If you’re planning to own a Tesla or already have one, there are things you must know. The common question among Tesla owners is how to precondition the battery. This guide is prepared to show you everything you must know about preconditioning a Tesla battery.
Preconditioning a Tesla battery is ensuring that it has optimal temperature before charging. You can do this through various ways including the app, activating the scheduled departure function, and others. It prolongs battery life, lower charging time, and keeps the cabin warm too.
Preconditioning a Tesla battery is a term commonly used during the coldest months of the year. It refers to ensuring that the battery is at the right temperature to operate efficiently. Preconditioning a battery is warming it to a particular temperature before you charge it.
How Does Weather Affect A Tesla Battery?
Colder weather affects battery performance since it relies on chemical reactions. These happen more slowly in cold weather making the battery not have appropriate power. Cold weather also encourages condensation on the battery, reducing its power.
The battery needs warming up to supercharge. It superchargers for 15 to 30 minutes at a station. However, preconditioning makes it supercharge fully in less than 15 minutes. Preconditioning is not necessary if the weather isn’t terribly bad.
What Type Of Battery Does Teslas Use?
Teslas are electronic vehicles that use special lithium-ion batteries. The battery needs recharging and must be reconditioned for Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. It’s sensitive to cold weather since it may lose power in extreme coldness.
Preconditioning is necessary to warm up the battery to be at full capacity when needed.
When Do I Precondition My Tesla Battery?
The best time to precondition your Tesla battery is an hour before charging it. You must plan ahead through the app. This allows preconditioning the battery regardless of your location. Preconditioning the battery an hour before your journey warms it to an appropriate temperature.
You won’t have to precondition in warmer temperatures. The chemical reactions in the battery work efficiently in warm weather. Failure to precondition in cold weather encourages regenerative braking. The car may fail to reach its full potential.
What Are The Benefits Of Preconditioning A Tesla Battery?
Here are the reasons for preconditioning your Tesla battery.
Makes Battery Charge Faster
Teslas use lithium-ion batteries that depend on chemical reactions to work. In cold weather, the reactions slow down. It makes the battery become less efficient and unable to charge quickly. Preconditioning gives the battery the optimum temperature to charge quickly.
A preconditioned battery fully charges in less than 15 minutes using a Tesla supercharger. When not preconditioned and still cold, the battery likely charges in 15 to 30 minutes. Preconditioning helps when rushing somewhere since you won’t wait for long for the battery to charge fully.
Prolongs Battery Life
Keeping the Tesla battery at optimum temperature extends its lifespan. It works more efficiently when warm. This is because all its chemical reactions happen at their maximum potential. It ensures that you get more useful life from your battery.
Keeps The Cabin Warm
Apart from keeping the battery warm for charging and enhancing its efficiency, preconditioning warms the cabin. You will enjoy a warm cabin from the cold outside. No more waiting for the cabin to get warm since preconditioning offers instant comfort.
Optimized High-End Performance Features
Teslas are jam-packed with high-end features such as regenerative braking. This sends energy back to the battery when you brake. Failure to recondition the battery in your Tesla in cold weather limits the features to enjoy and reduces charging speed.
Charging in cold weather has a significant negative impact on electrochemical compounds. It encourages permanent damage to the battery which may lead to eventual shutdown during extreme coldness.
How Do I Set To Precondition The Battery In A Tesla?
Preconditioning the battery in a Tesla is done through simple steps highlighted below.
Set Navigation To A Supercharger
You must set the navigation to a supercharger. The Supercharger is a charging station to quickly power up your Tesla. Your navigation will detect the location of the nearest Supercharger for you. It will direct you to the location and begin preconditioning your battery automatically.
Even when you know the location of the nearest Supercharger, use the navigation system to precondition the battery. The preconditioning will begin about 30 minutes away from your destination. It may start earlier if the outside temperature is lower.
Use The Scheduled Departure Function
The feature allows setting the time when the journey begins. You can do this inside the car or through the app. After setting the departure time, you choose the option to precondition the battery. The process will begin just in time for your journey.
Manual Configuration
You can also precondition the battery in your Tesla manually. This is possible using the Climatic Controls feature in the car. You can access this remotely using the app or inside the car. Turn the A/C on to begin the preconditioning process and the defrost car mode.
Apart from warming up the battery, your cabin will be comfortable and warm by the time you drive off to your destination. Three wavy orange lines will show on the app or display inside the car when the battery is preconditioning. The lines will disappear when the process completes.
Smart Preconditioning
You can use smart preconditioning if your driving habits during winter are predictable. The feature will pre-condition the battery at the same time every day. It will make the car ready for daily routine. You won’t have to worry about forgetting to schedule preconditioning every day.
To activate smart preconditioning, go to setting on the Tesla app than a vehicle, and turn on smart preconditioning. The feature ensures that the battery and cabin are warm according to your predetermined driving habits.
Optimal Parking
You can leverage the power of the sun to keep your battery at optimal temperature. Parking in the sun in the middle of the day keeps the battery and cabin warm. The simple heat transfer ensures that the battery is ready to begin charging immediately.
Drag Strip Mode
For owners of the Tesla Model S, you can use this mode to warm your car battery. The mode is only available for use on closed circuits. However, it’s only ideal for short distances. Drag strip mode relies on acceleration to generate appropriate warmth.
The car remains in the mode even when unattended. This feature automatically disables after three hours. It limits energy loss in case you forget to turn it off manually.
What Is The Recommended Period To Precondition A Tesla Battery?
According to Tesla, you must Trip Planner to navigate a charging station for about 30 to 45 minutes before arrival. It ensures optimal battery temperature and charging conditions. When expecting to arrive at the charging station in less than 40 minutes, preconditioning is necessary.
Does The Tesla Battery Precondition When Not Plugged In?
You can precondition Tesla Model Y when not plugged in. However, the amount of charge in the battery is above 20%. Preconditioning a Tesla battery is possible while plugged in because it preserves its life.
Closing Thoughts
Preconditioning a Tesla battery keeps it warm before charging, prolongs battery life, lowers charging time, and keeps the cabin warm too. You can do this through the app, parking in sunlight, or the smart preconditioning feature.
