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Range Mode shouldn't have much (if any) impact while the car is parked. The energy saving mode in the Display settings will have an impact, putting the car in sleep mode during the day, reducing energy usage.
The car will lose a little charge each day (more if sleep mode isn't enabled during the day). After a few days, the charger will kick in and charge back up to the set charge level.
As long as you keep the charge level between 10-90%, it probably won't matter what charge level you set.
If we leave our 2nd Tesla in the garage while we're gone for a long vacation, we'll likely leave it at 90% and plugged in - and not worry about it.
Our primary car (now an S 100D) will be put into maximum energy saver mode to stretch the charge at the airport. We might charge to 100% to give us a little more cushion. But even at 90%, the S 100D starts with 307 miles of range - which should be plenty of charge to handle a round trip airport trip and vampire drain over several weeks.
The car will lose a little charge each day (more if sleep mode isn't enabled during the day). After a few days, the charger will kick in and charge back up to the set charge level.
As long as you keep the charge level between 10-90%, it probably won't matter what charge level you set.
If we leave our 2nd Tesla in the garage while we're gone for a long vacation, we'll likely leave it at 90% and plugged in - and not worry about it.
Our primary car (now an S 100D) will be put into maximum energy saver mode to stretch the charge at the airport. We might charge to 100% to give us a little more cushion. But even at 90%, the S 100D starts with 307 miles of range - which should be plenty of charge to handle a round trip airport trip and vampire drain over several weeks.
Uncle Paul
Well-Known Member
For routine use, only charge to 80-90%. Also try to not get below 10% as this is hard on the battery.
Running in the middle seems to make the batteries the happiest.
For a week, perhaps set your charge for 80% and just leave it plugged in.
Running in the middle seems to make the batteries the happiest.
For a week, perhaps set your charge for 80% and just leave it plugged in.
AndrewTX
Member
Why is it best to leave it plugged in?Just to combat vampire drain, or is there another reason? If you've got ~150 miles of range and know you won't be driving more than 20 miles the next day is there any reason to plug it in overnight?
Because Tesla says so:
A connected Model S is a happy Model S
These cards used to be given out with the cars at delivery. I don't know why they stopped doing so, it would save a lot of questions. Now they depend on owners to RTFM. The battery section says this in bold print. So they must think it's important.
AndrewTX
Member
Thanks - they didn't give me a card like that. I'd still like them to provide a more detailed reason.
strider
Active Member
Set the charge limit to 50% and leave it plugged in.
The reason they say that is they had some problems with Roadsters being left unplugged and bricking. If it gets too hot or too cold the car will turn on to heat or cool itself. It's a good idea to have the car plugged in so it can replenish itself if this happens. Model S is much better about bricking than the Roadster but the bottom line is that if you can plug it in, plug it in. Why wouldn't you do so?
The reason they say that is they had some problems with Roadsters being left unplugged and bricking. If it gets too hot or too cold the car will turn on to heat or cool itself. It's a good idea to have the car plugged in so it can replenish itself if this happens. Model S is much better about bricking than the Roadster but the bottom line is that if you can plug it in, plug it in. Why wouldn't you do so?
AndrewTX
Member
As others have said, good - leave it plugged in; better - set charge rate to 50%; best - charge to 50% before leaving (vs a normal charge to 80-90% and letting the vampire slowly draw it down to 50%).
That said, for a week, don't worry about it. Earlier this winter, I went away for a week before I had home charging set up. I charged to ~88% before leaving, and left the car parked in the driveway for a week. We had a couple of nights in the single digits, and the battery was in the low 70% range when I got home.
Don't keep waking it with the app to check on it, you'll just increase the drain. Leave it alone and let it nap all week.
That said, for a week, don't worry about it. Earlier this winter, I went away for a week before I had home charging set up. I charged to ~88% before leaving, and left the car parked in the driveway for a week. We had a couple of nights in the single digits, and the battery was in the low 70% range when I got home.
Don't keep waking it with the app to check on it, you'll just increase the drain. Leave it alone and let it nap all week.
I'd add (and apologies if I missed someone else say this), I recommend if you usually have the "always connected" switch on, turn it off when you go out of town. No reason to leave it on, plus it'll just keep using charge & recharging more than it needs to when you're not there. Worst case, if there's a problem charging...ugh. ;-)
Joelc
Member
That blog post was from 2012-- when Tesla's only car was the Roadster. The battery management system has come a long way since then.
Joelc
Member
You mean the linked blog post that specifically mentions Model S?
It mentions Model S in future tense. Really I don't think there's any point in discussing a five year old blog post, which is ancient history in Tesla time.
True. It might make more sense to follow the advice on page 130 of the owner's manual, which is very similar to the blog post but with shorter timelines.
https://www.tesla.com/sites/default/files/model_s_owners_manual_north_america_en_us.pdf
https://www.tesla.com/sites/default/files/model_s_owners_manual_north_america_en_us.pdf
So now this thread has come full circle. In my post above (#6) I said Tesla depends on owners to RTFM, and that the battery section says to leave it plugged in in bold print. (Actually it's in ALL CAPS rather than bold print, I hadn't looked at it in a while. Either way it means Tesla thinks it's important).
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