Smart Tips for Beating the Heat with Your Tesla

By MCEVKELN December 24th, 2023 0 reviews

As the summer temperatures in some parts of Australia peak at 35-40 degrees Celsius, you might be wondering if the scorching heat affects your electric vehicle (EV). Unfortunately, the answer is yes. In fact, electric vehicles can be impacted by extreme high temperatures and freezing conditions. But don't break a sweat! In this blog post, we'll share crucial tips on how to mitigate the negative effects of summer heat.

How Extreme Heat Affects Your Electric Vehicle:
Let's delve into the essence and first explain how heat can affect your EV:
1. **Reduced Range in High Temperatures:** High temperatures can decrease the range of your electric vehicle (the distance it can travel on a single charge). Why? Because when your battery tries to keep itself cool, it consumes more energy. Consequently, after a full charge, you won't travel as far as usual. If you add other tools and features that help lower the temperature, like air conditioning, your daily range will further decrease.

2. **Battery Overheating Risk:** The lifeblood of electric vehicles is lithium-ion batteries, and they are at risk of overheating when exposed to higher temperatures. Excessive heat can affect the chemical properties of the battery, leading to premature degradation, causing the EV to lose part of its charging capacity.

Now, let's explore tips on managing your electric vehicle in hot weather, considering the aforementioned impacts. We'll categorize our advice into two sections: maintaining range and protecting the EV battery.

**How to Preserve Electric Vehicle Range in Summer:**

1. **Sunroof Sunshade – A Great Option:** The simplest and most obvious (though perhaps the most crucial) tip is to avoid parking in direct sunlight. Instead, opt for shaded spots, be it under trees, in a garage, or any other location that keeps your EV away from prolonged sun exposure. This helps prevent battery overheating and maximizes your range.

2. **Use the Economy Mode:** Most electric vehicles come with an economy mode, a clever feature that reduces energy consumption from other functionalities (like air conditioning) that might otherwise drain your battery. This feature also helps with smoother acceleration, softer accelerator response, and contributes to saving precious energy.

3. **Pre-cool with the App Before Driving:** Preconditioning, a popular feature for warming up EV interiors in cold weather, has benefits in summer too. If your EV has a pre-conditioning feature, you can remotely cool your cabin before entering the vehicle. This not only helps your range by not overworking the EV throughout the day but also ensures a more comfortable and sweat-free driving experience. It can even save you time by setting it up before your journey, avoiding time wasted on turning on the AC or defogging windows - a win-win solution!

4. **Travel Light:** Electric vehicle batteries are heavy, and adding extra weight with heavy luggage will use more energy to transport the additional load. Considering this, we recommend traveling light during summer drives to maximize your range.

5. **Charge Only to 80%:** Industry experts suggest keeping the battery between 20% and 80% for optimal battery health, and this is especially crucial in high temperatures. Just like smartphones, longer charging times generate more heat, and with sunny weather, it can lead to poor battery performance and increased degradation risk.

6. **Limit Fast Charging:** While fast charging reduces charging time, high kilowatt rates significantly raise the temperature of EV batteries. It's advisable to stick to 7-22 kW AC charging during hot conditions and avoid using DC fast-charging stations. Opt for public chargers or home EV chargers with a maximum power rating of 7-22 kW. If you find yourself needing fast DC charging (exceeding 30 kW), use it sparingly, preferably avoiding the hottest part of the day and charging only what is necessary.

7. **Avoid Immediate Charging After Driving:** Your EV battery heats up from the previous drive, so it's best to avoid immediate charging, especially when your charger is exposed to direct sunlight. Charging during the night or early morning when temperatures are lower is optimal. Additionally, it's cost-effective as you won't be charging during peak hours.

8. **Keep Your EV Plugged In at Home:** Most electric vehicles benefit from a thermal management system. Plugging in your EV at home allows the system to regulate the battery temperature without draining the battery. This helps with preconditioning as well, as your EV won't lose charge due to continuous power flow. It's wise to set your EV to stop charging at 80% to support battery health. Rest assured, your EV won't overcharge due to its intelligent and advanced systems, ensuring that your electricity bill remains stable.

By implementing these tips, you can ensure your Tesla or any electric vehicle weathers the summer heat effectively, maintaining both range and battery health. Stay cool on the roads!