Model X Winter Driving Experience

[LovelyCarrot]

You will definitely need to manually adjust the climate controls to feel comfortable in colder weather for sure. The cold feet is also a side-effect having no engine in the front where you feet would be, thats why normal ICE cars you typically dont have that, the HVAC plus the warmth of the engine keeps the place where you put your feet warm. The frunk is particularly susceptible to getting cold due to its cavernous nature, so you will often see ice or frost still on your frunk while the rest of the car may be warmed up.

Would love for the X to have vents around where the visors are on the A-pillars to help keep the cold coming from the massive windshield from making it "feel" colder at times.

Good point, I hadn't thought of all that hot metal keeping my toesies toasty

 

[Ambidexter]

Good point, I hadn't thought of all that hot metal keeping my toesies toasty

Man, I never realized how much I took the free heat of an ICE for granted before I got my X. No regrets here, but I find myself much more conservative about cabin heat on long drives now that I'm watching the meter...

 

[aesculus]

I tried some of the techniques listed above to warm up my feet. They worked sort of. But then I ran into another problem. It has been in the low 40's and upper 30's recently but the humidity has been in the 90's. This resulted in the car quickly fogging up all the windows. I had to resort to Auto mode to insure all the windows defogged so there went the alternative ducting etc.

Next attempt will be to see if I can make some sort of duct extension/diversion.

 

[Gwgan]

With temps in the teens I found Range Mode On allowed the windows to fog up but RM Off kept them clear. Does RM cause more air recirculation so there is less fresh air to heat?

 

[Solarman004]

With temps in the teens I found Range Mode On allowed the windows to fog up but RM Off kept them clear. Does RM cause more air recirculation so there is less fresh air to heat?

What you are seeing is the range mode limiting total climate control in order to extend range. When in RM, make sure you are set to bring in fresh air, not recirc. That will help with the fogging. You can also turn on a/c to dehumidify...it uses less energy than resistive heating elements.

 

[Gwgan]

What you are seeing is the range mode limiting total climate control in order to extend range. When in RM, make sure you are set to bring in fresh air, not recirc. That will help with the fogging. You can also turn on a/c to dehumidify...it uses less energy than resistive heating elements.

I could do those things but if automatically increasing recirculation is part of RM wouldn't that defeat the purpose? With RM on or off if I turn off auto circulation the fresh air icon is active so I don't have a way of telling what it's actually doing with the climate system. Maybe it's turning off some subliminal a/c used to humidify.

 

[aesculus]

Now that you two mention it, I had recirc on so with the high humidity, heat and three additional bodies, we were creating a mini rainstorm in the car.

 

[Solarman004]

Now that you two mention it, I had recirc on so with the high humidity, heat and three additional bodies, we were creating a mini rainstorm in the car.

Yes. Not so much a Model X at that point, as a terrarium on wheels! This is particularly true if you also have wet ski gear and melting snow in the car. Outside air makes a big difference.

 

[ohmman]

I'm headed to Tahoe, and should be getting a good feel for the winter experience:

 

[Solarman004]

I'm headed to Tahoe, and should be getting a good feel for the winter experience:

View attachment 208782

36" of snow in 3 days...be careful. Please let us know how it goes. Are you doing this with the Continental all-seasons, or did you get snow tires?
I just watched a video of Bjorn towing a Volvo out of a ditch in deep snow using his MX with snow tires. Pretty amazing performance.

 

[larmor]

I'm headed to Tahoe, and should be getting a good feel for the winter experience:

View attachment 208782

Can you tell us if you had to use chains, tesla chains, regular chains, autosocks, or no chains and persuasion?

 

[ohmman]

No chains. Continental Cross Contact stock tires (on 20" wheels). Perfect handling up and over Donner Pass. A dream compared to my RWD Model S.

As an aside, it took 45.9kWh over three hours (traffic galore) to crest Donner Pass from Rocklin. That's a distance of about 68 miles. Heat was on the whole time.

In Truckee now.

 

[LargeHamCollider]

No chains...

OMG IT BLINKED!!!

 

[larmor]

No chains. Continental Cross Contact stock tires (on 20" wheels). Perfect handling up and over Donner Pass. A dream compared to my RWD Model S.

As an aside, it took 45.9kWh over three hours (traffic galore) to crest Donner Pass from Rocklin. That's a distance of about 68 miles. Heat was on the whole time.

In Truckee now.
View attachment 208967

Thnx. Was there chain control and were people getting stopped? I ask, since wanted to see if you were able to go past chain control. Also if anyone else has other experience with the 20's stock on an MX and going through chain control.

 

[ohmman]

Thnx. Was there chain control and were people getting stopped? I ask, since wanted to see if you were able to go past chain control. Also if anyone else has other experience with the 20's stock on an MX and going through chain control.

There was chain control. AWD so I was waved right through.

 

[Canuck]

View attachment 208967

Interesting Tesla sign that reads "30 minute General Parking". I've never seen that at a Supercharger before.

Drive safe Ohmman. That's a ton of snow in the forecast!

 

[McManX]

Thnx. Was there chain control and were people getting stopped? I ask, since wanted to see if you were able to go past chain control. Also if anyone else has other experience with the 20's stock on an MX and going through chain control.

I was waived through chain control in mammoth a few weeks ago, wasn't asked any questions. All season stock 20.

 

[aesculus]

. Also if anyone else has other experience with the 20's stock on an MX and going through chain control.

Unless it's R3 you are good to go. By law you are supposed to carry a set of chains in the car too but I have yet to have anyone want to look at them. If they get that desperate its a sign they are about to shut down the highway and you might as well find a nice warm place to hide.

 

[aesculus]

Interesting Tesla sign that reads "30 minute General Parking". I've never seen that at a Supercharger before.

And a month ago there was Model S there doing just that. Parked but not plugged in. I was there for 40 minutes and nobody ever showed up during that time.

 

[Ambidexter]

There was chain control. AWD so I was waved right through.

I've never had a problem going through chain control with AWD (Infiniti G35x before) with all season tires. Seems with Donner Pass either they close the road or don't worry about it.