Hi friends, I'm a Model S Tesla P100DL owner and advocate. But I need your help. Let me explain what happened, and then I'm hoping that someone might have recommendations.
Live in Los Angeles, Tesla was 6 months old. Drove up to Mammoth Mountain for a few days of skiing. On the second day, it started to snow. I left the mountain early as I was concerned about driving in the snow with 19" Michelin factory tires (not snow tires). Temperature was cold (and car was out in the cold for 4-5 hours), maybe 20 degrees. Car had about 55 mile range as I was planning to charge it at the Tesla SuperCharger later that day.
Received a warning message on the screen that mentioned energy use is faster if batteries are cold. Began driving back to Mammoth Village. I generally use the regenerative breaking at max level to 'slow me down' and then brake only as required. I would say I got about 2 miles away from the mountain, when I rounded a curve at the crest of decent size hill, maybe 25-30mph ---not crazy driving since it was snowing, with 1/2 inch accumulation.
At this point, I felt regenerative braking stop, steering wheel became unresponsive--tried turning left but no response. Brakes were also unresponsive and the car slid sideways down the hill where it then crashed into a post around the right rear passenger door, and then forward into---of all my luck, a Mammoth Mountain Police Ford Expedition (he had pulled over a 2-wheel drive vehicle to wait for chains). Best way to describe the feeling is that it was as if the car completely shutoff on me and I was subject only to the laws of gravity and momentum. There must have been black ice underneath the 1/2" of snow, but it wasn't so much snow that snow plowers were out at that point...that came a few hours later.
I'm an old Army guy and we used to do what is called "After Action Review" to discuss and learn what should have been done, and what was done right. Now, two obvious points: winter rated tires and snow cables. In retrospect the winter tires make sense...but the car is a P100D on the factory 19" tires (tread was new). Is there something I should have done besides tires, cables or wait it out?
Appreciate folks' perspective, especially Model S drivers in climates where it gets cold and 'some' snow, but not so much snow that they are driving around in snow tires or cables.
The pictures are about 2 hours after the accident...took a while to get help. I realize it looks like a lot more snow accumulation at this point, but it was much less when I was driving.
Bottom line, you can see inside the cab, I walked away with just minor whiplash hitting the airbag, but otherwise only a minor scratch on my hand. Tesla definitely saved me...
Thanks all!
Live in Los Angeles, Tesla was 6 months old. Drove up to Mammoth Mountain for a few days of skiing. On the second day, it started to snow. I left the mountain early as I was concerned about driving in the snow with 19" Michelin factory tires (not snow tires). Temperature was cold (and car was out in the cold for 4-5 hours), maybe 20 degrees. Car had about 55 mile range as I was planning to charge it at the Tesla SuperCharger later that day.
Received a warning message on the screen that mentioned energy use is faster if batteries are cold. Began driving back to Mammoth Village. I generally use the regenerative breaking at max level to 'slow me down' and then brake only as required. I would say I got about 2 miles away from the mountain, when I rounded a curve at the crest of decent size hill, maybe 25-30mph ---not crazy driving since it was snowing, with 1/2 inch accumulation.
At this point, I felt regenerative braking stop, steering wheel became unresponsive--tried turning left but no response. Brakes were also unresponsive and the car slid sideways down the hill where it then crashed into a post around the right rear passenger door, and then forward into---of all my luck, a Mammoth Mountain Police Ford Expedition (he had pulled over a 2-wheel drive vehicle to wait for chains). Best way to describe the feeling is that it was as if the car completely shutoff on me and I was subject only to the laws of gravity and momentum. There must have been black ice underneath the 1/2" of snow, but it wasn't so much snow that snow plowers were out at that point...that came a few hours later.
I'm an old Army guy and we used to do what is called "After Action Review" to discuss and learn what should have been done, and what was done right. Now, two obvious points: winter rated tires and snow cables. In retrospect the winter tires make sense...but the car is a P100D on the factory 19" tires (tread was new). Is there something I should have done besides tires, cables or wait it out?
Appreciate folks' perspective, especially Model S drivers in climates where it gets cold and 'some' snow, but not so much snow that they are driving around in snow tires or cables.
The pictures are about 2 hours after the accident...took a while to get help. I realize it looks like a lot more snow accumulation at this point, but it was much less when I was driving.
Bottom line, you can see inside the cab, I walked away with just minor whiplash hitting the airbag, but otherwise only a minor scratch on my hand. Tesla definitely saved me...
Thanks all!
