Tesla

Charging Basics and How Long Does it Take to Charge a Tesla? When it comes to Tesla charing, there’s a lot of options and variables. In our Tesla 101 series, we’re going to dive into some common newbie questions around Tesla vehicles. For this article, we’ll cover charging basics, everything from charging at home and on the road. Within the Tesla network and whether or not you should consider 3rd party options. The short answer, if using a Tesla charger, press the button on the “wand”, the charge port door on your Tesla will open, and you simply insert the wand. The vehicle will automatically start charging. The indicator light will display as white when the door opens. As soon as you insert the wand, the light will change to blue as the vehicle prepares to charge. It will then start to flash green as the vehicle begins to charge. It certainly gets a bit more complicated than that, or at least it can with several variables to consider. Some owners may not worry about all the details, but we’ll dive into some of those variables a bit. How long does it take to charge a Tesla. Is Tesla charging free? These are some of the questions we’ll cover. Next, we’ll cover some of the charging types, commonly referred to as Level 1, Level 2, and Tesla Supercharging. Level 1 vs. Level 2 Charging vs. Supercharging Before we begin, we’ll cover a few items of terminology. Level 1 charging uses a 110v outlet. These are the standard 15 or 20amp outlets commonly found in homes throughout the US and other some other countries. This charging can be quite slow. If you are fairly low on charge, you’ll likely see a time estimate of 24+ hours to recharge. Level 2 charging uses a dedicated 240 volt circuit. This provides much quicker charging times, up to three to nine times faster than Level 1 charging. Electricity is exponential, so if you go from a 20 amp outlet to a 40 amp circuit, the charging speed should be close to three times faster. Tesla Supercharging In the Tesla realm, the next step up is their Superchargers which use a 480 volt DC power source. You won’t find these in homes, this is an industrial application with considerably higher voltage. Other manufacturers such as Nissan refer to 480 volt charging as “quick charging” and Ford appears they will call their upcoming network “FordPass Chargers”. Since I’m focusing this article on Tesla, we’ll continue to use the “Supercharger” term in regards to 480 volt charging. NOTE: A quick terminology definition. For 110 volt or 220 volt charging, electric vehicles have an onboard charger. Using either 110 or 220 volts, a vehicle is connected to an Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE). The EVSE then safety transfers electricity to the vehicles onboard charger. Many of those who are knowledgeable on electric vehicles will quickly call people out if they refer to an EVSE as a “charger”. For 480 volt charging, the onboard charger is bypassed and these stations are considered “chargers”. In my opinion, it just adds unnecessary confusion. Very few people will refer to these units as Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment. Someone who is new to electric vehicles won’t have any idea what EVSE stands for. Tesla Charging at Home Most owners will do the majority of their charging at home, so we’ll discuss some of the options for charging your Tesla at home first. Tesla Wall Connector The Tesla Wall Connector is a popular choice for many owners. They are currently on “Generation 3” of the Wall Connector which added Wi-Fi connectivity, but also has a 48 amp output max verses the 100 amp on the previous Gen 2 Wall Connectors. Below is a chart from Tesla that shows the charge speed you can expect depending on the size of circuit breaker you’re using. The larger the amperage, the faster you will charge. This chart is based on the current models offered. Older vehicles had various battery pack sizes and other hardware configurations that will affect these numbers. Tesla Wall Connector Power Sharing If you plan to own more than one Tesla and want multiple Wall Connectors, they can be used on the same circuit for “Power Sharing”. You must have the same generation Wall Connectors though, for example, you can’t combine a Gen 2 with a Gen 3 in this shared configuration. You’ll need to make sure you have two Gen 2’s or two Gen 3’s. Wall Connector Cable Length The Tesla Wall Connector is available in two lengths, either 8.5 feet or 18 feet. Surprisingly, this doesn’t affect the price as with some other manufacturers. I find going with the longer 18 foot cord gives you more flexibility. It can also save you from having to run longer wires from your circuit panel. It may seem trivial, you’ll likely have more cabling to wrap up (depending on your install). For mine, I ended up running my cabling behind shelving and was able to run less wiring from my circuit breaker. Indoor or Outdoor, Hardwired or Plug-In If you plan to install your Wall Connector outdoors, it is typically recommend that you have it hardwired. Otherwise, you’ll need to ensure you have outdoor rated, weatherproof outlets. Be sure to check your local code if you are considering a plug-in approach outdoors to make sure you’re in compliance. Always take the proper safety precautions when dealing with electricity. Adding a Cord? A plug-in Wall Connector from Tesla was available, although it’s no longer listed in their store. They now have a Corded Mobile Connector we’ll discuss further below. You can also consider adding a cord to your Wall Connector. Home improvement stores sell dryer and range cords. Most commonly, they’re available for 30 amps, but you will find a smaller selection of 40 and 50 amp cords as well. This is the 50 amp range cord by GE I purchased from Amazon for my

