Electric Vehicles

Keeping your Tesla clean will not only make your car look nice, but it can also improve the lifetime of the paint and help prevent scratches. But what are the best cleaning products and methods for cleaning your Tesla? And what are the best ways to clean the exterior and interior of your Tesla? There are several great products for cleaning your Tesla. Many can be purchased at a local automotive shop or through online merchants. Knowing how to use the cleaning products correctly will help you make your Tesla shine and stay shiny for years to come, so keep reading to learn more! The Best Exterior Car Cleaning Products for Your Tesla In your Tesla owner’s manual, you should be able to find where it says to use mild automotive glass cleaner and mild automotive soap to clean the exterior. The manual also recommends using a soft cloth for washing and a chamois cloth for drying the car. If you would like to keep your Tesla sparkly and shiny, you probably want to know all the details and make use of the best cleaning products. Chemical Guys Mr. Pink Super Suds Car Wash Soap and Shampoo Car shampoo is a type of soap that is used to clean the exterior of your Tesla. Utilize the Chemical Guys car shampoo. They are experts on the chemistry needed to protect and shine your Tesla! Their shampoo is also pretty simple to set up. Follow these steps, and you will have no problems: Mix the car shampoo to a specific ratio with clean water in a bucket Use the shampoo/water mixture with a washcloth to wipe down and clean your Tesla Consider using their two-bucket method The two-bucket method is a great idea when using car shampoo. It is a foolproof way to make sure you are not rubbing dirt into your Tesla’s paint and scratching it. Chemical Guys Two-Bucket Wash System  Using a Chemical Guy’s two-bucket wash system will help ensure that you are cleaning your Tesla correctly. They make the best two-bucket system on the market and even include wash mitts and wash clothes. The two-bucket system you choose should include a grit filter that will filter out certain things to prevent them from coming into contact with and scratching the Tesla. This method protects your Tesla from things such as: Dirt Grit Debris The first bucket is the detailing bucket and holds the car shampoo that is mixed with clean water. This bucket is used to apply the shampoo/water mixture to your Tesla with a washcloth. The second bucket holds plain, warm water and is used to rinse off all the dirt that is wiped off with the first bucket. The grit filter traps all the dirt and grime in the bottom of the bucket, preventing it from being wiped back onto the Tesla. Using the two-bucket system is only one great option for cleaning your Tesla. Many Tesla owners use the two-bucket system with additional cleaning products to get their Tesla’s super clean. Sun Joe Pressure Washer The first step to cleaning your Tesla should be getting it wet. The water will help to loosen up any dried dirt or grime that has built up on the paint and wheels. To make things easier, you should use the Sun Joe pressure washer to spray down your Tesla with water. The Sun Joe pressure washer is a 1.8 Gallon, 14.5 Amp electric unit that will pair nicely with your electric Tesla vehicle! The Sun Joe pressure washers also have a receptacle that you can load car shampoo/soap into for easier application too! Be careful using a pressure washer to spray your Tesla. Do not stand or hold the nozzle close to the car: It can damage your paint if you hold it too close Stand at least 3-4 feet away If you do not have a water softener, it is recommended to use distilled water or a water filter – especially for the final rinse. Hard water (water containing a high amount of minerals) will leave ugly marks on your Tesla when it dries. Optimum No Rinse Wash and Shine There are types of car washing products that do not have to be rinsed off after application. Optimum No Rinse Wash and Shine is made with polymers that bind and catch any dirt on your Tesla and dries clean, leaving no marks. It can be applied with a pressure washer after being mixed with water at the correct ratio. When using Optimum No Rinse Wash and Shine, keep these things in mind for a better clean: The Optimum No Rinse Wash and Shine should be sprayed evenly onto the part of your Tesla that you are cleaning It should then be wiped away with a microfiber cloth It is best to do one part of your Tesla at a time to avoid the product drying before you could wipe it away You should only need to use light pressure when wiping the cleaner off your Tesla. Since the cleaner