Why Does Tesla Lose Battery So Fast Parked Outside?
If you own a Tesla, you must have left it parked outside at some point, right? If you have, you must have noticed that in the morning, its battery was drained significantly. Don’t worry, though; you are not the only one with this concern.
Do you wish to know why it happens? If so, read on as we delve into what the issue is. We will discuss in detail what is happening to your Tesla, and the factors impacting its battery drainage.
As you will learn, these factors include environmental aspects, your vehicle’s features, and its settings. In the end, you will also learn some practical tips to reduce battery drainage. So, wait no longer and begin reading!
What’s Happening When Your Tesla is Parked?
First of all, let’s go through the basics and understand what is happening to your Tesla when it is parked, shall we?
1. The Basics of Battery Drain
You need to understand that you might have turned your Tesla off after parking, but it does not entirely become inactive. It still has features that continue to work even while the Tesla is off. For instance, security features such as Sentry Mode remain active to be able to detect potential threats.
Your Tesla also maintains the temperature of its cabinet using battery power. Internet connection, which allows for features like remote access and software updates, also uses battery power to work. Thus, all these combine to drain away the Tesla’s battery even when it is powered off.
2. Why It’s Normal
Did you know about all this before? If you didn’t, it might seem something out of the ordinary. Yet, this is something extremely normal in electric vehicles (EVs) such as Tesla. All EVs, even when turned off, will lose battery because some of their systems remain active.
Nonetheless, it is also true that you might observe a greater battery drainage in Tesla than other EVs and the reason for this is simple. Tesla is more advanced in its cutting-edge technology, thus it requires more battery power.
Outdoor Parking and Environmental Impact
We will now take a look at some environmental elements that lead to battery drainage when Tesla is parked outside.
1. Cold Weather Problems
Have you encountered a situation where you observed that your Tesla lost more than usual of its battery on a cold freezing night? You are not the first one to experience such a thing. Many Tesla owners say that they parked their Tesla outside on a freezing night and lost 10% of its battery.
The reason behind this is simple. Extremely cold temperatures lead to the Tesla batteries (which are made of lithium ions) losing their efficiency. The car’s systems have no choice but to use energy to turn on heaters and keep it warm, thus draining its battery power.
2. The Heat Factor
Aside from freezing nights, have you ever left your Tesla out under the scorching Sun? Did that drain its battery as well? You must know that it did.
It is because, similar to its function in extreme cold, it attempts to keep its interior cool when placed under the Sun. This is done through its feature called Cabin Overheat Protection and it consumes a lot of battery power. If you want to reduce this drainage even a little, park your Tesla under a shady area or use a sunshade.
3. Unpredictable Temperature Swings
Do you live in an area where temperature fluctuates frequently, like extreme heat during the day and extreme cold during the night? If so, you must have observed even more battery drainage, right?
The main reason is that your car systems have to work extra hard, constantly switching between the heating and cooling systems.
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Everyday Features That Sneakily Drain Your Tesla’s Battery
Now, we will discuss the features that you regularly use in your Tesla and how they drain the battery.
1. Sentry Mode
As a Tesla owner, we are sure that you love the Sentry Mode of your car. It is, after all, like a 24/7 security camera protecting your Tesla all the time. Yet, it is a feature that aids in draining the Tesla’s battery.
It is even more so when you are in a crowded location. In a busy area, the Sentry Mode has a greater amount of work to do, keeping alert against each and every figure surrounding your Tesla. In such a situation, don’t you think it's only natural for it to drain more battery than usual?
2. Cabin Overheat Protection
Cabin Overheat Protection is another feature that you must love as a Tesla owner. It is great for making sure that your vehicle does not get too hot during sunny days. Nonetheless, this feature also consumes a lot of energy.
One thing you can do to reduce its impact on your battery drainage is to turn it off and park your car in a shady area. Or, you can set it to a higher threshold so it activates only at very high temperatures.
