Road trip with Tesla (M3) tips and tricks from my own experience

I traveled from Los Angeles to San Francisco in a Tesla Model 3. This is my story of how it went, including tips and tricks for other Tesla owners planning their own road trips.

The tesla model 3 tips and tricks 2021 is a blog post about my experience with the Tesla Model 3.

A road trip in an electric vehicle? Are you certain?

We had planned a month-long vacation last year, but Corona intervened and the trip was canceled. Because the world is still without Corona, we decided to take a road trip to the South of France this year without making any bookings and with a tent in the back of the Tesla.

Friends and relatives questioned if this was prudent with a Tesla (EV). We hadn’t done it before, and we hadn’t utilized Tesla excursions before, but I can tell you one thing: The Tesla Trips are nearly as good as taking a Tesla by themselves.

  • We had an automated break of approximately 15-20 minutes every 1.5–2 hours because of the Tesla travels.
  • The stops are nearly all in hotels within 1 to 2 kilometers of the highway.
  • These stops are usually quieter and cleaner than a petrol station.
  • Because you have an automated stop, you don’t have to worry about when or where you’ll stop, and you’ll arrive at your destination without having to think about it.
  • I’m not sure whether this is anything new for 2021, but Tesla installed additional chargers at popular areas that charged quicker than usual (250kw). There were no queues for charging.

From my personal experience, here are some tips and techniques for a road trip with a Tesla.

The suggestions are based on my own personal experience. I’m not sure what’s common knowledge or what we should’ve done.

I’d appreciate it if you could share any helpful hints with me.


As much as possible, use adaptive cruise control.

This allows the battery to be utilized more effectively and even recharged while going downward. At the bottom of the slope, there are signs that say, “Use engine brakes.” The Tesla automatically brakes through regenerative braking when you use cruise control.

Regenerative braking (also known as regen) is the conversion of the vehicle’s kinetic energy into chemical energy that may subsequently be utilized to propel the vehicle in a battery-powered electric car. It’s called braking because it slows the car down. It is regenerative because the energy is collected and stored in the battery, where it may be reused. Tesla.com is the source for this information.

When the battery is charging, you may see it on your display.

My personal suggestions and techniques from a road trip in a Tesla (M3)


As much as feasible, use regenerative braking.

For newer Teslas, the option to reduce regenerative braking was eliminated, however I still have the choice to set it to low or normal in my vehicle.

This option does not make sense if you have to drive for hours on the highway; instead, use the cruise control as described above. However, if you travel on rural roads or through a city with frequent stops, it is advisable to use this option to set to standard.

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When the vehicle stops, the battery is charged, much like the cruise control.


Follow the speed limits posted on the signs.

To go to the next supercharger or your ultimate destination, you don’t have to conserve battery. The pace at which you are permitted to travel on the road is used to calculate how much battery life you have left.

We used to go about 110-120 mph on highways on road trips in order to save money on gas. When you travel below the recommended speed, the cost of charging at Tesla superchargers is so cheap that the difference is practically non-existent. So, as long as you’re comfortable, keep to the speeds that you’re permitted to drive.

We made this error on the way there, and when we arrived at our first location, we only had 45 percent of our fuel remaining.


Set the air conditioner to a reasonable temperature rather than an excessively low one.

The air conditioner consumes a significant amount of battery power. When you set the air conditioner to a stupidly low degree, it consumes even more energy, and you quickly get too chilly, forcing you to crank it up, which consumes battery. Keep the temperature at a comfortable level.

I typically set the thermostat at 21 degrees Fahrenheit (69.8F).


Remember to double-check your navigation settings!

We were just outside of Paris when we saw roadwork signs. Finally, we were redirected along a rural road before turning into the main road. Around 23:00, on dark rural roads that a Dutchman is unfamiliar with. We used a lot of energy as a result of this, and guess what? Avoid Tolls was on, even though there were no roadworks!

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Before you begin your journey, double-check your navigation settings!


Before you go on your journey, make sure your vehicle is in good working order.

Make sure your tire pressure is correct and that you have adequate rider wiper fluid.

I failed to do so, and the wiper fluid ran out during the trip. It’s especially useful on a road trip in a nation where people don’t speak much English, your vehicle is covered in flies, and birds use your car as a bathroom.


Will you sleep in your vehicle for a night? Remember to activate camp mode!

Around 7:00 p.m., we began driving. We arrived in Paris at 00:00 a.m. and decided to sleep. We neglected to switch on camp mode without giving it much thought.

