Prepping for the colder months – New Comers...

[Ofarlig]

The heater can use 4-6 Kw continuous if on at a higher setting. This will kill your range. In snow I have no issue other than my car is lowered and with the carbon lip I can do free snowplowing for the city.

If it does that continuously then they designed the model 3 heater a lot worse than the S one by a factor 2-3 which I sort of doubt. Drawing 4-6 kW to keep the cabin warm once it heated up would mean they have gone out of their way to make the least efficient heating solution ever or that the people in the car will be sitting in a sauna. Tesla Bjorn seems to have measured 1.5-2 kW at around -20, albeit while standing still.

The Model 3 uses the front motor instead of the heat pump in a Model S/X and now the Model Y. You can hear this when the car is "preconditioning for Supercharging" as an example with the high pitched whine that sounds like a turbo. In Winter the car will always try to keep the battery warm to prevent damage, and during driving if you start with a cold battery you will suffer a lot. The heat pumps use a lot less energy to get things up to temp. Just give it another few weeks/month and you'll see the flood of posts into the forum about range loss when winter hits.

Yeah but a heat pump isn't really that efficient in winter weather (below -10). By the way, Model S and X doesn't have a heat pump, they use a resistive heater so there shouldn't be much of a edge compared to using the motor to generate the heat.

 

[webbah]

If it does that continuously then they designed the model 3 heater a lot worse than the S one by a factor 2-3 which I sort of doubt. Drawing 4-6 kW to keep the cabin warm once it heated up would mean they have gone out of their way to make the least efficient heating solution ever or that the people in the car will be sitting in a sauna. Tesla Bjorn seems to have measured 1.5-2 kW at around -20, albeit while standing still.



Yeah but a heat pump isn't really that efficient in winter weather (below -10). By the way, Model S and X doesn't have a heat pump, they use a resistive heater so there shouldn't be much of a edge compared to using the motor to generate the heat.

Don't take my word for it then, check out Bjorn Nyland's many videos on this on YouTube. Or see here. 20-40% loss of range in Winter:

Tesla Model 3: prepare for winter with tires, mats, and more

 

[webbah]

 

[android04]

We will soon be departing the stinky barnyard discussions (A/C smells), filter replacement, cleaning the coils, and revisiting:

Decreased Range
Tire pressure drops
Blue dots – Loss of regen
Frozen door handles/windows
Charge port stuck
Climate settings and Heated Seats
Frozen washer fluid
Snow tires vs All Season
Depart Charging vs Scheduled charging vs Manual charging
Battery Conditioning in rte to Super Charger
Slow super charging see above
Auto Pilot vs Manual driving in the snow/ice
AWD vs RWD

All these answers and more can be found here from your esteemed Tesla owners so stay tuned or feel free to search one or two in advance. You are allowed to read ahead and be prepared.

Did I miss any????

You missed:

Standard vs Low Regen on ice and snow
Lack of heated steering wheel
Clicking sound from charging port when temps are near freezing
Performance summer tires in cold temps

 

[Ofarlig]

Don't take my word for it then, check out Bjorn Nyland's many videos on this on YouTube. Or see here. 20-40% loss of range in Winter:

Tesla Model 3: prepare for winter with tires, mats, and more

Well 20-40% compared to what? Rated range? Sure, but that isn't the range you get in the summer either. 20% lower than summer range when going through snow and such? That sounds plausible and similar to a Model S, but that isn't due to heating.

Yeah so him sleeping in the car in -14 had a 2.1 kW draw on average. Driving would create some waste heat that we can assume to offset the increased coolen from the rushing air. Not that bad compared to propulsion that im guessing based on my summer consumption can easily go up to 20 kW on average, more if you use a roof box to go skiing.

So yes I am more interested in how the efficiency holds up when it comes to driving through snow and such, the S lost a bit but pre Raven wasn't really that efficient to begin with.

 

[Gasaraki]

"The Model 3 uses the front motor instead of the heat pump in a Model S/X and now the Model Y. You can hear this when the car is "preconditioning for Supercharging" as an example with the high pitched whine that sounds like a turbo."

That guy is full of crap. The S and X doesn't have a heat pump either. Only the Y which is a new design has a heat pump. The S and X haven't had a redesign since the "Raven". Why would they go back to an older design if the S and X already have a heat pump. The S and X have always been loud when supercharging.

 

[vickh]

Here in PHX winter actually improves my range most days (No AC, battery warming etc)

 

[jdr93]

I also have a driver profile called "Winter". Disable folding mirrors, set chill mode vs sport, etc. Use when icy or snow.

here the cities and towns can't do a great job of clearing the snow from the edges so the streets are more narrow. parked vehicles with their side mirrors extended get them stripped off by passing cars, trucks and plow blades.

