How do EVs deal with cold? 2021 Model 3/Y having trouble with super cold...

[Crissa]

News reports say some of the newest Teslas are having trouble in the cold this year. Since this is the first year/models to have this issue, and we have no reporting on what the specific issue is... She covers how different heating systems work in EVs, plus mentiins where fuel-burners fit into it.

Tesla will have fixed it by the time they get to our trucks, but I guess even Tesla has trouble in the cold from time to time. They've had icing issues before, too, which are hard to predict until you have alot of them on the road in the cold cold.

-Crissa

Advertisement

 

[EVCanuck]

As someone leaving in the North, this is my biggest fear of owning a Tesla. But as you have said Crissa, hopefully, Tesla will have fixed it by the time Cybertrucks are rolling out.
To be frank, I would prefer my Cybertruck to have Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries instead of other more energy-dense options.

 

[VolklKatana]

I can tell you my experience having one here in WI...Mine is a 2013 S 85.

First off, this is the RW model, a great decision for the snow , but i knew i would only have this car a year or so till my CT comes. The traction control feature doesa great job of not letting the rear end step out. turn that off and you have a Drifting Machine!!

Ok, on a more serious note. Yes, the cold affects the range, in my vehicle, starting at about 27F regenerative braking is limited until it gets completely warmed up, in the mornings, i set my departure time at 7am and most times the car is warm and full regen braking is available. If i dont plug it in or leave later, only a percentage of regen will be available, or not at all. It feels really weird trying to stop this tank with just the brakes after being used to the regen. In the old, the batter takes longer to accept a charge, so it starts with just a trickle of charge and as the battery warms up, the charging speeds increase. this happens overnight so i cant speak to the difference in charging time unfortunately. My habits really havent changed much with this vehicle in the cold to be honest, besides braking earlier and slowing down a little because im being more cautious driving my beloved Tesla.

Happy to answer any questions others have...

 

[Crissa]

Just make sure to plug it in, in the cold. And set a depart timer. The more the car can know your plans, the better it can prep.

-Crissa

 

[Bill906]

Happy to answer any questions others have...

I have yet to drive a Tesla and I've been wondering how the "one pedal driving"experience" is in slippery conditions. With an ICE and automatic transmission, if I accelerate too quickly and break static friction and spin I just take my foot off the pedal and the tire and the road match speed again and I'm no longer slipping. With "one pedal driving", lets say I'm going 15MPH and try to accelerate to 30MPH and I spin my tire, if I take my foot off the pedal as I do with my current vehicle, will the tire try to go slower than my original 15MPH, probably causing a braking skid? Will that trigger some kind of anti-lock braking system?

Side note: I live in Milwaukee, travel north quite often. When I get my CT one of the first planned trips is to visit show off my new CT to friends in Madison. They will probably see yours first as I didn't reserve mine until Mid December 2019.

 

[Crissa]

I have yet to drive a Tesla and I've been wondering how the "one pedal driving"experience" is in slippery conditions.

You should watch 'Dirty Tesla' as he lives in the ice outside Ann Arbor/Detroit.

The traction control and ABS work in these conditions, unlike engine-braking. They make minute adjustments in hundredths of seconds, measuring slip in thousandths.

Now my Zero has neither positive nor negative traction control, nor ABS, so I have to manually set my torque ratings for accel and regen ahead of my ride.

-Crissa

 

[VolklKatana]

I have yet to drive a Tesla and I've been wondering how the "one pedal driving"experience" is in slippery conditions. With an ICE and automatic transmission, if I accelerate too quickly and break static friction and spin I just take my foot off the pedal and the tire and the road match speed again and I'm no longer slipping. With "one pedal driving", lets say I'm going 15MPH and try to accelerate to 30MPH and I spin my tire, if I take my foot off the pedal as I do with my current vehicle, will the tire try to go slower than my original 15MPH, probably causing a braking skid? Will that trigger some kind of anti-lock braking system?

Side note: I live in Milwaukee, travel north quite often. When I get my CT one of the first planned trips is to visit show off my new CT to friends in Madison. They will probably see yours first as I didn't reserve mine until Mid December 2019.

So, I was very interested in this as well that first real snow we got this year definitely understand where your question is coming from. Letting off that gas pedal and using regen as the brake is more stable than using the brakes. It is possible to, and I have done it, when wanting to slow down, letting off the gas, there fore initiating the regen braking, begin slowing down and then step on the brake and then lock up the tires or begin to skid. Now, I will say, traction control does it's damnedest to not allow that, but driving on my street the day after wet snow, with it not being plowed yet provided a great sheet of ice to try this on. (With a reminder that my car is RW) the best way to one pedal drive in the snow is much like an ice vehicle....give yourself plenty of room to slow down. You will, in no time at all, treat the regen just like engine braking and be able to figure out what the deceleration/coast distance is. Doing this is a more efficient way to drive anyway, slowly rolling to a stoplight or sign, never coming to a stop.

 

[xodarap1]

I can tell you my experience having one here in WI...Mine is a 2013 S 85.

First off, this is the RW model, a great decision for the snow , but i knew i would only have this car a year or so till my CT comes. The traction control feature doesa great job of not letting the rear end step out. turn that off and you have a Drifting Machine!!

Ok, on a more serious note. Yes, the cold affects the range, in my vehicle, starting at about 27F regenerative braking is limited until it gets completely warmed up, in the mornings, i set my departure time at 7am and most times the car is warm and full regen braking is available. If i dont plug it in or leave later, only a percentage of regen will be available, or not at all. It feels really weird trying to stop this tank with just the brakes after being used to the regen. In the old, the batter takes longer to accept a charge, so it starts with just a trickle of charge and as the battery warms up, the charging speeds increase. this happens overnight so i cant speak to the difference in charging time unfortunately. My habits really havent changed much with this vehicle in the cold to be honest, besides braking earlier and slowing down a little because im being more cautious driving my beloved Tesla.

Happy to answer any questions others have...

Hi,
My winters here in upstate NY get below -20F at times. I plan to keep it plugged in at home when it gets that cold. But, if i'm at work for a 12 hour shift and can't plug it in, just wondering how much loss i'm looking at. Any idea how much charge degradation at -15F with 5 mph wind chill, overnight without being plugged in?

 

[VolklKatana]

I would say about 20-30%, but thats not comparing apples to apples as mine is an older Model S. In the pre-heatpump cars, this was a much more inefficient process, i know the octovalve has really helped make this less impactful. I happened to just watch this video last night, guy camps out in his car at -26C which is -15F.
Again, this wont be apples to apples as you wont put the car in camp mode when at work, but I digress, might be worth checking out if you are concerned.

 

[xodarap1]

I would say about 20-30%, but thats not comparing apples to apples as mine is an older Model S. In the pre-heatpump cars, this was a much more inefficient process, i know the octovalve has really helped make this less impactful. I happened to just watch this video last night, guy camps out in his car at -26C which is -15F.
Again, this wont be apples to apples as you wont put the car in camp mode when at work, but I digress, might be worth checking out if you are concerned.

Thank you!