traps the dirt, it wipes off very easily. After wiping with a cloth, the remaining moisture will evaporate off your Tesla, leaving a shiny and protected surface. The Optimum No Rinse Wash and Shine leaves behind a light, glossy, and smooth protective coating. Chemical Guys Honeydew Snow Foam Snow foam is another type of car shampoo that can be used on your Tesla. The best one is Chemical Guys Honeydew Snow Foam. Their chemistry is superior to any other manufacturer on the market and makes cars spotless. Usually, you would not use both snow foam and Optimum No Rinse Wash and Shine during the same cleaning. If you are a serious clean-freak, go for it and use both. However, they provide the same level of cleaning, and it is not necessary to double up. Foam Cannon Snow foam can be applied to your Tesla with a pressure washer as well. You will need a foam cannon, like this one

If you have a Tesla, you already know what an economic and low-impact vehicle it is. Long road trips with Teslas are even more convenient. When road tripping with your Tesla, you simply need to plan your route around available charging stations on the way and enjoy the advanced technology designed to assist you in driving. Road trips with Teslas are a convenient and efficient mode of travel.  Read on to discover the perks of traveling in your Tesla and how to make the most of your road trip with their available features and accessories.  Tesla’s Route Planning Tool Each model of Tesla has its own built-in road trip planner! This is an easy and useful tool for anyone trying to plan their road trip. You simply enter your location and destination, and Tesla does the rest of the work. Go Anywhere Tool with Tesla The Go Anywhere Tool is much like Google Maps or other navigation systems. Rather than planning the quickest route, it searches for the fastest routes with the most Tesla superchargers and destination chargers available. It’s important to note that this option does not specifically search for hotels or accommodations along your route; you will be responsible for booking these on your own. This tool will route your trip through the locations with the most destination and superchargers available, so you’ll never have to worry about being stranded without power. You may have to adjust your route if there aren’t any available stations, however, or check into non-Tesla charging options (more details on those options below).  The Go Anywhere Tool  is packed with handy information and provides: Information regarding how long to charge at the station to make it to the destination or next charging station Available on your touch screen display’s Navigation function Customizable routes: you can make adjustments to Tesla’s recommended route Information regarding how many stalls are currently open and what charging rate is available at each For example, entering a starting point of Seattle, Washington, and a destination of San Francisco, California, the Go Anywhere tool provides the following Supercharger station recommendations, assuming a Model 3 Standard Tesla starting with a full charge: 15 min charge in Woodburn, OR 35 min charge in Springfield, OR 30 min charge in Grants Pass, OR 35 min charge in Mount Shasta, CA 20 min charge in Williams, CA You have the option to see available destination chargers at each of these stations as well. The Go Anywhere Tool is designed to be user-friendly and simple, routing you toward Tesla’s own charging stations. Luckily, there are other available options for charging if Tesla stations are not readily available in your desired location. Charging Your Tesla on a Road Trip All Teslas are electric, meaning the usual gas station stops are unnecessary. However, they still require energy, and charging your Tesla will be the most important part of planning your road trip. When planning your route, it’s a good idea to plan your charge stops around your regular meal and bathroom breaks. Some of these chargers will fully charge your Tesla in the amount of time it takes to eat a meal at a restaurant.  