Exterior Colors and Impact on AC + Range

[benboy12]

Hi All! I currently have an order in for a white on white LR model Y. I went with a white exterior because it shines when it’s clean and it was free. I read that because the white reflects the heat, it helps the car stay cooler and may have a positive impact on range. However, I’ve always owned white or gray cars, so trying to decide if that’s the route I really want to go again. I’m really thinking about switching to the red color. Would a color change really have an impact on keeping the car cool and range? Not overly concerned about losing a couple of miles of range, but I do want to make sure the car stays cool in the hot Florida sun. FYI, it will be garage kept, so the only time it would be out in the sun is when I went somewhere. Also I know Tesla has had some paint quality issues in the past. Are certain colors better than others?

I know this may seem like a silly question and I imagine I will get a lot of “just get what you want”. However, this is a big purchase for me so I want to make sure I make the best decision overall (don’t lose comfort for a 100% aesthetic choice).
Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

 

[EVer Hopeful]

Get the white

ALL cars should be white ... with a tan interior


...but seriously, just get what you want

 

[boulder.dude]

Dude, it has a glass roof…

 

[RickCRNA]

Get the color you want. Don’t try and justify your decision based on faulty data ie: range, temperature, etc.

 

[101dals]

Red is definitely faster.

 

[EVer Hopeful]

Red is definitely faster.

That's certainly what the police think

 

[GeezerSquid]

Get any color you want. But remember the Black/Black is the fastest!!

 

[another813]

I live in Florida also and can vouch for going for a lighter paint because of the heat. I also highly recommend tint all around with ceramic to block the heat. Did not do the roof because it would have been pretty pricey but it does block a lot of the sun already. I have MSM and it gets pretty warm, just start the car before I get there and we are good to go.

 

[benboy12]

I live in Florida also and can vouch for going for a lighter paint because of the heat. I also highly recommend tint all around with ceramic to block the heat. Did not do the roof because it would have been pretty pricey but it does block a lot of the sun already. I have MSM and it gets pretty warm, just start the car before I get there and we are good to go.

Awesome. Was interested in hearing from people in similar situations. Thanks for sharing!

 

[roblab]

Buying a car of a certain color, or lack thereof, because it "reflects the heat" or "is faster" is silly in my opinion. I have the blue, and I don't notice any hit in range or any inability to cool the car at all.

Buy red. And use the AC like God intended you to. White is boring. Of course, that's my opinion. I have noticed that there is a small percent of people who are aware of colors, but there is a much larger percentage who are not. Look at almost any parking lot. They are filled with black, gray and white cars, with only a very few red or blue (or even green) cars, not because red or blue are bad, but because most buyers are not moved by color.