If it does that continuously then they designed the model 3 heater a lot worse than the S one by a factor 2-3 which I sort of doubt. Drawing 4-6 kW to keep the cabin warm once it heated up would mean they have gone out of their way to make the least efficient heating solution ever or that the people in the car will be sitting in a sauna. Tesla Bjorn seems to have measured 1.5-2 kW at around -20, albeit while standing still.

Yeah but a heat pump isn't really that efficient in winter weather (below -10). By the way, Model S and X doesn't have a heat pump, they use a resistive heater so there shouldn't be much of a edge compared to using the motor to generate the heat.

just an aside; -10C is a barely cold +14F. and -20C is a cold -4F but doesn't require an extra blanket.

quite new to the electric game so no RR experience yet, but any previous liquid fueled cars also had a 10 to 15 percent range reduction in winter - but who would notice or care when there was always another fuel station just down the road. or instantly available from a can in the garage.
no cans of power for our electrics though. the concern is warranted of course, since an electric's needs require service from a supply which is still uncommon, perhaps nowhere near either.
much of vermont's populous is scattered about the countryside in small towns and villages. not many fill-ups or top-offs to be found. tesla chargers are only in three locations, one is on top of a steep hill six miles from the nearest city center, another is in the parking lot of a food market where they're often blocked by shoppers who are unaware of the problem they've created.
anyway. i'm determined to be aware of the fuel gauge but will remain calm, even when that dreadful yellow infection appears on the end of the battery symbol. and always carry my home cable with me, since it will someday be needed, just as the jumpers used to be.

 

[Beardley]

I call mine, "Snow Day".

My main profile is "John" and I took a little artistic license and called my winter profile "Jon Snow"

 

[webbah]

here the cities and towns can't do a great job of clearing the snow from the edges so the streets are more narrow. parked vehicles with their side mirrors extended get them stripped off by passing cars, trucks and plow blades.

That sucks. The problem here is high up in the alps they can freeze and strain the motors. I only use the Winter profile when it is called for and not simply all during winter. It's also wise to change to low regen when the weather is snowy and icy. The high regen can cause the car to get pretty squirmy if you have ice. Compared to any ICE vehicles I've had though the Tesla's I've owned have all been far superior in snow. The traction control with dual motors, and appropriate winter settings for regen, acceleration, etc and I often pass easily SUV's that are struggling up some steep roads that haven't been plowed recently. Kind of funny to see the look on their faces!

One other reason to use low regen for me during heavy rainy periods or snow/ice is to use the brake pads and keep them clean of all the grime and junk. My brakes never squeak due to that practice. Other Tesla's I've seen during the winter that keep the high regen without brakes sound like crap when they need them. Not to mention it can take a nice hard initial braking to clear the junk before they bite well.

quite new to the electric game so no RR experience yet, but any previous liquid fueled cars also had a 10 to 15 percent range reduction in winter - but who would notice or care when there was always another fuel station just down the road. or instantly available from a can in the garage.
no cans of power for our electrics though. the concern is warranted of course, since an electric's needs require service from a supply which is still uncommon, perhaps nowhere near either.
much of vermont's populous is scattered about the countryside in small towns and villages. not many fill-ups or top-offs to be found. tesla chargers are only in three locations, one is on top of a steep hill six miles from the nearest city center, another is in the parking lot of a food market where they're often blocked by shoppers who are unaware of the problem they've created.
anyway. i'm determined to be aware of the fuel gauge but will remain calm, even when that dreadful yellow infection appears on the end of the battery symbol. and always carry my home cable with me, since it will someday be needed, just as the jumpers used to be.

Keep in mind that when the battery is cold you will also have much slower charging speeds. Those quick top ups at the supercharger pulling 100+ Kw can drop down into the 20+ Kw. So 3-5 times as long for the same charge. One trick I use if I am going to any charger that is NOT a Tesla Supercharger is I set the NAV to the nearest Supercharger anyway. This kicks in the Preconditioning and warms up the battery. Even if I am ignoring the NAV trying to reroute me to the SC. Saves a bit of time to do that as the battery will be warmer when you hit the charger you really want.

 

[Kat Jacks]

We will soon be departing the stinky barnyard discussions (A/C smells), filter replacement, cleaning the coils, and revisiting:

Decreased Range
Tire pressure drops
Blue dots – Loss of regen
Frozen door handles/windows
Charge port stuck
Climate settings and Heated Seats
Frozen washer fluid
Snow tires vs All Season
Depart Charging vs Scheduled charging vs Manual charging
Battery Conditioning in rte to Super Charger
Slow super charging see above
Auto Pilot vs Manual driving in the snow/ice
AWD vs RWD

All these answers and more can be found here from your esteemed Tesla owners so stay tuned or feel free to search one or two in advance. You are allowed to read ahead and be prepared.

