Summer Driving Tips
Your Tesla vehicle is designed to maximize comfort and convenience in hot temperatures. Learn how to improve your warm weather driving experience with the following recommendations.
Scheduled Departure
‘Scheduled Departure’ manages both charging and cabin preconditioning so you start each day with a charged battery and your desired cabin temperature.
Preconditioning the cabin while your vehicle is plugged in adjusts the cabin to your desired temperature without using energy from the battery, saving its energy for maximum range.
Find ‘Scheduled Departure’ within the Charging menu on your vehicle’s touchscreen or by selecting ‘Schedule’ in the Tesla app.
Precondition Using the Tesla App
You can precondition and cool your cabin by activating climate control remotely from the Tesla app at any time, from anywhere. Simply tap the fan icon on the home screen of the Tesla app or select ‘Climate’ to adjust the temperature. Automatic vents direct airflow toward your seats so they’re cool to the touch when you get inside.
Keep Climate On
Keep climate on to keep your groceries cool when running another errand. To maintain cabin temperature while your vehicle is not in use, open your Climate menu on the touchscreen and select ‘Keep.’ Your climate control system will keep running while your vehicle is parked and locked.
Dog Mode
Provide a cool cabin for your pets while they wait for you to return. Dog Mode maintains your set temperature, and your touchscreen displays a message to reassure passersby that climate control is keeping your furry occupants comfortable.
Before leaving your vehicle, select ‘Dog’ from your Climate menu on the touchscreen or ‘Dog Mode’ from the Climate section of the Tesla app.
Camp Mode
Use Camp Mode to stay comfortable while sleeping in your vehicle, regardless of the temperature outside. Camp Mode maintains cabin temperature and powers your vehicle’s USB and 12V outlets so you can charge your devices through the night. It also allows you to play media for hours on end, turning your vehicle into a powerful portable sound system.
Like Dog Mode, activate Camp Mode from your vehicle touchscreen or the Tesla app.
Cabin Overheat Protection
Enable settings to prevent your cabin from getting excessively hot even when warm weather features are not in use:
- ‘On’ uses air conditioning to prevent the cabin from exceeding 105° F / 40° C.
- ‘No A/C’ uses less energy while still providing some cooling by blowing outside air into the cabin.
To activate, go to ‘Controls’ > ‘Safety’ > ‘Cabin Overheat Protection’ on your vehicle touchscreen, or expand the bottom drawer in the Climate section of the Tesla app.
Note: Running the climate system when your vehicle is unplugged gradually consumes energy from the battery pack. Expect a reduction in remaining energy after using the features above for prolonged periods of time. Monitor state of charge from the home screen of the Tesla app.
Window Venting
Lowering the windows before you return to your vehicle can help lower cabin temperature without using energy.
To activate from the Tesla app, go to ‘Climate’ > ‘Vent.’
Windows Up, ‘Auto’ On
Your vehicle has plenty of range for daily driving and for traveling between Superchargers on long-distance trips.
When you want to maximize efficiency and range while keeping your cabin temperature comfortable, drive with the windows up and set climate to ‘Auto.’ This takes full advantage of your vehicle’s aerodynamics and allows your climate system to adjust settings automatically. In ‘Auto,’ climate will reach your desired temperature as quickly as possible and maintain it with minimal energy consumption.
Ventilated Seats
Some Model S and Model X vehicles feature ventilated seats for additional comfort. These seats can be cooled using the Tesla app before you return to your vehicle. By default, your climate system automatically controls seat ventilation based on your temperature settings. Manually adjust ventilated seats from your vehicle touchscreen’s Climate menu or drag one-touch controls onto your customizable bottom bar.
To activate ventilated seats from the Tesla app, go to ‘Climate,’ select the seat(s) and tap ‘Cool.’
Sunshades
Help prevent heat from entering the cabin by using sunshades. With sunshades installed, your vehicle's cabin conditioning uses less energy to maintain a desired temperature. Sunshades are available for the glass roof and rear liftgate.
Roof and Hitch Racks
Roof Racks allow you to easily mount bikes, surfboards and more for summer road trips. Model X and Model Y Hitch Racks can carry up to four bikes and can support loads of up to 54 kg.
Tesla Roof Racks are designed to minimize wind resistance, especially compared to large bike mounts and roof boxes. Wind resistance decreases the efficiency of any vehicle, especially at high speeds.
Use Summer or All-Season Tires
It’s important to mount the appropriate tires for the season. In warm temperatures, summer tires provide the best on-road performance and traction in both wet and dry conditions. All-season tires also perform well and can offer efficiency advantages as well as more capability off pavement. Winter tires should not be used in hot weather as they are made of soft compounds that wear quickly in extreme heat, which can result in reduced efficiency and compromised handling.
Monitor Treadwear and Pressures
Tires wear faster in extreme heat. Periodically check your tires for wear, including the less visible inner edges. Reference your Owner’s Manual for guidance on tire rotation and replacement specific to your Tesla vehicle. Never use tires with a tread depth of less than 3 mm.
As with any vehicle, only check tire pressures when your tires are cool. We recommend doing this in the morning before you’ve driven your vehicle. Even a small amount of driving can heat the air in the tires, resulting in higher pressure readings. Before towing a trailer, review your Owner’s Manual for towing-specific tire pressures and adjust your tires accordingly.