Thanks.
So pre-conditioning is really just setting the cabin to warm up and that also does the battery?
How much does that drain the battery as my charger is set to only do it 00:30 to 04:30 so if I start pre-conditioning at 06:30 to leave at 7 that will be draining the battery.
I don't own a Tesla yet, so the info I share is only from reading the manual/forum threads. Unfortunately, forum threads can be a minefield of opinion to navigate, which can be confusing.
Tesla (manual) recommends preconditioning before making a journey (when cold weather), this can be done in one of three ways:
- Climate > Turn on (via app)
- Climate > Defrost icon (via app)
- Scheduled Departure
All three options will preheat the cabin and the battery, and depending on who you listen to, it will either draw some of the power from your charger if plugged in, or it will take it from the battery. In Teslas 'Cold Weather Best Practises', they advise preconditioning 30-45 minutes before departure. Using the Scheduled Departure, will allow the Tesla to choose the best time to start the precondition, which may be a good option because there are many environmental variables.
Apparently, pre-heating LFP batteries is particularly important in cold weather because a cold battery will impact range and performance. Although there is nothing definitively stated in Teslas manual, some have speculated that range loss is due to:
- Battery has more resistance when cold, range calculations may be out. And if you don't precondition before starting your journey, the battery has to work a little harder to warm the battery up as you drive (thus reducing range).
- Less regenerative braking: This is actually in Teslas manual (in the Regenerative Braking section). Regenerative braking may be reduced if the battery is too cold. This will also affect range because you are putting less energy back into the battery through braking.
The Tesla manual does say this, however: A note on regenerative braking - a dashed line appears on the energy bar when power available for acceleration or power that can be gained by regenerative braking is being limited. Model 3 limits power for many reasons.
Another tip given on Tesla's Winter Driving Tips page, is to use Chill mode when driving.