How To Precondition Tesla Battery For Charging

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Preconditioning your Tesla battery is an excellent way to get the most out of it. But how does one go about preconditioning a Tesla battery?

In this article, we’ll go over how to do it and some of its advantages. We will also discuss some features available to help you precondition your Tesla battery, such as the Tesla app and your car’s climate control settings.

So, if you want to ensure your Tesla battery is ready for the colder months or extreme weather, keep reading!

What Type Of Battery Does A Tesla Use?

The first thing you might want to find out is what kind of battery a Tesla car has. Since Teslas are electric vehicles, they require batteries designed specifically for them.

The battery used by Tesla is a lithium-ion battery. A lithium-ion battery can be recharged, and in the Model 3 and Model Y Tesla vehicles, it can also be preconditioned. This battery is sensitive to cold weather and may lose power if it becomes too cold. When you precondition your Tesla battery, you are warming it up so it will be at full power when needed.

What Does Preconditioning Mean?

As previously stated, preconditioning a battery means warming it up to a certain temperature before charging it.

This is done to extend the life of the battery and ensure that it performs optimally. When batteries are too cold, they do not charge well.

Since batteries are powered by chemical reactions, cold weather can have an impact on their performance. As these reactions occur more slowly in cold weather, the battery does not have as much power. Furthermore, cold weather can cause condensation to form on the battery, reducing its power.

Warming them up provides the best opportunity for a supercharge.

In other words, while charging a Tesla at a Supercharger station typically takes 15 to 30 minutes, preconditioning your battery can help you to get a fully charged battery in less than 15 minutes.

Remember that you don’t need to precondition your Tesla battery if the weather is not too cold.

How To Precondition A Tesla Battery

Let’s look at how to precondition a Tesla battery now that we know what kind of battery it uses and what preconditioning is. There are four ways to accomplish this:

  • Use the Tesla app.
  • Use the “Scheduled Departure” setting.
  • Use your car’s On-Route Battery Warmup setting.
  • Conserve the battery.

Use The Tesla App

Download the Tesla app. It has a feature that allows the driver to precondition the battery in the Tesla.

Simply enable the “Climate Control” setting in the Tesla app. When you do this, you will see a snowflake icon. It means it’s warming up your battery so you can get the most out of it in the cold.

You can also program it to the desired temperature inside the vehicle. This will also initiate preconditioning the battery.

Use The “Scheduled Departure” Setting In Your Car

The car has a Scheduled Departure feature, which allows you to precondition your car’s battery at a predetermined time. This means that, based on the estimated departure time, your Tesla will decide when to start preconditioning your vehicle.

To use this feature, go to your Tesla’s menu and, tap on the “Schedule” icon, then select the “Depart At” option. You can then decide when you want to drive your electric vehicle away from your current location.

Use your car’s On-Route Battery Warmup setting.

This option will condition your battery while driving to a Supercharger station. Put simply; your car will start to heat up the battery as soon as it determines that you are between 10 and 25 miles from the SC station you chose on the touchscreen.

This method significantly reduces the time it takes to charge, even by 25% or up to 50%!

When you enable the feature, it will notify you when you are within range of a charging station and display the message “Preconditioning battery for fast charging.” The notification will then vanish as you charge your car at the station.

Conserve the battery.

Conserving your Tesla battery is the simplest way to precondition it. Don’t use the car if you know you won’t be driving for a while and it’s cold outside.

This will help preserve battery power and keep the car warm when you need it.

Another way to save the battery is to keep your speed under control and limit how frequently and quickly you use the accelerator and brake. The gentler you are with your vehicle, the more battery life it will have.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is The Best Time To Precondition My Tesla Battery?

Preconditioning your Tesla battery is best done before a long trip or when it is extremely cold outside. This ensures that the battery is fully charged and ready to use when needed. When the temperatures aren’t freezing, you won’t need to precondition your Tesla battery.

Can I Precondition My Tesla Battery While It Is Plugged In?

You can absolutely precondition your Tesla battery while it is plugged in. This is the recommended practice because it will help to extend the battery’s life.

Conclusion

That’s all you need to know about how to precondition a Tesla battery for charging.

Preconditioning your Tesla battery is an excellent way to keep it in top shape and extend its range. Preconditioning has numerous advantages, including increased range, full power output, and improved performance. With your newfound knowledge, you can properly precondition the battery to keep it in top condition for years to come.