First bit of snow this morning...

[plisken]

What a complete nightmare. the last car that I had that was this close to being this bad in the snow was an old Mondeo.

• Slight incline, forget it.
• Reversing in my work car park on fresh snow, forget it.
• Windows fogging up inside, shocking, absolutely shocking.

And before anyone dare mention winter tyres, I've never had to drive with winter tyres before, never and to think I paid a few extra green backs for the AWD, thinking it would make a difference.

I wonder if Tesla still have my Jeep that I traded in (Dec)

Rant over, nothing more to see here, move along...

 

[init6]

It's not the car, it's the tyres.
I'd challenge your slight incline comment as I can get up this hill:

 

[DM206433]

Whatever you do, don't go parking it on an incline on top of snow.

 

[NISFAN]

No experience of this yet, but let us know what modes you tried and how the car reacted. What was it doing instead, rear axle spinning up, front axle spinning up, both spinning up? etc.

Not all summer tyres are the same is a factor here too. Assuming you have Michelin’s on, I have found them to be particularly bad in snow and ice.

 

[bctomuk]

Assuming you have AWD then still comparing a 4 door executive saloon to a presumed 4x4 SUV Jeep then the Jeep will always come out top in snow conditions.

 

[Adopado]

What a complete nightmare. the last car that I had that was this close to being this bad in the snow was an old Mondeo.

• Slight incline, forget it.
• Reversing in my work car park on fresh snow, forget it.
• Windows fogging up inside, shocking, absolutely shocking.

And before anyone dare mention winter tyres, I've never had to drive with winter tyres before, never and to think I paid a few extra green backs for the AWD, thinking it would make a difference.

I wonder if Tesla still have my Jeep that I traded in (Dec)

Rant over, nothing more to see here, move along...

I'll say it ... it's the tyres. Teslas come with summer spec tyres. My SR+ is fantastic in the snow (without AWD of course) ... but it's got the right tyres on it. I can drive past any 4X4 if it has the wrong tyres on.

 

[Adopado]

Assuming you have AWD then still comparing a 4 door executive saloon to a presumed 4x4 SUV Jeep then the Jeep will always come out top in snow conditions.

Exactly ... the Jeep doesn't come with Michelin Sport tyres ... and it's 4X4 not "just" AWD.

 

[Leejmoff]

get yourself a sled if you're on a hill.

 

[DrJFoster]

I read a post on another forum this morning about someone who had the car locking up and the tail stepping out under regen, scary. The advice now you can't turn down regen seemed to be keep your foot on the throttle, and while it might be correct, it doesn't feel like it should be and is the complete opposite of what I was taught when learning to drive.

 

[Tony Hoyle]

There's a neutral point on the accelerator where regen stops and you learn where that is with practice.

You were likely taught on an ICE which is a different set of driving skills. On an ICE you'd use clutch control for anything like this, on an EV you use accelerator control.

 

[stolengoat]

There's a neutral point on the accelerator where regen stops and you learn where that is with practice.

You were likely taught on an ICE which is a different set of driving skills. On an ICE you'd use clutch control for anything like this, on an EV you use accelerator control.

Yes, there is. However, how do you stop the car? As soon as you take your foot off the pedal to brake, the regen starts again. Or am I wrong?

 

[Adopado]

I read a post on another forum this morning about someone who had the car locking up and the tail stepping out under regen, scary. The advice now you can't turn down regen seemed to be keep your foot on the throttle, and while it might be correct, it doesn't feel like it should be and is the complete opposite of what I was taught when learning to drive.

It's quite similar to what was always taught. With regen you are in effect braking. It is always taught to avoid braking if on the most slippery surface. You therefore ease the accelerator so that your regen (braking) is as slight as possible ... in fact it is easier to "brake" gradually using regen than it is using conventional brakes.

 

[Tony Hoyle]

Yes, there is. However, how do you stop the car? As soon as you take your foot off the pedal to brake, the regen starts again. Or am I wrong?

Regen gives you gentle braking which is controllable. It's just the same as you'd do with engine braking except it's on a single pedal.

 

[Adopado]

Yes, there is. However, how do you stop the car? As soon as you take your foot off the pedal to brake, the regen starts again. Or am I wrong?

You don't lift off completely ... you ease off the pedal so you have a very slight retardation only. I have been in a situation in an ICE car where the road was so slippery the car was going out of control just with engine braking, let alone regen. I had to keep the accelerator pressed and only very very gradually eased to slow the car over a long period. I know it was the right thing to do because I passed several other cars that were off the road at various angles whilst I was able to continue. This was when I was not on winter tyres.

 

[MovingSouth]

The problem here is muscle memory. Having driven in ice and snow for many years (living in Scotland and the Pennines for much of my life) I'm fully trained to lift off the accelerator and avoid touching the brakes. I don't care how much I'm told that I can balance the accelerator on my Model 3 to do the same thing (which is true), I expect that ingrained action will occur on the first slide, with lifting off adding regen.

Did you read the complaints from Canada and Scandinavia when the option to turn down regen was removed about a year ago? They know how to drive in those conditions and were not best pleased.

 

[Barabing]

Funny enough i watched this from Bjorn Nyland last night (

) not sure if i can put YouTube links on here.

He shows what happens when regen kicks in in the snow.

 

[Alistairuk]

What a complete nightmare. the last car that I had that was this close to being this bad in the snow was an old Mondeo.

• Slight incline, forget it.
• Reversing in my work car park on fresh snow, forget it.
• Windows fogging up inside, shocking, absolutely shocking.

And before anyone dare mention winter tyres, I've never had to drive with winter tyres before, never and to think I paid a few extra green backs for the AWD, thinking it would make a difference.

I wonder if Tesla still have my Jeep that I traded in (Dec)

Rant over, nothing more to see here, move along...

Might be obvious but did you enable “slip start” in settings before attempting to drive (this option resets to off every time you get out the car); without this option enabled you’ll struggle to get the car to move as the ABS kicks in instantly.

Surprised you struggled on a slight incline - I’ve managed to crawl up a fairly steep hill multiple times in 3-4 inch deep snow (from a stopped position in a SR+ so AWD should have no issue) - yes I have the summer tyres installed.

I’ll agree with the others though - winter tyres are really needed if you absolutely must drive in snow / ice (other than the odd occasion) and can’t just wait till the roads are cleared.

 

[MovingSouth]

He shows what happens when regen kicks in in the snow.

Of course, he'll be driving on studded winter tyres.

 

[CaptFish2003]

It's not the car, it's the tyres.
I'd challenge your slight incline comment as I can get up this hill:

Haha, you must be living nearby. This is my local hill to test traction in the winter. Mind you a couple of tracks in the snow this morning hitting the curbs.

 

[MrT3]

Of course, he'll be driving on studded winter tyres.

No, he is using studless winter tyres.