Tutorial – Driving the Tesla Model Y in Cold Weather

image via Tesla Model Y Owner’s Manual

The Tesla Model Y offers a versatile driving experience. With an impressive battery range and plentiful storage options, the electric SUV can handle all kinds of road trips. But what about driving in cold weather? In this week’s tutorial, we’ll take a look at some best practices for driving the Tesla Model Y in cold weather (despite winter being far, far away still!). Follow along on page 78 of the Tesla Model Y Owner’s Manual.

First and foremost, there’s some preliminary steps you should take before driving the vehicle in cold weather. The first step is to warm up both the battery and the cabin. The Model Y offers a few different options for this, according to Tesla, and are worth looking into when winter rolls around.

To use preconditioning in the mobile app:

1. Navigate to Climate > Turn On Climate using your mobile app.
2. Customize the temperature you desire, or simply use the HI setting.

To use Defrost on the mobile app:

1. Navigate to Climate > Defrost

As a side note, it’s best to activate these settings at least 30 minutes prior to departure. You can also use the Scheduled Departure feature to automate your cabin and battery warming.

To prepare mirrors for cold weather:

1. Turn off Auto-Fold Mirrors if you expect ice buildup when parked.
2. Navigate to Controls > Mirrors > Auto-Fold.

To prepare wipers for cold weather:

1. Turn on Wiper Service Mode.
2. Navigate to Controls > Service > Wiper Service Mode > ON.