I can tell you that if you’re sleeping and your vehicle believes there’s been a major break-in, you’ll be wide awake…


Extra trips for using the Tesla as a wardrobe and storage, as well as sleeping in a tiny tent.

We didn’t simply rely on the automobile for transportation. We utilized the Tesla as a wardrobe and storage since the tent only fit 2 to 3 people and there was no room for luggage in the tent.

Our luggage were in the rear seats, and our passports, ID cards, and other important documents were in the glove box. The great thing about a Tesla’s glove compartment is that you can program a pin code into it. This means you may leave the vehicle open for a time without worrying about your things being stolen.

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Some of these suggestions may be overdone, but they were helpful to me. I couldn’t charge through 230 volts at the campgrounds, and the chargers there weren’t connected to my leasing business.

On average, we opened the vehicle 50-60 times each day. Without the suggestions below, this would cost us over 20% each day. We had to improvise since the Tesla was not driving. We once had to leave the campground for a half-hour drive to a supercharger near Narbonne in order to avoid being left with a dead battery.

Using the settings below, my battery life decreased by 1% each day.

When the vehicle is in Easy Entry mode, all of these adjustments are made (Some are not profile bound).


Turn the air conditioner off.

The air conditioning does not have to turn on when you open the vehicle to get a t-shirt. After you shut the doors again, this will continue for a while. This results in needless energy use, and air conditioning consumes a significant amount of electricity.

Have you tried driving the Tesla once more? Remember to switch off the air conditioner once again.


Turn the music off.

The same may be said of the music. Or do you grab a t-shirt because you want to listen to your favorite music?


All lights should be turned off.

When you open the doors, all of the lights inside and outside the vehicle come on automatically. If you simply want to get a t-shirt, none of this is required. When you opened the vehicle doors many times, you were definitely using a lot of energy.

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Disable the display brightness.

When putting on a t-shirt, do you use the Display? As a result, the Display brightness may also be adjusted to 0%.

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Sentry Mode should be disabled.

When your vehicle is parked someplace, Sentry mode is useful, however it is inconvenient next to your tent. You activate a sensor every time you walk by it. The vehicle then begins filming and switches on the lights. This guarantees that your battery consumes a large amount of energy.

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Turn off the cabin overheat protection and the security alarm.

The security alarm is useful in and of itself. It is only required if you sleep in a tent close to your vehicle. You may also deactivate Cabin Overheat Protection by deactivating the Security Alarm.

Cabin Overheat Protection keeps the cabin temperature below 40 degrees Fahrenheit (105 degrees Fahrenheit) for up to 12 hours after you leave it parked. Although no A/C mode uses less energy, temperatures may reach 40 degrees (105 Fahrenheit). When the battery is down to 20% or below, this function is disabled. Tesla is the source of this information.

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When sleeping in your tent, turn off Bluetooth.

Turn your phone’s Bluetooth off. This isn’t a power saver; it’s a method to guarantee that strangers can’t get into your vehicle while you’re sleeping with your phone next to you.

Related

The best tesla trip planner app is a great way to plan your Tesla road trip. It allows you to input all the necessary information and it will give you a step-by-step guide of what you should do.

{“@context”:”https://schema.org”,”@type”:”FAQPage”,”mainEntity”:[{“@type”:”Question”,”name”:”How do you plan a long distance trip with a Tesla?”,”acceptedAnswer”:{“@type”:”Answer”,”text”:””}},{“@type”:”Question”,”name”:”How do I plan a Tesla Road Trip?”,”acceptedAnswer”:{“@type”:”Answer”,”text”:”
First, you need to decide where you want to go. Next, its time to figure out how much money you have available for the trip. Then, research Tesla Road Trip prices. Finally, plan your route and take into account charging stations along the way.”}},{“@type”:”Question”,”name”:”How long does it take to charge a Tesla on a road trip?”,”acceptedAnswer”:{“@type”:”Answer”,”text”:”
It takes about 4 hours to charge a Tesla on a road trip.”}}]}

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you plan a long distance trip with a Tesla?

 

How do I plan a Tesla Road Trip?

First, you need to decide where you want to go. Next, its time to figure out how much money you have available for the trip. Then, research Tesla Road Trip prices. Finally, plan your route and take into account charging stations along the way.

How long does it take to charge a Tesla on a road trip?

It takes about 4 hours to charge a Tesla on a road trip.

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