By doing this, you virtually eliminate the “charging time” you would wait, by engaging in necessary activities (restroom, meals) during that time, your car charges when it would otherwise be sitting empty anyway. As a benefit, most charging stations are located in convenient places for this reason. There are two in-network, Tesla-based options for charging your Tesla on a road trip: Tesla Destination Chargers Tesla Superchargers With either charger, your Tesla Owners app (available on iOS and Android) will provide real-time updates from your car regarding charge level, and you pay for charges from your Tesla owner’s account with both. Tesla claims that they are opening six new charging stations every week, so accessibility is always increasing. Using Destination Chargers to Charge Your Tesla Destination chargers are the most common charging port for your Tesla. They are housed by Tesla’s “Charging Partners” worldwide and trade a charging location for (hopefully) more business, as their charging station is listed on Tesla’s software. There are over 4,500 destination charging stations, with variations in the number of ports available at each station. Some stations may only have 2 or 3 ports, while others can have dozens. These destination chargers are generally found in places where you’d be spending a moderate amount of time, such as: Restaurants Hotels These chargers are the slower of the two options, with an average of adding about 37.5 miles of range per hour of charge. To maximize your time, try to utilize these chargers when you stop overnight or have the time to leave your car for several hours, like when hiking or exploring a downtown area for the day.  Another perk of these chargers is that they are usually free to use as long as you are a patron of the facility you are charging (hotels, for example). If you’re on your route and need a quick boost to reach your next overnight stop on your road trip, a supercharger station is going to be the best choice.  Supercharging your Tesla on a Road Trip There has been a recent upgrade to charging your Tesla. In addition to the standard Destination Chargers, a Supercharger has been developed. Superchargers have been installed on popular routes and in densely populated areas, such as: Where to Find Tesla SuperChargers Main interstates Parking Garages in urban areas Downtown areas/city centers Grocery stores There are currently over 2,000 Supercharger stations in the US, with over 20,000 individual Supercharging stalls available. This charging station can fully charge any Tesla model under an hour and a half, or roughly 70 minutes. Why Superchargers are Useful With a supercharger, Teslas are designed to charge up to 80% capacity in the first 40 minutes of charging. The rate then slows to protect the battery, but a full charge isn’t necessary. If you find yourself needing a quick

The technology many of us have been waiting for is on the horizon: a fully autonomous self-driving car. Tesla’s Autopilot is the boldest step we have seen a car manufacturer take to making this futuristic accomplishment a reality. However, while Tesla’s Autopilot is a breakthrough, it may not satisfy the expectations many eager consumers want out of a self-driving vehicle. Is it even worth the cost? If you are looking for a vehicle that can ease the hassles that come with driving, the Tesla Autopilot is a great and intuitive feature to utilize. However, if your desire is to be completely disengaged from your vehicle and the road, you may want to hold out until the technology further develops. There is a lot to take in when determining whether the Tesla Autopilot is right for you. Read on to learn about these factors and ensure you make the right decision before committing to this investment. Tesla’s Autopilot is now standard, we’ll cover it’s current features and explain the difference with the optional Full-Self Driving package. Read on! Tesla Autopilot Features Tesla’s innovative technology undergoes constant rapid growth, and we see this with their Autopilot feature. If you are considering investing in a Tesla vehicle for Autopilot, you should know there are two current versions of this technology: Base Level Autopilot and Full Self-Driving Mode. Let’s dive into the specifications of Tesla Autopilot’s two options and what kind of performance and key features you can expect from each one. Base Level Autopilot  While the Base Level Autopilot technology does not quite amount to the expectations one would associate with the traditional concept of an autopilot feature, it proves to be convenient and intuitive, nonetheless.  Tesla promotes two primary features with their standard Autopilot: Auto Steer and a Traffic-Aware Cruise Control.  Auto Steer When driving on the highway, it is easy to become absent-minded and accidentally drift over to the neighboring lane. This generally results in needing to make a quick readjustment in your steering but can become a dangerous hazard that can potentially lead to a traffic accident.  To prevent this common incident from occurring, Tesla has made auto-steering a primary function and highlight of their Autopilot feature. When you have autosteering enabled, your vehicle will ensure that you stay within your appropriate lane when driving.  