Battery chemistry is heat sensitive. Auto starter batteries are more likely to let us down on chilly mornings. Lithium batteries self-discharge faster in higher ambient temperatures. A little bird called Elektrek let slip that Tesla wants to keep batteries warm in the winter. That way, they will spend less energy on cold starts. And therefore have a higher effective density for longer trips.
How Tesla Wants to Keep Batteries Warm
Tesla wants to preheat its lithium electric car batteries to maximize their regenerative braking capacity, and charge faster in cold weather. This will improve their driving range slightly, and make them more practical overall.
However, the added burden of cold weather climate control will still remain, and therefore they will still do a few less miles in winter. This video shows how Tesla’s information systems display the current range per ambient temperature. Now Tesla wants to keep batteries warm while charging so they are good to go right away. Watch this fascinating video for background information.
More About Tesla’s Thinking Regarding Winter Starts
Tesla has tweaked its dashboard slightly. Drivers can now see how much distance between charges they will lose, when the temperature drops below a certain point. Soon, they will have an app that activates a battery pre-heating feature while their car is on charge.
This should enable faster charging, more economic starting, and some regenerative braking at the beginning of their journey. This is great news for motorists in colder climates when the snow is falling, especially if their Tesla sleeps out in the street at night.
Slowly, but surely the electric car industry is eating away at the greatest challenge it faces. This is a shorter driving range than gasoline offers. This is something impatient motorists find difficult to accept, despite the obvious benefits of a healthier world.
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Preview Image: Tesla Model X Event
Video Share Link: https://youtu.be/3dEmLT8Mv0w