Tesla has started rolling out their next over-the-air software update. This time around, it’s version 2020.40.3. I just installed it on our 2020 Model X Long Range Plus. These are the main features: Speed Assist Priority Bluetooth Device Glovebox PIN We’ll cover each in more detail below… Tesla Speed Assist Improvements Speed Assist is now able to utilize the onboard vehicle cameras to detect speed limit signs to improve the accuracy of speed limit data for highways. This feature was previously enabled for local roads, and has now been expanded to highways. We have a couple roads near us that are 35 mph. It’s happened again now where these two roads are indicating a 25 mph speed limit by Tesla. It will be interesting to see how long it takes to correct again. Tesla Priority Bluetooth Device With this feature, you can avoid connecting the wrong nearby phone by setting your priority Bluetooth device. With this feature enabled, your Tesla will attempt to connect to the priority device associated with the profile selected before it attempts to connect other paired phones. This is one I quickly took advantage of. Previously, we noticed that our Model X would seemingly pick or choose if it wanted to connect to my phone or my wife’s. She has a larger data plan, so I went ahead and set hers as the Priority Bluetooth Device. Here’s how to set your priority device: Tap the Bluetooth icon at the top of the touchscreen Select the preferred phone and slide the Priority Device slider. Glovebox PIN The Glovebox PIN is intended to protect the valuables in your glovebox with a 4 digit PIN. While I could see this being a headache for normal every day use, I could certainly see myself activating this in certain areas. If we plan to leave the vehicle unattended and have something we plan to leave in the glovebox, I’ll likely use it from time to time. Here’s how to enable a Glovebox PIN: Tap the Car “Controls” Icon Tap Safety & Security Then tap Glovebox PIN to set your PIN More Tesla News and Updates Check out more of our Tesla posts.

Tesla announced on September 22nd, 2020 during their Battery Day, that the Tesla Model S Plaid version is now available to order! Although previously communicated it could be available at the end of 2020, Tesla is now targetting the end of 2021 for the Plaid version. The Specs 0-60mph Under 2.0 seconds 1/4 Mile Under 9.0 seconds Horsepower 1100+ hp Drivetrain Tri Motor All-Wheel Drive Range 520+ Miles Per Charge Top Speed 200 mph Price Tag Starting at $139,990 Tesla has been under promising and over delivering on some specs the last couple of years. This has been the case with the range of the Model Y and their ability to start offering auto-pilot as standard equipment. They’ve also had recent price breaks on the 3, S, and X. There’s a handful of “plus” or less than specs listed here. It will be interesting to see where the horsepower, 0-60 and quarter mile times, as well as the range actually come in at. Price The Tesla Model S Plaid version has a starting price of $139,990. Currently through the Tesla website, you can still add the same options currently available for the Long Range Plus and Performance Models. This includes a wheel upgrade, full self-driving, and premium interior options. Maxing out those options will get you up to $156,490. A lot can change between today and late 2021. More options may become available for the Plaid version. Range and Battery Technology With the Tesla Model S Plaid version, the vehicle will take advantage of the new battery cell technology that Tesla announced during Battery Day. It’s a battery cell that appears will be almost the size of a soda can. This battery is a 4680 cell and will use some of the intellectual property of Maxwell Technologies, whom Tesla bought out in 2019. One thing we learned from Battery Day is that the 4680 cells will no longer be incased in a battery pack. Similar to many jets using the open space inside of the wings for fuel now, the body will be structured to house all of these battery cells. Track Time This most recent footage from Laguna Seca that Tesla showed during Battery Day appears to be a standard Model S body. They ran the course with a time of 1 minute 30 seconds and 3/10th’s of a second. Elon mentions they’re confident they can trim another 3 seconds or so off this time. If they can, it would make the Plaid Model S the fastest track time of any production car, whether it’s a two or four door. On their website now, if you click on the Plaid Tri Motor All-Wheel Drive option there’s no visible body style change from the Long Range Plus to the Performance, or to the Plaid versions. However, this could certainly change between now and production. For an earlier prototype of the Model S Plaid version that was ran at that track, there appeared to be a wider body kit. It also has some air intakes (possibly for helping to cool the brakes). There’s a handful of people who feel the Model S (and X) are overdue for a refresh. The Model S first came out in 2012. It has received a front bumper fascia update, slightly updated headlights and taillights, but largely has kept the same overall styling. Sales of both the Model S and X have become a bit more stagnant over the years. Will a Plaid powertrain help push sales back up? Would an interior and exterior update or vastly improved range help? Images of a Model 3 styled dash surfaced a couple years ago. It suggested the S and X would receive a similar, more minimalistic interior. What will you get for the extra $45,000 over the Performance version? Will it be all performance or will we see other changes or additions for Plaid? Are You Considering a Tesla Purchase? If you’re looking to purchase a new Tesla vehicle or Tesla Energy product, or even a Tesla Model S Plaid version please consider using my referral code (link to Tesla with my code): https://ts.la/kevin82163 Looking for More Articles on Tesla? Check out our other Tesla posts here: https://fabville.com/category/automotive/electric-vehicles/tesla