Traffic-Aware Cruise Control Much like the cruise control system that can be found in almost any modern-day vehicle, the traffic-aware cruise control feature of the Tesla Autopilot will keep your car driving at a consistent speed. However, the technology of Tesla’s Autopilot also ensures that you keep a certain level of distance between you and the vehicle in front of you. To give you versatility and control over your traffic-aware cruise control system, Tesla has created the option to manually adjust the speed of your car, as well as the allocated distance you want to maintain between you and other vehicles.  With that being said, you will find the autopilot feature is quite sophisticated and will make logical adjustments in speed and distance without you needing to make manual changes yourself.  Full Self-Driving Mode When Tesla announced their Full Self-Driving Mode, the prospect of having a fully autonomous car available peaked consumers’ interests and stirred quite a bit of hype.  Unfortunately, this title has proved to be somewhat of a misconception. This feature did not deliver on the fully self-driving car that most of us have imagined since drivers are still required to pay attention to the road.   However, the Full Self-Driving Mode has some incredible features that Tesla drivers will swear by, and the package includes the primary functions that come with the Base Level Autopilot.  Navigate on Autopilot This feature made opting for the Full Self-Driving Mode a no-brainer for absent-minded drivers and those who simply want to arrive from Point A to Point B without dealing with the tediousness of driving on the highway while having to check their navigation system continually.  With the Tesla Autopilot, all you need to do is have a destination marked on your vehicle’s navigation system. The auto-navigate feature enables the vehicle to control your trip for your entire time on the highway. That means the car is doing all the driving for you from the moment you hit the on-ramp to your exit point—including all lane changes and adapting to highway interchanges. Street-Level Autopilot Street-Level Autopilot allows Tesla vehicles to recognize and react to traffic lights and stop signs on the road. While this is an entirely new feature in Tesla’s Autopilot technology and is still in a preliminary phase, the potential it will have as it further develops will be paramount to getting us closer to fully autonomous self-driving cars. Drivers who are looking forward to the day of never having to manually drive a car again are sold on the notion of a street-level autopilot. Smart Summon  If you have ever been blocked by a neighboring car due to a driver parking too close to your parking space, the Smart Summon feature may just be the highlight of the Full Self-driving Mode for you.  So, instead of getting frustrated and dealing with the hassle of locating the owner of the vehicle or having to resort to awkwardly sliding in through the passenger or backseat of your car, simply open up your Tesla App and engage your vehicle via your phone to back out of the spot to your location—without ever needing to be behind the wheel.  Of course, for safety reasons, this feature was intentionally designed to be limited to being used within a distance of 200 feet of your car. Smart Summon is also only available to be used within private driveways and parking lots. Auto Park No matter the longevity of your experience on the road, parking can be an absolute nightmare for many drivers. The Auto Park feature with Tesla’s Autopilot has made fitting into tight spots and parallel parking a breeze. As you cruise through a parking lot looking for

If you ever plan to swap out the wheels on your Tesla, you’ll want to invest in this inexpensive tool. This could be to remove a wheel with a flat tire or swapping in or out from a set of winter tires. Tesla models that do not have an aero wheel cover (such as certain wheel options on the Model 3 and Model Y) will have these plastic lug nut covers. If you try using a tire iron or socket on them, they will quickly break. I learned this the hard way. They have a very thin walled designed and are not designed to have any torque applied to them whatsoever. To remove these plastic wheel covers, a lug nut cap cover removal tool set will make things much easier. It’s a essentially a plastic pair of tongs. There’s a raised section that will grip onto the lug nut cap covers. This allows you to easily get a grip on the lug nut covers and pull them off. Read on