How-To

How to precondition a Tesla battery

Use these handy tips to keep your Tesla’s battery in top condition.

by
Stefan Mitrovic
October 23, 2023

tesla badge on model 3 with full self-driving

Image: Kevin Raposo / KnowTechie

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Quick Answer: There are several ways to precondition your Tesla car battery. You can keep the car plugged in when you are not using it, use the regenerative braking feature, limit the heat, and save some battery by turning off the seat heaters, or use the scheduled departure feature and climate controls feature (turn it on).

Have you ever had to drive your Tesla in harsh winter conditions? If that is the case, then you know these vehicles have a much lower effective range in cold weather, especially if the Tesla’s battery temperature is nearly freezing.

To solve this problem, every Tesla vehicle from the cheapest Model 3 to the most expensive Model X is equipped with battery preconditioning features, allowing you to quickly and effectively warm up your cold battery even before you start driving.

Here is everything you need to know about Tesla battery preconditioning.

How to precondition a Tesla battery

tesla battery charging at charging station — Image: Pixabay

Keep your car plugged in when you aren’t using it

The easiest way to precondition your Tesla battery is to prevent it from depleting. If you keep your Tesla car battery charged before you set out on the road in cold weather, you can use its total power output more efficiently.

This will help maximize range even in extreme temperatures and reduce charging time before you need to leave, making planning your departure time much easier.

Use regenerative braking

Another way to precondition a Tesla battery is using the vehicle’s regenerative braking feature. This is done by lifting your foot from the accelerator pedal when driving under cold weather conditions, warming your battery over time.

This increases range and is one of the most useful cold-weather tips every Tesla owner should know.

Limit the energy spent on heating up the car

While it is true that your car can get cold during the winter months, it doesn’t mean that you should spend all your energy on heating it when driving.

Limiting yourself to using seat heaters only can make a huge difference in effective range, especially if you are on a long trip and can still enjoy a warm cabin, even in freezing weather.

Not only will this conserve energy, but it will also precondition the battery by warming it up.

Use scheduled departure

The scheduled departure feature allows you to automatically prepare your car for when you need to leave. It is accessed through the control console of your Tesla vehicle.

Open the console menu, then look for the departure time option. Select the time when you wish to leave, and your Tesla electric vehicle will automatically begin preconditioning in time to warm up the battery.

Use climate controls settings

Another way to precondition Tesla batteries is using the Tesla app climate controls. If you open your app and a snowflake icon shows, the battery is too cold.

Turn on the climate control, and the car will warm up. In addition, you can select a default cabin temperature to ensure that you always have a warm battery.

What are the benefits of preconditioning your Tesla battery

tesla model 3 on purple background — Image: KnowTechie

Naturally, you wouldn’t aim to precondition the battery if such an action didn’t come with benefits. The most important ones are increased range and faster charging speeds.

Keeping your battery at an appropriate temperature will drastically influence your total mileage per charging. It will allow you to use its full power output and affect how much power you spend while driving.

Another advantage of preconditioning is allowing your battery to charge faster. As a result, you will spend less time at a supercharger stop and generally be a lot more mobile than you would have been otherwise.

Preconditioning your Tesla battery is mostly automated

Preconditioning your Tesla battery has many benefits, ranging from increased battery power and life to better ambient driving temperature.

Most of these steps happen automatically as you use the advanced features of your Tesla in everyday use.

As a result, you should always enable preconditioning before you set out on the road during the colder months, especially if the temperature is below freezing.

FAQ

Should you always precondition a Tesla battery?

Precondition Tesla batteries only if the weather is freezing. Outside of the winter months, your battery should be warm enough by itself, though that will depend on your area’s climate.

How do you warm up a Tesla battery?

All you need to do to precondition a Tesla battery is to activate the appropriate commands, and the car will do the rest. Alternatively, you can use regenerative braking or seat heaters to precondition it while driving.

How do you precondition a Tesla battery in the summer?

Due to summer temperatures being naturally high enough to prevent freezing, there is no need to precondition a Tesla battery during this time of the year.

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