A Canadian YouTuber tested the performance of a 2024 Tesla Model 3 Long Range in extreme cold by running it overnight at minus 20 degrees Celsius. The experiment revealed that the vehicle’s heating system consumed 36 percent of the battery over twelve hours. This usage equated to about 30 kilowatt-hours, costing approximately nine euros in electricity. Despite faster battery depletion compared to gasoline vehicles, the Tesla offers a warming buffer during emergencies, especially valuable in winter conditions.
What Happens When an Electric Car Breaks Down in Extreme Cold?
Have you ever wondered what occurs when an electric vehicle encounters a breakdown in freezing temperatures, such as during a snowstorm? A Canadian YouTuber sought to answer this intriguing question by conducting a unique experiment. He left his 2024 Tesla Model 3 Long Range running overnight in conditions reaching around minus 20 degrees Celsius.
The objective of the experiment was to determine how long the battery could sustain heating, including seat and steering wheel warmth, while operating continuously. The results were shared on his YouTube channel, aptly named ‘FrozenTesla’.
Experiment Details and Results
The test commenced at 9:30 PM with the Tesla driver setting the heating to maximum. Over the course of the night, while external temperatures plummeted to a chilling minus 18 degrees Celsius, the cabin maintained a cozy 20 degrees thanks to the heating system.
By morning, the findings were striking: after a twelve-hour span, the vehicle consumed 36 percent of its battery solely for heating purposes. This translates to an energy depletion of roughly three percent per hour. The experiment began with the battery at 66 percent, finishing with 30 percent remaining.
Now, what does this mean for your electricity bill? The 36 percent battery usage equates to around 30 kilowatt-hours. With home electricity prices averaging 30 cents per kilowatt-hour in Germany, the total cost for this twelve-hour heating session would be approximately nine euros. While this amount is manageable, it can accumulate quickly if frequently used, especially at higher rates of 60 cents or more per kilowatt-hour at rapid charging stations.
Additionally, there’s the factor of preheating the battery. Before charging can commence in cold weather, the battery must be warmed to an operational temperature. After the frosty night, this warming took about 15 to 20 minutes and consumed about three kilowatt-hours, resulting in an extra charge of 90 cents.
For comparison, a gasoline vehicle with a 1.5-liter engine consumes about 0.6 liters of fuel per hour while idling. After twelve hours, this totals 7.2 liters of gasoline. At an average price of 1.60 euros per liter, this amounts to 11.52 euros. In this case, the electric vehicle proves to be slightly more economical, provided you can charge at home.
This experiment highlights that even in harsh conditions, the Model 3 holds its own. However, the battery does deplete noticeably faster than a combustion engine’s fuel tank, primarily due to the smaller battery size compared to traditional fuel tanks of 60 liters or more. Still, if you find yourself stranded in winter with a nearly empty battery, the remaining charge provides a buffer, allowing for several hours of heating. This can be a comforting advantage in emergency situations while waiting for assistance.
A useful rule of thumb for electric car owners during winter is to estimate heating consumption per hour in kWh. Regardless of the vehicle type, you can remember that heating in an electric car typically uses about 1 kilowatt of power for every 10 degrees of temperature difference. For instance, if you’re caught in traffic at -10 degrees and desire a comfortable 20 degrees inside the car, expect to consume roughly 3 kWh per hour for that comfort. At 0 degrees, the consumption would be around 2 kWh.
If your electric car is equipped with a heat pump, like the Kia e-Niro or Tesla Model 3, you can anticipate a lower consumption rate of about 0.8 kWh per hour.
Moreover, utilizing seat, steering wheel, or window heating consumes only a small fraction of energy compared to the cabin heating. Therefore, it’s more efficient to keep these features on while adjusting the blower speed for comfort.
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