as we provide more information and tips on remove the lug nut covers from your Tesla, as well as options if you get a flat tire. Lug Nut Cap Cover Removal Tool I’ve read other articles where you can try and use a pair of flathead screwdrivers, but this can cause scratching. The first time we got a flat tire, I tried calling Tesla Roadside assistance, only to be informed that I was too far from their service center for them to provide service How To Remove Tesla Lug Nut Cap Covers Step 1: Grab your lug nut cap cover removal tool. Step 2: Insert the removal tool over the lug nut. Step 3: Press inward on the removal tool to apply pressure, ensuring they have gripped onto the cap covers. Step 4: Simply pull outward to remove the cap cover. What If You Get a Flat Tire on Your Tesla? Since Tesla’s and most other electric vehicles don’t have spare tires, you’ll find yourself with fewer options for getting back on the road. Several tire shops likely won’t have replacement tires in stock either. We’ll explore some of those now. Tesla Roadside Assistance While Tesla Roadside Assistance is free, it’s typically for a certain amount of time. Per their website: Tesla Roadside Assistance is a complimentary service offered under a Tesla warranty or some Extended Service Agreements. Please refer to the terms and conditions in your warranty document or service agreement to determine whether you are eligible for roadside assistance. https://www.tesla.com/sites/default/files/downloads/roadside-assistance-policy-en.pdf Tesla Roadside Assistance is available 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, however, you may find yourself having to wait a long period of time before someone is able to get to your location. Tow Truck Service In some cases you may find that you need to have your Tesla towed. Tesla strongly recommends that only flatbed trucks are used. If you find yourself having to call a towing service, make sure to specifically request for a flatbed. Also worth noting, you need to make sure to put your Tesla into tow mode in order for a tow truck to transport it. My neighbor works for the state highway patrol, and recently had a tow truck driver come out to tow a Tesla, only to have to leave because the owner was not there to put it into tow mode. We’ll add a new article on having a Tesla towed soon. Summary I’m not sure why certain manufacturers including Tesla opt for lug nut caps. Seems just having an enclosed lug nut would get the job done. However, since most Tesla wheels do have lug nut covers, having one of these tools in your glovebox at all times can certainly come in handy.

In the United States, around $18 billion worth of recreational vehicles are sold in any given year. A fifth of that are trailers. With the growing popularity of Tesla’s electric cars, many people are wondering if these vehicles, which are designed to travel light and rely on batteries, can tow trailers. A Tesla Model X can tow trailers. This Tesla car can easily tow trailers up to 5,000 pounds (2,267 kilograms) in weight. The tow package was made standard some time in 2018. When ordering a brand new Tesla Model Y, a tow package can be added for $1,000. The Model Y has a towing capacity up to 3,500 pounds (1,587 kilograms). If you’ve considered buying a Tesla car, but wondered if it can tow your trailers, then this guide could provide much-needed answers.. Your next trailer-towing vehicle could be an electric-powered Tesla. Tesla Factory Tow Packages and Specs The Model X currently comes standard with the tow package. The Model Y has an optional tow package. In Europe, the Model 3 also has an optional tow package. There are also aftermarket options. Additional Energy Use Among the different vehicle types, electric vehicles (EVs) are probably the most limited when it comes to towing. One of the biggest limiting factors is the energy required. Towing a trailer will use a substantial amount of additional energy, drastically reducing your battery’s range. Long distant towing will require a lot more stops to charge. Range Anxiety Towing requires more power because of the additional work your electric car does. As such, towing puts a strain on your batteries, and will almost certainly shorten the driving range you get on your electric vehicle. This is similar on an internal combustion engine vehicle. You’ll get less mileage when towing, but it can be magnified on an electric vehicle. Most consumers tend to prefer electric cars that can deliver the most range, allowing them to drive longer on a single full charge. Show them an electric vehicle with a shorter range, and not only do people refrain from buying the car, but those who own them also tend to give a low satisfaction rating. With the shorter range, especially while towing, it’s easy to scare off potential buyers. Especially if they plan on doing a lot of towing with the vehicle. Tesla Model 3 Towing Other Electric Car Models Can Be Used for Towing There are quite a few choices if you want to buy an electric vehicle that can also tow a trailer. Some of the most popular include: Audi e-Tron Mercedes EQC Jaguar I-Pace Rivian R1T While basic towing capability is a plus, it’s important that your car can tow something on the heavier side; for example, a tow trailer.  