Did I miss any????

Yes, unfortunately, the cooler days are here in Maine. No rain in weeks--very dry now. I'll want any suggestions about operating in the cold weather. I just got my M3 today! She's gorgeous, but has a coating of dust. I've ordered cleaning supplies.

 

[Kat Jacks]

sorry for the bottom readers it would be nice for a quick
reference to floor mats, brand, cost.
This is the first year in my life that i bought some. I normally
just went to a carpet place and got the carpet they could not sell.
maybe a link if people are interested . If not I will try later.

I just got my M3 today, and I had ordered the floor mats from Tesla, and they arrived today too. A little pricey, but they are just the right shape for the car. Otherwise, I think an auto supply store would have a decent selection.

 

[Kat Jacks]

The heater can use 4-6 Kw continuous if on at a higher setting. This will kill your range. In snow I have no issue other than my car is lowered and with the carbon lip I can do free snowplowing for the city.

Funny! stay home til the city plows the streets, or send them a bill!

 

[Misternt]

"The Model 3 uses the front motor instead of the heat pump in a Model S/X and now the Model Y. You can hear this when the car is "preconditioning for Supercharging" as an example with the high pitched whine that sounds like a turbo."

That guy is full of crap. The S and X doesn't have a heat pump either. Only the Y which is a new design has a heat pump. The S and X haven't had a redesign since the "Raven". Why would they go back to an older design if the S and X already have a heat pump. The S and X have always been loud when supercharging.

Lots of model 3's don't even have a front motor to boot!

 

[jdr93]

thanks webbah, seems like that is good advice and a headsup about the regen reduction. standard has surprised me a couple times, could be a disaster on an icy road.

 

[zerb012345]

Oh winter, the thing I'm most worried about. I'm just about as new as a newcomer can get...I just placed my order 2 days ago. I'll be getting a white SR+ delivered right at the start of the whole thing, too.. I live closer to Providence, RI but I work in Boston with no access to charging at home, just at work (20 miles away one way) and the Mansfield Supercharger. I'm an essential worker (train dispatcher) so I'm extra terrified for the nights I have to drive into work in a blizzard or before they've cleared I-95. I'll be watching this thread to learn what I need to maximize my range in the cold and make it through.

 

[Beardley]

Oh winter, the thing I'm most worried about. I'm just about as new as a newcomer can get...I just placed my order 2 days ago. I'll be getting a white SR+ delivered right at the start of the whole thing, too.. I live closer to Providence, RI but I work in Boston with no access to charging at home, just at work (20 miles away one way) and the Mansfield Supercharger. I'm an essential worker (train dispatcher) so I'm extra terrified for the nights I have to drive into work in a blizzard or before they've cleared I-95. I'll be watching this thread to learn what I need to maximize my range in the cold and make it through.

The no charging @ home is going to put a dent in your range. Heating the car up from stone cold takes some work. On the flip side, you can take advantage of the charger at work before you leave. I would suggest charge towards the end of your shift as that heats the battery, and you can also use the "land" power to preheat the car before you leave. In my case its the opposite, the car sits at work unplugged for 9 hours, so I see a big range drop on my way home from work on very cold days.

 

[webbah]

Oh winter, the thing I'm most worried about. I'm just about as new as a newcomer can get...I just placed my order 2 days ago. I'll be getting a white SR+ delivered right at the start of the whole thing, too.. I live closer to Providence, RI but I work in Boston with no access to charging at home, just at work (20 miles away one way) and the Mansfield Supercharger. I'm an essential worker (train dispatcher) so I'm extra terrified for the nights I have to drive into work in a blizzard or before they've cleared I-95. I'll be watching this thread to learn what I need to maximize my range in the cold and make it through.

It's doable and no need to panic. You need to plan accordingly and expect the range hit. I live in an apartment without home charging as well. Try and make sure that if you are going to park it for an extended period to keep the battery at a higher SoC. I try and charge to 90% all I can with time available and if I can't charge for awhile I just make sure to not enable Sentry and avoid checking in on the car with the Tesla app (this wakes it up from sleep). I check in on the status using Teslamate instead, but TeslaFi also works. You can do this on your phone by creating a shortcut on your screen from the web page gui so it behaves like an app. Using either of these won't connect to the car directly but the hosted platform which will not wake the car up from sleep with the correct settings.

I've never had any issues myself and I do 2,500 Km's a month driving with only public chargers. Fortunately in Switzerland they are easy to find these days almost anywhere within a few km's.