How low do you go?

[ceekz]

So, the recommendation by Tesla is to charge when the car is at 50%, and to not charge on a regular basis over 90%, right? I have a relatively (and sadly, I must say) short commute and normally would fill my gas tank about once every two weeks. I thought I'd be charging overnight on about the same schedule (just about a 300 mile range in both the Tesla and MINI). With the factory setting on the charge, my range is slightly lower. Since I don't have the convenience of popping into a Supercharger like I did with gas stations (no regrets, just commenting), I'm more anxious about keeping a healthy charge on the battery so always I'm ready to go.

At what range do other owners plug in? And is there a relative long-term negative effect charge the battery numerous short times instead of less frequent longer times?

 

[brobinson]

https://www.tesla.com/content/dam/tesla/Ownership/Own/Model 3 Owners Manual.pdf

Page 109-115. The car should be plugged in if at all possible when not using it, up to 90% and only exceeding for long trips.

 

[Pkmmte]

I generally charge up to 91%, but I'd only go up to 80% if I could charge at home.

 

[Skotty]

I generally charge up to 91%, but I'd only go up to 80% if I could charge at home.

Ninety....one? *raises eyebrow* ;-)

I don't worry about plugging in too often. Sometimes I don't plug in, but really it's just out of laziness and because the range is enough that it doesn't hurt to not plug it in from time to time. I mostly charge to 90%.

BTW, if you want to see a premium litter box, you should check out the one I just built for my family and cats.

 

[LoveEV]

80-90% is optimal.

 

[Knightshade]

If the car is at home then it's in the garage and it's plugged in.

I charge to 75% normally and usually drive it down to around 40-50% over the course of a typical day, which seems to be about the ideal range to keep it in from most folks remarks.

 

[Pkmmte]

Ninety....one? *raises eyebrow* ;-)

I don't worry about plugging in too often. Sometimes I don't plug in, but really it's just out of laziness and because the range is enough that it doesn't hurt to not plug it in from time to time. I mostly charge to 90%.

BTW, if you want to see a premium litter box, you should check out the one I just built for my family and cats.

Enough to make it 90% by the time I get back to work from the local Supercharger.

Even after having charged past 90% at Superchargers for the last 13k miles I've driven my Model 3, I have yet to see any noticeable battery degradation. My 100% was 313 miles when I first got my car. Now it's 310.

(really interested in that premium litter box, btw)

 

[ceekz]

https://www.tesla.com/content/dam/tesla/Ownership/Own/Model 3 Owners Manual.pdf

Page 109-115. The car should be plugged in if at all possible when not using it, up to 90% and only exceeding for long trips.

I'm not completely in agreement with your comment that the car is expected to be plugged in when not using it. I believe the statement refers to conditions where the car is expected to not be used for an extended period of time.

The question I'm asking is for daily drivers - at what range remaining do you normally charge?

 

[Skotty]

I'm not completely in agreement with your comment that the car is expected to be plugged in when not using it. I believe the statement refers to conditions where the car is expected to not be used for an extended period of time.

The question I'm asking is for daily drivers - at what range remaining do you normally charge?

More specifically for me, assuming I'm not expecting to go out of town, I start feeling like I should plug in when I get down to about 160 or 170 miles. Normal "full" charge (90%) on mine is around 235.

 

[Runt8]

I'm not completely in agreement with your comment that the car is expected to be plugged in when not using it. I believe the statement refers to conditions where the car is expected to not be used for an extended period of time.

The question I'm asking is for daily drivers - at what range remaining do you normally charge?

From the manual:

Model 3 has one of the most sophisticated battery systems in the world. The most important way to preserve the Battery is to LEAVE YOUR VEHICLE PLUGGED IN when you are not using it. This is particularly important if you are not planning to drive Model 3 for several weeks. When plugged in, Model 3 wakes up when needed to automatically maintain a charge level that maximizes the lifetime of the Battery.

Note: When left idle and unplugged, your vehicle periodically uses energy from the Battery for system tests and recharging the 12V battery when necessary.

There is no advantage to waiting until the Battery’s level is low before charging. In fact, the Battery performs best when charged regularly.

Seems very straight forward to me - plug it in whenever you can. I plug mine in whenever I'm home and charge to 85%.

 

[SD_Engnr]

The question I'm asking is for daily drivers - at what range remaining do you normally charge?

I charge whenever my P3D starts to feel too slow, or just whenever I feel like it. Commute is short (12 miles), so sometimes I'll go all week before plugging in. I feel like it's been said repeatedly that the car should generally be plugged in daily, or at least kept between a specific % range (can't remember the range).

(really interested in that premium litter box, btw)

Love your sig! I feel inspired to do the same, but using my kids...

 

[whatthe2]

From the manual:

Seems very straight forward to me - plug it in whenever you can. I plug mine in whenever I'm home and charge to 85%.

Clear to me as well. When I'm in town, I only drive 20 miles or so per day, but plug in every night after I learned that is the recommended practice.

 

[TexasEV]

So, the recommendation by Tesla is to charge when the car is at 50%, and to not charge on a regular basis over 90%, right?

No, that is not Tesla’s recommendation. Have you read the battery section of the owners manual? Tesla recommends you plug it in when you can. Many smaller charges are better than fewer larger charges.

The only reason for the slider is to avoid the EPA’s stupid policy of averaging two ranges when an EV has two range settings — so Tesla changed its firmware from two settings (92% and 100%) to the slider. If there aren’t just two settings, EPA lets you advertise the 100% range.

Set your charge level to 90% (100% for trips), plug in when you can, and stop thinking about the battery.

 

[Abstrakt1]

I always plug in when I am at home, I charge to 80% but I don't drive far so it rarely ever gets below 200 miles of range left.

 

[Skotty]

Enough to make it 90% by the time I get back to work from the local Supercharger.

Even after having charged past 90% at Superchargers for the last 13k miles I've driven my Model 3, I have yet to see any noticeable battery degradation. My 100% was 313 miles when I first got my car. Now it's 310.

(really interested in that premium litter box, btw)

Enough to make it 90% by the time I get back to work from the local Supercharger.

Even after having charged past 90% at Superchargers for the last 13k miles I've driven my Model 3, I have yet to see any noticeable battery degradation. My 100% was 313 miles when I first got my car. Now it's 310.

(really interested in that premium litter box, btw)

I don't want to drag this too far off topic, so here's a link to an off topic thread about my litter box.

Custom Litter Box

 

[ngogas]

I charge mine to 65% and on weekends 75-80% since we go out more. I leave mine plugged in every night. Seems to be working out great.

 

[stayfocus18]

last night was the lowest ive let it drop which was 39%... usually charge 1-2 times a week to roughly 80%

 

[brobinson]

I'm not completely in agreement with your comment that the car is expected to be plugged in when not using it. I believe the statement refers to conditions where the car is expected to not be used for an extended period of time.

The question I'm asking is for daily drivers - at what range remaining do you normally charge?

Did you read the manual? It very clearly states that the suggested action is to plug it in when not in use. It's painfully clear.

 

[ceekz]

Have you read the battery section of the owners manual?

Of course I read the owner's manual. The whole thing. I remember how to not dent the lid of the frunk.

 

[Lloyd]

The question I'm asking is for daily drivers - at what range remaining do you normally charge?

I plug in Daily and charge every night as recommended by Tesla. I do not wait for a specific charge level of drain to initiate a charge. You leave with your set charge level every day. Waiting to fill up is from driving an ICE and filling when it reaches 1/2 or 1/4?