Tesla Cars Can Tow Trailers The Tesla Model X SUV has enough room for seven seats and a range of 340 miles (547 kilometers). This SUV goes from 0 to 60 miles per hour (0 to 97 kilometers per hour) in just 2.5 seconds with a peak power of 1,020 horsepower. Tesla states that the Model X can handle up to 5,000 pounds (2,268 kilograms). The Tesla Model X even comes with its own tow bar that you can hide away when you’re not using it. Trailer Mode Connecting a trailer to your Model X will trigger Trailer Mode to activate when the wiring harness is connected. When this happens, your vehicle’s: Rear parking sensors, auto park, and autosteer are disabled. Location-based and automatic height adjustments are disabled. Autopilot steering will not work. The AEB brake force is significantly decreased. Power Concerns Range is one of the major concerns people have about electric cars. Towing a trailer or camper uses up a lot energy than a regular drive or joyride. But how does the Tesla Model X address these issues? The long-range versions of Tesla’s models have an estimated range of: Model 3: 353 miles (568 kilometers) Model S: 412 miles (663 kilometers) Model Y: 326 miles (525 kilometers) Model X: 360 miles (579 kilometers) These estimates show that the Model X has the second longest range in Tesla’s current lineup. Its range is only beaten by the smaller Model S, which only has five seats and 28 cubic feet (0.8 cubic meters) of cargo capacity, as opposed to the Model X’s seven-seat and 88 cubic feet (2.5 cubic meters) capacity. However, towing with your Tesla Model X will mean a much shorter range. The reduction in how far you can go on a single charge can differ depending on how heavy the trailer is, as well as the added weight of everything inside the trailer. The range will also be shortened depending on the kind of terrain you’re driving on. Should You Use the Tesla Model X for Towing? Sure, the Tesla Model X can tow a trailer. But it might not be an excellent idea to buy a Tesla if your main purpose is to tow a trailer.  Tesla Model X loses a significant amount of driving range when it’s towing. A real-world test conducted by Australia’s Car Guide shows that towing halves the Tesla Model X’s driving range. Driving on its own, it will use up to 21.4 kilowatt-hours for every 100 kilometers (62 miles).  But towing a 1,746-kilogram (3,850 pounds) trailer, it needed 48.1 kilowatt-hours to travel the same distance, almost doubling the amount of charge required. Road conditions can affect towing performance, and you’ll spend more fuel when towing, even if you use something with a combustion engine.  Car Guide brought a Landcruiser VX along for the ride, and with the trailer attached, it needed only 10.35 liters (2.7 gallons) of gas for every 100 kilometers (62 miles). It then required 17.2 liters (4.5 gallons) to cover the same distance with a caravan attached to it. That’s only a 66 percent increase, compared to the 112 percent raise for Tesla. A Word of Caution: Towing = Longer Charging Time One of the things that one should consider when

A frequent question perspective buyers (and owners) likely have around electric vehicle ownership is what happens if your vehicle runs out of charge. Clearly it’s best not to allow your Tesla to run out of charge, but in the real world it can happen. Essentially, you’ll need to have the vehicle towed to somewhere it can be charged, preferably a Tesla Supercharger for fastest charging possible or to your intended destination (assuming you don’t need it charged faster at that location). Perhaps in the future we’ll have more vehicle to vehicle charging options. There are some mobile charging companies popping up, but they’re not as widespread with service and charging times can be much slower. For the first time in 6 years of electric vehicle ownership, I got down to a displayed 0% charge on a vehicle – our Tesla Model X. Read along as I detail how I misjudged the amount of energy I would