Supercar Blondie answers: Is Tesla range affected by cold weather?

Have you ever wondered if the weather affects the range on a Tesla? Well, wonder no longer, because Supercar Blondie has the answer.

Generally speaking, when it comes to EVs, Tesla vehicles – such as the Model S, Cybertruck, Model 3 and Model Y, offer a good battery range, compared to many other all-electrics on the market.

As you probably already know, there are plenty of things that can impact your Tesla’s range, like the speed you’re driving at and whether you’re carrying passengers or heavy cargo.

But is bad – or good – weather one of those variables?

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The range of a Tesla can be impacted by several factors

When it comes to making the switch from gas-powered to electric vehicles, one of the major considerations is range. 

While much of a Tesla EV’s range is determined by its battery, there are outside influences that can affect it – such as driving at high speeds and frequently hitting the accelerator or brakes.

The weight of the car also has an impact, so if you’re carrying a carload of people or shifting around heavy loads, you’ll probably see your range drop faster than usual. 

Does the weather have an impact on a Tesla EV’s range?

The short answer is yes – and there’s a couple of reasons why.

Firstly, during colder weather, the chemical reaction inside a battery – which allows it to create power – slows down.

Scott Case, CEO of battery research startup called Recurrent, said this is the same thing that happens every winter with anything that’s powered by batteries.

“EVs definitely lose some of their driving range in extreme cold,” Case told CBS.

“If you go skiing with your iPhone, you might notice that the battery will burn through more quickly, so halfway through the day it might run out of juice, where normally it would last all day.”

The second reason is when its colder motorists tend to have their heating blasting in the cabin, which in turn uses up more juice leaving less battery power.

In a gas-powered vehicle this doesn’t happen, because the cabin can be warmed up using the heat of of its internal combustion engine.

On top of this, you may also find that your Tesla – or other EV – takes longer to charge up when its cold outside.

How big an impact does weather have on range?

According to one study, cold weather can knock an EV’s driving range by up to 30 percent. 

Recurrent analyzed data from the 20 best-selling EV models in the US – which included the Tesla Model 3 and Model X – to find out how they were affected by freezing temperatures. 

The study found that some EVs lost as much as 30 percent of range during icy weather – but not all cars performed equally.

The Tesla Model X came out on top, losing just 11 percent; the Model S was in second place, losing around 12 percent; and the Tesla Model 3, which doesn’t have a fitted heat pump, performed a little less well, dropping 23 percent of its range.

There are some things you can do in colder weather to boost range

Tesla offers a couple of helpful suggestions for things you can do while driving in colder weather to slow down energy consumption – and therefore increase range. 

“Use seat heaters to keep warm. Seat heaters use less energy than the cabin heater. Lowering the cabin temperature and using seat heaters reduces energy consumption,” the website advises. 

“Slow down your driving and avoid frequent and rapid acceleration.”

As mentioned above, the speed you drive and how often you accelerate have a negative impact on range – so by avoiding both during colder weather you might see some improvements to the overall range. 

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