Tesla’s Battery Day has been pushed back a couple times this year, but we’re now less than 2 weeks away. Originally slated for April, it is now scheduled for September 22nd. There’s been quite a bit of speculation around what announcements they might share during the event. Battery Tech Clearly the main focus during their Battery Day events is around the battery technology itself. There’s been discussion of a battery pack that will last over a million miles, has Tesla now achieved this feat? Current Tesla battery packs are estimated to last somewhere between 350,000-500,000 miles before they need to be replaced. It would take some substantial cycle testing to determine if a battery pack can last for one million miles. Big Announcements Coming Elon Musk tweeted that many exciting things would be announced on Battery Day. This is only going to fuel the speculation! Many exciting things will be unveiled on Battery Day 9/22 ⚡️ — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 11, 2020 Maxwell Technologies Back in May, Tesla acquired Maxwell. Is it possible that Tesla has had enough time to incorporate some of the proprietary technology from Maxwell into their products already? Project Roadrunner Earlier this year, information about a code name “Project Roadrunner” was leaked. This is an internal project within Tesla to lower the cost of battery cells. Could some of this information come to light at Battery Day? Plaid Model S Prior to the Coronavirus pandemic, Tesla was estimating a release of a Plaid Model S by the end of the year. A tribute or borrowed naming from Space Balls, a movie Elon has referenced before had the line “the only thing faster than ludicrous is plaid!”. It’s quite possible there’s an update during Battery Day regarding the Plaid Model S. Photos of the Model S prototype with the tri-motor drive train showed some subtle enhancements to the body such as air intakes in the fenders. Tesla Model S and X Refresh A photo showing a more minimalist interior for the Tesla Model S and X surfaced last year. The rendering was quite similar to the Model 3 interior. Some individuals feel the Model S and X are a bit dated, especially the Model S that has only had a minor fascia upgrade since it first went into production in 2012. It’s quite possible that Tesla could also announce an update to the interior and/or exterior of the Model S and X. Bigger Battery Packs and Longer Range? Tesla has mentioned making batteries more dense. This would mean more power in a smaller size. This could open up things for battery packs that are larger than the current 100 kWh packs on the Model S and X. Larger battery packs would directly correlate to even longer range. Is it possible we might see 125 kWh or 150 kWh packs? Summary For those who are fans of EV’s, the Tesla Battery Day should bring some big news. Lot’s of speculation is out there, but all we can really do is sit back and wait. As the countdown to Tesla Battery Day gets closer, there should be more details on the time. Like previous events, it will likely be streamed live with a link on the Tesla.com website. Are You Considering a Tesla Purchase? If you’re looking to purchase a new Tesla vehicle or Tesla Energy product, please consider using my referral code (link to Tesla with my code): https://ts.la/kevin82163 Looking for More Articles on Tesla? Check out our other Tesla posts here: https://fabville.com/category/automotive/electric-vehicles/tesla

Tesla Radio Flyer traction mod using a mountain bike tire! In this project we cut up a 26″ mountain bike tire and mount the tread onto the rear wheels of a Tesla Model S electric car for kids. Since only the rear wheels are powered, I didn’t see any need to add any traction to the front wheels.