need for a towing trip I made a handful of times previous. Big Factors that Affect Your Range This was a trip in which I was dealing with three of the biggest energy draining variables associated with electric vehicles: Towing a trailer Uphill driving through a mountain pass Colder temperatures in the low to mid 30’s (Fahrenheit) My destination was to a cabin we recently purchased in north Central Washington and was another trip I was hauling our 6×12 enclosed cargo trailer. In fact, this was a trip I had just made a week or two prior without issue. The Trip I stopped off at Monroe, WA and Supercharged to 81% before I took off. The Tesla estimated I would reach my destination with 47% charge. I knew this wasn’t the case since I was towing a trailer and going through the mountains. It was also colder temperatures. While the vehicle does adjust expected range when towing, I’ve come to expect a fluctuation up to 30% on previous trips to to our cabin with the enclosed cargo trailer. With an expected 47% at destination, I thought for sure I’d get to the cabin with at least 17% charge or more. When I First Had Concern Traveling east of Stevens Pass is mostly a downhill descent. I noticed my estimated range at arrival started to drop substantially. I kept an eye on things and the expected percentage upon arrival continued to drop. Range Anxiety Kicks In As I’m probably less than a mile from my turn, I notice the expected range now shows I’ll reach our cabin with only 2%. At this point I’m starting to worry and punch in the next nearest Supercharger which is in Leavenworth, WA. It shows I’ll reach the Supercharger with 4%, so I figured that will give me a better buffer than trying to reach the cabin. The Supercharger was approximately 15 miles away at this point. I decide to keep the Supercharger as my new destination and slowly watch the estimated range drop to 3%, a few miles later 2%. Panic Mode Sets – Warning Message I Can’t Reach my Destination As mentioned above, I have now seen the estimated percentage drop from 4% to 2% and I’m officially going into a panic mode. I’m now considering whether or not I should detach the trailer along the highway somewhere to Supercharge and come back for it. I decide to keep going, and see the estimated range now drop down to 1%. I’m now a few miles from downtown Leavenworth and my battery has now hit 1% and it is estimating I will get to the Supercharger with 0%. As I continue traveling, I’m nearing the downtown area, but I’m getting a warning I need to charge before I can reach my destination. I keep pushing onward as there aren’t many areas to pull over to see what happens. As I hit downtown, I’m still 1.5 miles from the supercharger and there’s imminent worry I won’t make it to the charger. Trying to find a 110v plug isn’t an option I wanted to consider, so I continued on. Reaching the Supercharger with 0% Luckily, I make it into the Dan’s Food Market parking lot where the Tesla Supercharger is located. No one else is charging, so I make a wide u-turn to pull in sideways to avoid having to disconnect the trailer, still wondering if the vehicle is going to simply power off. With relatively short cables at Superchargers, pulling in sideways doesn’t always give enough reach. I literally don’t know if I’ll need to pull up a few inches further (and whether or not I’ll have charge to be able to do so). The charging cable does reach, and I begin charging and can finally take a sigh of relief. Conclusion This is certainly not a situation I want to experience again. Ironically, I already planned on this being the last trip we made to the cabin towing a trailer until the Spring a week prior. This certainly affirmed it though. Despite seeing gradual drops in range as the weather began getting colder, this was by far the most energy used on the same trip with the same trailer. It may have even been the lightest load I was carrying this time. I’ve seen videos where other owners have shown a bit of additional range despite showing 0% which is the only reason I continued driving. See the warning message later appear that I needed to stop to charge in order to reach my destination was certainly worrisome. Word of advice, even though it takes longer to charge once you hit 80% (or even 70%), sometimes those extra minutes to get additional charge may be worth it. Especially in colder environments, uphill driving, and certainly when towing a trailer. If I didn’t make it to the Supercharger (those last several miles were nerve racking), it would have been time for a call to Tesla Roadside assistance or possibly other towing services.

