If you own a Tesla, you know that the battery is one of the most important components of the vehicle. Properly maintaining and conditioning the battery can extend its lifespan and ensure that your Tesla continues to perform at its best. In this blog post, we’ll go over the steps you need to take to precondition your Tesla battery.
First, it’s important to understand what preconditioning is and why it’s necessary. Preconditioning is a process that warms up the battery before you start driving, which can improve its performance and range. This is especially important in cold weather, when the battery can lose some of its capacity and take longer to charge.
Preconditioning your Tesla battery is an excellent approach to make sure you get the most out. But how can a Tesla battery be preconditioned? In this post, we'll look at some of the advantages of doing it and how to do it.
We'll also discuss tools you can use, including the Tesla app and your car's climate control settings, to help you prepare your battery. Therefore, if you want to ensure that your Tesla battery is in good shape for the winter months or severe weather, keep reading!
What is preconditioning the battery?
The term "Preconditioning" refers to a practice where the battery is routinely placed in a partial discharge state. This practice helps to increase the battery's capacity. It works because it doesn't allow the battery to charge up fully. It also causes the battery's plates to be exposed to more active material, which increases capacity.
Why should you precondition your Tesla battery?
Tesla advises preconditioning your battery before every charge. It's a risk-free and efficient approach to raising the performance of your Tesla battery. The following are some noteworthy advantages of preconditioning a Tesla battery:
- It makes driving more comfortable
- Optimize Regenerative braking
- Increases range
- Enhances performance
- Extends battery life
- It prevents costly battery damages and repairs
How to Precondition Your Tesla Battery
Now that you understand the importance of preconditioning the battery let's look at how to precondition your Tesla battery. There are three methods to precondition your Tesla battery, here as follows:
Method 1: Through Supercharging station
The "On-Route Battery Warmup" feature on Tesla Model S and Model X vehicles is designed to prepare your battery for use at a Supercharger station. Once your car's touchscreen detects that you are within 10-25 miles of the selected SC station, the car will start to heat the battery.
This method significantly reduces the time it takes to charge, even by 25% or up to 50%! As soon as you activate the feature, it will notify you when you are approaching a station that the battery is "preconditioning" for fast charging. The notification will eventually vanish as you charge your vehicle at the station.
Method 2: Through Tesla App
The Tesla app has a feature that allows you to precondition your car's battery by turning on the "Climate Control" setting, represented by a snowflake icon. Doing this allows you to heat your battery to get the most out of it in the cold temperature.
It indicates that your battery is being heated so that you can maximize its use in the cold. Additionally, you can tune it to the desired temperature for the vehicle's interior. This will also begin the battery's preconditioning.
To precondition your Tesla battery using the Tesla app, follow these steps:
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Open the Tesla app on your smartphone and make sure you’re connected to the vehicle.
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Tap on the “Controls” tab and then select “Climate” from the menu.
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In the “Climate” section, you’ll see a button labeled “Precondition.” Tap on this button to start the preconditioning process.
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The app will display a message indicating that the battery is being preconditioned. You’ll also see a progress bar showing how far along the process is.
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The preconditioning process can take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour, depending on the temperature outside and the state of your battery.
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Once the preconditioning is complete, the app will let you know and the battery will be ready for use.
Method 3: Through Scheduled Departure
The vehicle offers a feature known as Scheduled Departure that enables you to prepare your battery at a specific time. Accordingly, your Tesla will instinctively decide when to start preconditioning based on the time you expect to leave.
Simply hit the "Schedule" icon on your Tesla's menu and choose the "Depart At" option to activate this feature. From there, you can decide when you want to leave your current area with your electric car.
It’s important to note that you should only precondition your battery when it’s plugged in and charging. Preconditioning uses a lot of energy, so if you try to do it when the battery is not plugged in, you could end up draining the battery and leaving yourself stranded.
In addition to preconditioning, there are a few other things you can do to maintain and improve the performance of your Tesla battery:
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Keep the battery at a moderate temperature: The ideal temperature for your Tesla battery is between 20 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Avoid leaving your Tesla in extreme heat or cold for extended periods of time, as this can damage the battery.
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Charge the battery regularly: The more you use your Tesla, the more you’ll need to charge the battery. Try to charge the battery at least once a week, even if you’re not planning on driving the vehicle. This will help maintain the battery’s health and performance.
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Use the right charging cable: The charging cable that came with your Tesla is designed specifically for the battery, so it’s important to use this cable whenever possible. Using a different charging cable can cause damage to the battery and reduce its performance.
Preconditioning your Tesla battery is a simple process that can help extend the life of your vehicle and improve its performance. By following the steps outlined above and taking care of your battery, you’ll be able to enjoy all the benefits of owning a Tesla for years to come.