3. App Check-Ins
As a Tesla owner, do you also have the habit of constantly checking up on your Tesla through the app check-in? It is, after all, a great reassurance to constantly monitor what your car’s state is.
However, it cannot be denied that this is yet another feature that leads to battery drainage because it essentially wakes your Tesla up. You should, thus, limit the number of times you use this app in order to reduce battery drainage.
4. Software Updates and Diagnostics
Tesla, like any other electric vehicle, receives regular updates. They are called over-the-air (OTA) updates and they run diagnostics or install patches. Now, both these activities consume more battery than you would expect.
The main reason is that your Tesla periodically wakes up for these updates or diagnostics, even if it’s sitting idle. This, in turn, leads to battery drainage.
Is It Just Your Tesla or Your Settings?
Another important aspect that significantly impacts battery drainage is the settings under which your Tesla is normally kept. Let’s check these out, shall we?
1. Your Current Settings Matter
How often do you review and disable the settings that are not needed at certain times? If you are not in the habit of doing so, you should start now. For instance, are the Sentry Mode or the Cabin Overheat Protection constantly turned on?
You should make sure to disable the Sentry Mode when your car is parked at home. You should turn the Cabin Overheat Protection off when the weather is cold. While it may not seem much, these small actions will save battery power in the long run.
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2. Your Parking Spot Plays a Role
Where do you park your Tesla normally? In hot weather, do you park under direct sunlight? Do you prefer to search for a location with a Wi-Fi source?
It might not seem to make a difference, but where you park your Tesla matters a lot. If possible, you should always opt for an area near a Wi-Fi source or charger. This way, your vehicle will remain connected without using too much of its battery.
Secondly, parking under shaded areas is again preferable. It will ensure that your Tesla does not have to consume too much power for energy-intensive climate control systems.
3. Understanding Your Driving Routine
Are you someone who drives their Tesla daily, or only occasionally? If you do not use it daily, you should enable the energy-saving mode.
It ensures that battery power is not consumed by background systems. Secondly, turning off the Always Connected feature will also ensure that no power is being used in its inactivity.
Practical Tips to Reduce Battery Drain in Daily Life
Having understood all the aspects that lead to battery drainage, we will now give you some practical tips on how to reduce it.
1. Turn Off Non-Essential Features
As discussed before, you should disable features that are not needed. Turn off the Sentry Mode when at home, and the Cabin Overheat Protection when the weather is mild or you have parked the Tesla under a shaded area.
2. Be Smart About Parking
When parking, you should always look for areas that can provide shade for your Tesla in extreme heat. In extreme cold, you should look for an area with a charger so you can plug the car in. These will reduce the energy otherwise needed for climate control systems.
3. Manage Your App Usage
Another thing you should do is limit how many times you use the check-in app to check up on your Tesla. This will prevent the Tesla from waking up and consuming energy.
4. Plan Ahead for Long Idle Periods
If you do not drive daily or are planning to leave your Tesla idle for longer periods, keep its battery between 50-80%. This is the optimal range for battery health. In addition, you should also charge it at regular intervals to prevent the battery from depleting too much.
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Why Understanding Battery Drain Matters to You
Now, we will discuss our last point: why you should have a know-how of how your Tesla’s battery drainage works.
1. Your Peace of Mind
First of all, knowing what leads to battery drainage and how you can control it will give you peace of mind and prevent you from worrying unnecessarily every time the battery depletes.
2. Extension of Your Battery Life
Secondly, you will know exactly what measures you need to take to prevent unnecessary battery depletion and what you must not do as well.
3. Maximizing Your Tesla Experience
Last but not least, when you can control battery drainage, you will be able to maximize your Tesla experience because everything will be under control.
Conclusion
In conclusion, you must now know that you need to follow several steps to ensure that your Tesla’s battery does not drain unnecessarily. You should turn off unnecessary features, park in ideal locations, limit your check-in app usage, and store the battery properly in case of longer idle periods.
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