How long can a P100D "idle"

[mmoran]

Can't seem to find this info here or elsewhere. But the question came up today how long can you sit in a Model S P100D with the seat heats, heater and radio on?

We just had a nasty storm in our region with people stuck on the interstate overnight in their cars. If I were stuck in my P100D how long would my battery last with the seat heats, heater and radio on. I understand they're many variables and it depends on the starting battery percentage. But, could someone estimate how many minutes per battery percent you could run those 3 things? IE, for every percent you could last an 60 minutes, so at 20% battery it'd last 20 hours.

 

[spectrum]

It depends strictly on kWh usage but I think with a 100% charge, in theory, you should be able to "idle" with heat & radio functions for several days to over a week at least. I think the better question is — how long can YOU idle?

 

[Fobble]

In Arizona hot summer, my MS lost about 15 range miles with pre-conditioning on for the 8-10 working hours (probably 5-6 hours of actual pre-conditioning is active). Depending on how much left in the tank when you get stuck, with heating continuously on, I would think it will last at least 2-3 days to empty.

 

[gt2690b]

very highly dependent on temperature... -20F vs. 30F could be the difference in making it overnight or not

 

[Ludalicious]

I just parked my P100D model S for over a week at an airport outside. The temps were not extremely low but low. On average 5C for the entire time. I only lost 15KM of range over the entire week. I was very suprised. Parked at 350 came back had 335. Very impressive when considering the temp it was in.

 

[Olle]

Like others said it varies. Since I belong to the minority who have driven Model S a fair amount in -20 to -30 degrees I can tell you a few interesting things:

• Seat heaters and radio take almost nothing.
• Cabin heat takes a bunch. Cross country driving in minus 20 F with cabin heat on cut my range literally in half.
• Pre heating cabin and battery while plugged is a huge advantage

To answer your question adout idle time based on my experience with Model S. Seat heaters and radio on you can probably "idle" for days and nights on end.
Cabin Heater on at 32 deg F. Maybe a day and one night.
Cabin Heater on at minus 30. Ten hours tops.

 

[ucmndd]

Cabin heater is the only meaningful variable, it can pull 6+ kw at full tilt. So if it’s extremely cold and working full time, you’re talking maybe 15 hours from full to empty.

Less extreme conditions could double or triple that easily.

 

[Olle]

Cabin heater is the only meaningful variable, it can pull 6+ kw at full tilt. So if it’s extremely cold and working full time, you’re talking maybe 15 hours from full to empty.

Less extreme conditions could double or triple that easily.

Good summary. I think the battery heater sometimes comes on too, adding to the consumption, so 15 hours may be optimistic with cabin heater in the most extreme cold.

 

[ucmndd]

Good summary. I think the battery heater sometimes comes on too, adding to the consumption, so 15 hours may be optimistic with cabin heater in the most extreme cold.

Good point.

 

[murphyS90D]

When the SvC needs to discharge a battery so they can work on it they use the cabin heater running with the doors open so it doesn't get hot enough in the car for it to shut off.

 

[Ande]

Cabin heater is maximum 6kW , that is by no means a typical output, I guess you can say the total output stabilizes about 2-3kW in colder than 20°C - that would give more than 24h in most situations.
Teslabjørn did some camper-mode and slept in very low temperatures, you may watch that.
in a real emergency, lowering the cabin temperature would save lots of energy.

 

[David29]

Check out the videos by Bjorn Nyland (Tesla Bjorn). I recall some where he slept in his car overnight in extreme Norwegian cold. I am sure he would have tracked his energy consumption. Seems to me he has done that in both Model S (his old P85) and X.

 

[Snowstorm]

It can last a long time. Overnight is not an issue with a good charge.

Heaters take max of 6kw
AC take max of 3kw
Seat heaters are 1kw or less

But the above is absolute max and the car will not be absolute max for long (unless you leave all windows open).

In my winter experience in Toronto Canada winter. Heaters take about 3% per hour on a cold cold day (-18c). In summer around 32C, AC is about 2% and hour.

So I would expect idle at 65% to last about 20 hours when it is very cold, 30hr when it is really hot. Days if the weather is mild.

 

[brianman]

Last year at an driver's education event, my car was parked for ~7 hours in snowing weather with the climate kept "On" at 75 F. I don't remember the exact number but it was somewhere between 20 and 50 miles of range spent. (Model S P100D.) Don't know if that's helpful or not, but it's data.