Colorado man finds out what happens if you don't precondition your EV in the winter and it's no joke
Published on Jan 19, 2026 at 2:46 PM (UTC+4)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on Jan 19, 2026 at 3:45 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
A man from Colorado has found out what will happen if you don’t precondition your Tesla EV over the winter.
YouTuber Out of Spec Roaming has a Tesla Model Y, and he left it outside in the freezing cold overnight, allowing the car to ‘cold soak’ and test what would happen the next morning.
Cold weather testing is very important when it comes to electric cars, as they automatically become less efficient as the temperatures drop.
The aim was to find out just how important preconditioning an EV is, and what limitations the car has after its cold soak.
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The Tesla Model Y was left out in freezing temperatures
This Tesla EV was left outside in temperatures as low as −15 °C, around 5°F.
Cold-soaked meant the car was not plugged in, or preconditioned with heat, and left totally cold.
A quick check of the battery temperature revealed how cold the car was at -11°C, or 12°F.
Turning the Tesla on revealed a warning light, telling the YouTuber he had less regen due to how cold it was.
That was evident on the initial drive, as there was a significant limit on power and regenerative braking.
Warnings for low tire pressures, as well as the reduction in range and regen, also flashed up.
These appeared on the Tesla Model Y’s infotainment screen.
Clearly, it wasn’t happy about how cold it was.
A precondition for the Tesla improved its regen capabilities
After 30 minutes or so of driving, the YouTuber did notice an increase in performance.
The battery will warm up just by normal driving, and after around 30 minutes, the temperatures began to rise.
That also saw an increase in regen, the car feeling much happier than when it was first turned on.
Charging was a problem too, as the charge port had frozen, and the cold battery took a long time to recharge.
To compare it, the YouTuber did the tests again, but after preconditioning the EV.
This time, the battery was warmed up to 26.5°C/79.7°F before setting off.
Not only was regen increased and the car happier, but charging was faster too.
It took less time to reach 80 percent of the battery capacity than when the car had been cold soaked.
What the tests showed was that while an EV will still work in the winter, it is much happier when preconditioned.
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Henry is a content writer with nearly ten years experience, having written for various publications since 2017. Qualifying with a Sports Journalism degree from Staffordshire University, Henry loves all things automotive but has a particular soft spot for classic Japanese cars and anything Lancia. He also has a curious passion for steam locomotives.
