn it off. You might feel hotter and sweatier, but at least you’ll make it to your destination.
7. Use your autopilot
When you want to save up every kilometer you can, use autopilot! As mentioned earlier, smooth driving is the key to efficiency, use your autopilot to keep your speed steady, because manually pressing the accelerator isn’t as energy-saving. Not to mention the fact that autopilot also makes long road trips more comfortable and enjoyable.
8. Do not carry excessive weight in your Tesla
When driving around in a Tesla, you shouldn’t carry excessive things in your car. Because the less you carry, the less the car weighs, and the less the car has to use power in order to move, the more efficient it is.
9. Switch off features you might not need
Turn off Sentry when you might not need it, turn off seat heaters, reduce the brightness of your screen, switch your steering to “Standard”, keep your windows up to reduce wind resistance, etc.
10. With a Model X or a Model S, use battery-saving mode
Teslas use batteries even when they aren’t driving, therefore, if you own a Tesla Model X or S, you can use battery-saving mode. This will reduce the usage of the battery when parked. In Model 3s and Ys, that mode automatically enables itself when the battery percentage drops under 5%, disabling the Sentry and much more.
There you go! 10 ways to increase your battery percentage and be the most efficient you can behind your Tesla! One more thing – if you want to avoid running out of battery, use Tesla’s built-in energy graphs, which tell from your driving habits the real range for your Tesla!
Once you have successfully reached a charging station and feel a need for some charging tips and tricks, then here is everything you need to know when charging a Tesla.
