Model 3 cabin (pre)heating in cold weather - how good is it?

[svp6]

I just configured the model 3 - eagerly awaiting the delivery. I wonder if anyone posted on how good is the cabin preheating on model 3 when compared to model S. I cannot find any posting on this, nor on how good is the cabin heating while driving in very cold weather.

We recently had around -15F (-26C) for two consecutive weeks here. I learned in the process that ICE pre-heating is lousy. My model S was totaled, had to replace it with a Merc - the best you can get from remote starting the Merc is less-than-freezing-your-but temperature after 10 minutes of engine run; by the time I get into the car, the ventilation system is still on low fan speed as the engine is still cold. With my model S, walking from the office to the parking garage (also ~10 minutes) used to give me a nice and toasty car, to the point I never missed the heated steering wheel.

So any owner experience with that? Please chime in.

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

Not to derail this thread too much but, in attempts to use preconditioning, I've literally had zero success in reaching the car via the app when the car's either not plugged in and charging or not being driven already by my wife. It goes into this deep state of sleep that I cannot wake it up from remotely; there's no "Always connected" setting like there is in the S.

 

[svp6]

Bump. No 3 users in cold regions yet I presume

 

[outdoors]

Works just fine for me. Heating and connection from the app. I have watched my car being wrapped at least 35 times in the last 3 days. See doors opening. Interior and so on and so forth.

I understand what your saying with the ICE. Our late Subaru at idle would never really warm up the cabin on a super cold day. I also kind of felt like an arse watching all the exhaust piling up on a cold day.

Someone will surely inform us on why a resistance heater will work in this scenario. While we will all scoff at its energy usage during that time.

I have heated the car up, both plugged in and outside with plenty of success at having cabin conditioned. Updates I am sure will improve upon this feature at some point to have the car conditioned out of garage turned around and my latte handed to me at some point. Till then.

Also I would not consider Michigan a cold region. Unless you're a Yooper. Which are my favorite Michiganders. They are lucky they don't have to root for the Detroit Lions.

 

[svp6]

Thank you - this is helpful. How does it compare to the model S or model X - similar?

 

[FreeOfPge]

Are you referring to cabin pre-conditioning as the car learns your patterns and heats or cools the cabin ahead of time? if so, the Model 3 does not have this feature currently. Maybe in the future.

If you are referring to cabin pre-conditioning as you manually adjusting the heat/air using the app, it works okay as long as a connection can be made between the car and app/phone. Hit or miss on that one.

 

[outdoors]

Pre-conditioning learning:

I really don't think the car learns anything about my temperature behaviour. Even if it did. I would in my mind never be correct for the various activities I do many times throughout the day. If it ever figures out those things. Well there are many other things it could solve in the world if it could figure out my wacky temp likes and dislikes. I have disabled that feature within my S. Until someone can point me to it's for sure usefulness. It is something I would rather eliminate in the various things that the S is able/not really able to do.

My S can really heat up like big time. I put my leather conditioner from the Leather Institute @artsci got me on to and crank up the heat a bit after wiping excess off. Really a nice feature in the winter.

Just started charging in a 45 degree garage. 10:16pm. Temp 53F degrees cabin. Setting high. 10:22pm 81F Not really a cold day, and plugged in. I have no doubt it can. I want to see a cold snap back down here so i can make that heater work! All from the app that works just fine for the 3 I might add.

 

[FreeOfPge]

Out of curiosity how long did you use Smart Preconditioning?

For me, it has been shockingly good at learning my driving patterns. Not perfect but pretty damn good.

 

[outdoors]

I used it for four months. I would come out to my car at various times in the middle of the night with full a/c or heat on for no reason. Also while the car was sitting at various locations would heat or cool. I factor my driving upon what I can calculate. When something moves my cheese. I become a pissed off mouse. Thus the disenable of the mousetrap.

If I need the cabin to be preconditioned I can do that. Till something can proof positive figure out me like 8 to 10 times a day in workout attire, dress attire, standing out in soccer/lacrosse attire. I will stick with what I can control without any range loss.

Out of curiosity how long did you use Smart Preconditioning?

For me, it has been shockingly good at learning my driving patterns. Not perfect but pretty damn good.

Great. I hope it keeps learning. We all need to do more.

 

[CuriousG]

I just configured the model 3 - eagerly awaiting the delivery. I wonder if anyone posted on how good is the cabin preheating on model 3 when compared to model S. I cannot find any posting on this, nor on how good is the cabin heating while driving in very cold weather.

I only preheat maybe 5-10 minutes before leaving. This is a smaller car so I would think it should take a shorter amount of time to heat the cabin than an S or X. But the person that did the Canonball Run mentioned that it gets cold in there (didn't turn on heat to preserve energy) and felt a draft towards his legs. The seat warmers work great though. The rear defrosters work extremely fast.

 

[kbecks13]

I too turn the heat on in the mornings when the car is ~50F about 5-10 minutes ahead of time and then it's normally warm (70F) by the time i get in. The seats still have a slight chill, but that quickly goes away with the seat heater. Really hoping we get the ability to turn the seat heater on from the app in the future.

 

[dsvick]

For me, it has been shockingly good at learning my driving patterns. Not perfect but pretty damn good.

What does it learn and how long did it take to learn it? I'd be happy if it just knows when I leave for and come home from work on the weekdays. Does it look at your calendar too?

Something else that would be really useful would be if you could reach the app, or the car itself, with a smart home or assistant on your phone. It would be great to just say "Hey Google, have the car ready to go in 10 minutes." Maybe an if this then that could work with the app ...

 

[jnahanna]

Its very quick. I would say the model 3 is about 1/3 quicker than the S. Prob due to the size but it may just be more heating element too. I had the car at 30F the other day and it was up to 70F in about 8 min. It also automatically turns on the defrost and heated seats which is new. So that's a 5 Deg F rise for every min of operation.