Tesla has long been known as the best of the best in electric car design. Their cars are stylish and come equipped with every innovation Tesla can pack into them. However, how do Tesla’s electric vehicles stack up from a practical standpoint? Does the charging length and capacity of a Tesla speak to their stellar reputation? The length of time it takes to charge a Tesla depends on three factors: the charging system, the battery capacity, and the onboard charger. While knowing the time needed for a charge is essential for planning purposes, you cannot overcharge your Tesla due to the car’s monitoring features. It is typically recommended to charge your Tesla between 50-80% charge, depending on your daily driving needs. Charging to 100% frequently can prematurely degrade your battery. With three factors impacting charging time, it is quite the math problem to figure out how long it takes to charge your Tesla, and although you cannot overcharge your Tesla, you can reduce the battery life with certain charging practices. Do not get stressed yet! We have researched for you. Keep reading for everything you need to know about charging a Tesla! The Basics of Charging a Tesla Before we can start looking at the specifics of charging a Tesla, it will be helpful to cover exactly what happens when you charge an electric vehicle. When we fuel a gasoline-powered vehicle, we think of distance in miles per gallon. This many gallons will get me this far. Electric vehicle’s fuel capacity is in kilowatts per hour (kWh). The car stores so many kWh in its battery, which you use up as you drive. The distance you can go on 1 kWh depends on the car, your driving, and the terrain. When you charge an electric vehicle, the charger ability is measured in kilowatts of energy, but the battery storage within the car is in kilowatts per hour, so what is happening? Kilowatts is the speed of energy flow, while kilowatt-hours is the amount of energy stored. A charging unit has a kilowatt rating, which tells you how fast it can transfer kW to your Tesla, while the Tesla itself has a kilowatt per hour storage, which tells you how much energy your Tesla can hold. Thus charging time is determined by how fast the energy is flowing (kW) and how energy your Tesla can hold (kWh). Sounds simple enough, right? Higher kW means faster-charging speed, and higher kWh means more time needed to fill the battery and a longer-lasting charge. Now that we understand the basic principle let’s look at the specifics that change charge time. The Onboard Charger Most electrical outlets from which we get electricity use AC (alternating current). However, batteries, such as the one in your Tesla, use DC (direct current). This means that your Tesla must have a system to convert the AC into DC that can be stored in the battery. This system is called the onboard charger. The onboard charger has its own restrictions on how fast it can convert energy. Teslas come with either an 11.5 kW (48 amp) or a 7.7kW (32 amp) onboard charger. If you plug your Tesla into an AC outlet, then, no matter what the outlet’s power, it cannot charge at a faster rate than the onboard charger will allow, 11.5kW or 7.7kW depending on the Tesla. It can, however, charge at a slower rate. The amp ratings on the onboard charger represent the max the system can handle. The kW ratings given are based on charging your Tesla with a 240V AC outlet, which is the highest AC to which you would have access. The math behind this is quite simple. kW is the product of amps and voltage divided by 1000. If you plug your Tesla into a 240V outlet and your Tesla’s onboard charger has an amperage of 32, then your kW would be 240 x 32/1000, which equals 7.68kW, which Tesla has rounded to 7.7kW. To ensure your Tesla is reaching its kW rating, you will need to ensure that the onboard charger is pulling the maximum amount of amps it can. For a 48 amp onboard charger, Tesla thus recommends a 60 amp circuit breaker, and for a 32 amp onboard charger a 48 amp circuit breaker. Levels of EV Chargers The first, and also most important, thing to consider when figuring out how long you need to charge your Tesla is the charging system. The charging system determines your kilowatts, which is to say that it determines the speed at which energy is transferred to your Tesla. The more kilowatts a charging system uses, the faster your Tesla will charge. There are 3 levels of electric vehicle charging systems. These levels are divided by their voltage ratings. Level 1 Level 1 EV charging is charging your vehicle with a standard 120V outlet, which is what a basic electrical outlet around your house is. Level 1 EV charging (120V) is the slowest form of charging. It generally only provides 2 to 4 miles of driving for every hour of charge. A 120V outlet at your house is AC. Thus the onboard charger will come into play to convert this to DC. If your Tesla has the 11.5 kW 48 amp onboard charger, then plugging it into a 120V outlet only allows a charge of around 5.8 kW. At that rate filling, a 100 kWh battery will take at least 17 hours. Except there is a problem. 48 amps are how much your onboard charger can handle, but that does not necessarily mean that is what your outlet is giving. A 120V outlet probably only has 15 amps. Knowing that your Tesla’s charging rate decrease to 1.8kW. Filling a 100kWh battery will take around 55 hours. These numbers come from an ideal setting in which things such as temperature and efficiency do not also reduce charging time. In addition, Teslas charge more slowly as they reach capacity in order to protect the battery.