Winter Mode

[NorthWest]

Tesla need to implement a new option to became an energy efficient winter car.
My Model X need an option to turn off the battery heater AND keep maximum heat power inside the car.

Today I have two option:
1.Range Mode OFF, which give the heat power I need to stay warm inside the car when driving in cold weather in the winter. But this option will always start the battery heater and spill a lot of energy to warm up the battery when preheating. And preheating is a must on cold winter days, even for the short trips with no need for a warm battery.
2. Range Mode ON, battery heating is turned off, and the car is MUCH more energy efficient, but is not capable to maintain the heat necessary to keep the car nice and warm inside.

It should be easy to implement an option that turns off the battery heater. It will be a huge step on the way to make Tesla to a more efficient winter car.
And even better, the possibility to turn off the battery heater completely, and a second option where it only is on when you preheat and are connected to the grid.

 

[ChuckG]

Turning off the battery heater would damage the battery.

 

[NorthWest]

Turning off the battery heater would damage the battery.

It will off course be nevessary to keep the battery protection system intact, amd it will heat up the battery when it reach temperatur levels that are critical low.
What the car need is an option like Range Mode WITH full heating capacity inside the car. Or simply a possibillity to turn off the battery heater. (Off course not a shut down of the battery protection system, which will prevent battery temperature below -20 degrees F.)

In real winter conditions you will need full heating capacity inside the car. But if you do not intend to use a supercharger, the battery heating is wasted energy. And if you preheat 3-4 times each day, like I do, all those kWh used to warm up the battery are used for no reason. So please, let me turn off the battery heater AND keep full heating capacity inside the car.

There is a workaround, but it should not be necessary to use this on a luxury car with the ability to do this small update OTA.

The workaround, you have to avtivate/deactivate every time you start and stop, and that sucks:

Start for a trip: activate Range Mode and get full heating power.
Stop after a trip: Deactivate RM to keep the battery heater off when preheating, and save a LOT of energy.

Not userfriendly, especially since you must remember this before you leave the car. RM can not be activated/deactivated from the app.

So, this should be an easy fix for Tesla. For us who drives in winter conditions and will save energy.

 

[NorthWest]

How do I edit a post?

I ment:

Start for a trip: Deactivate Range Mode and get full heating power.
Stop after a trip: Activate RM to keep the battery heater off when preheating, and save a LOT of energy.

 

[_jmk]

So I guess the range mode is what you are looking for, just that it should not be limit the inside heating. You would think the range mode already does prevent the battery cells from freezing, so it will use minimal amount of battery heating when it's really needed to keep the car moving (like Leaf does).

Sounds like that the right way to use the car during the winter is to have it in the range mode always when you never run out of charge (daily drives around the city), but disable it when you hit the highway. So the range mode is kind of a city mode instead..

 

[NorthWest]

Agree, Range Mode is the energy saver in towns, or where you arr driving short distances without a need for charging on superchargers.
Maybe the most elegant solution will be to implement an option under Range Mode:
Allow maximum cabin heater power

It will give you three options regarded to energy saving and range extending:
1. Range Mode Off. Maximum comfort.
2. Range Mode On with maximum cabin heating capacity. Save energy and maintain necessary cabin heating in winter conditions.
3. Range Mode On, maximum cabin heating power not allowed. Save energy and extend range in normal conditions.

It will be all I need.

 

[steveho]

Agree, Range Mode is the energy saver in towns, or where you arr driving short distances without a need for charging on superchargers.
Maybe the most elegant solution will be to implement an option under Range Mode:
Allow maximum cabin heater power

It will give you three options regarded to energy saving and range extending:
1. Range Mode Off. Maximum comfort.
2. Range Mode On with maximum cabin heating capacity. Save energy and maintain necessary cabin heating in winter conditions.
3. Range Mode On, maximum cabin heating power not allowed. Save energy and extend range in normal conditions.

It will be all I need.

Totally agree from Minnesota's perspective. Today with temps at 0*F, i would want range mode ON with full cabin heat available. For my short 9 mile trip, range mode OFF was wasting Kwh because I know when I get to the destination 9 miles away, the battery is going to get cold again anyway. So why heat it up? Keep it minimally warm is good enough.