Tesla S - Getting Maximum Range

Driving Tips to Maximize Range
You can maximize your driving range using
the same driving habits you use to conserve
fuel in a gasoline-powered vehicle. In addition
to driving habits, energy consumption
depends on environmental conditions (such
as exceptionally cold or hot weather and
driving on roads with steep hills). To achieve
maximum range:
• Slow down your driving and avoid
frequent and rapid acceleration. Consider
using Chill Mode (see Controls on page
126) and Speed Assist (see Speed Assist
on page 124) to assist in controlling your
acceleration and speed.
•
If safe to do so, modulate the accelerator
pedal instead of using the brake pedal
when gradually slowing down. Whenever
Model S is moving and you are not
pressing the accelerator pedal,
regenerative braking slows down
Model S
and feeds surplus energy back to the
Battery (see Regenerative Braking on
page 69).
•
Set Stopping Mode to HOLD to gain the
benefit of regenerative braking at low
driving speeds (see
Stopping Mode on
page 70).
•
Keep tires at the recommended inflation
pressures (see Tire Care and Maintenance
on page 180), ensure tire alignment is
within
specification, and tires are rotated
when needed. Rotating tires will reduce
uneven tread wear, increasing your
vehicle's
eciency (see Maintenance
Schedule on page 178).
•
Lighten your load by removing any
unnecessary cargo.
• Fully raise all windows.
• Limit the use of resources such as
heating, lights, and air conditioning. Using
seat heaters to keep warm is more
ecient than heating the cabin using
climate controls.
• Precondition the vehicle while it is
plugged in to ensure the cabin is at a
comfortable temperature and windows
are defrosted (if needed) before your
drive. Use the mobile app to precondition
your vehicle by touching
Climate > Turn
On Climate
and customizing your
preferences (see Mobile App on page
165).
• Turn on Range Mode (see Range Mode on
page 81).
• Features such as Sentry Mode, Headlights
After Exit, and Cabin Overheat Protection
can impact range. Disable features that
are not needed.
• To prevent an excessive amount of energy
consumption while the vehicle is idle,
keep the vehicle plugged in when not in
use.
•
Minimize the use of DC chargers (such as
superchargers) for optimal Battery health.
The power meter on the instrument panel and
the Energy app (see Energy App on page
81) provides feedback on energy usage.
With this feedback, you can become familiar
with how driving habits and environmental
conditions impact how much energy
Model S
is using.
Factors Aecting Energy
Consumption
Several factors can aect your vehicle's rate
of energy consumption, including:
• Uphill travel: Driving uphill requires more
energy and depletes range at a faster
rate. However, driving downhill allows
your vehicle to regain a portion of its
expended energy through regenerative
braking (see
Regenerative Braking on
page 69).
• Customized settings: Energy is consumed
by accessories like lights, heating and
cooling, media player, Sentry Mode, etc.
• Short trips: It takes energy to bring the
cabin and Battery to a specified
temperature when starting the vehicle.
You may see a higher average
consumption when the vehicle is used for
very short trips while climate controls are
enabled.
• Temperature and weather conditions: In
colder weather, precondition the vehicle
before driving (see Cold Weather Best
Practices on page 87).
Getting Maximum Range
80 MODEL S OWNER'S MANUAL