Top 5 Mistakes When Traveling in a Tesla!

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Traveling in a Tesla: Top 5 Mistakes to Avoid!
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0:00 Traveling in a Tesla
0:27 Mistake #1
2:10 Mistake #2
3:18 Sponsor
4:25 Mistake #3
6:36 Mistake #4
7:44 Mistake #5
Traveling in a Tesla has become much easier over the last few years as a result of Tesla installing thousands of new Superchargers, but there are still some things you need to know before taking a long trip. Before a trip I make sure I charge my Tesla to 100% the night before. I just change it from the app because it’s usually set to 80% charging limit for daily driving. On our most recent trip to Holland Michigan, the last Supercharger stop was 50+ miles away. Driving too fast is one of the worst things you can do for your efficiency, and it’s something that I struggle with especially on long trips because I’m on the interstate and I usually go 5-10 miles an hour over the speed limit. The mobile charger is handy, not when charging in route but when I actually arrive at my destination. Another adapter that I recently got was this 30 amp adapter for RV outlets which I haven’t had the need for yet, but a fellow Tesla owner said it’s the most used adapter in his car when he travels to national parks and places where there are RV hookups. The CCS charging standard is what most non-Tesla EVs use so the Tesla CCS adapter was something I thought would be handy because CCS chargers are only going to grow in the future, and with all the new Teslas hitting the road this adapter essentially provides 3 main benefits: you can charge at a CCS station if a Supercharger is full, you can possibly charge faster at a CCS station compared to a shared stall at a V2 Supercharger and you can possibly charge at a cheaper rate on a CCS if the Supercharger is more expensive. Leaving some key Tesla settings enabled will drain your battery much more quickly especially if you’re away from a charger for a few days. If I hadn’t turned off Sentry Mode during our 4 days in Holland I wouldn’t have had enough battery to make it back to the Supercharger and I would have had to travel an hour out of my way to charge in Grand Rapids so definitely be mindful of those settings when you need to optimize your range and conserve as much battery as possible. If you have one of the newer standard range Model 3’s then it has an LFP battery which you can charge to 100% for your daily driving. To avoid these fees I usually set my charge limit to 100% whenever I get that message about high usage in order to buy myself some time because there have been times where I’m eating food at a nearby restaurant and my car is about to reach 80% and although I don’t technically need the last 20% to continue on my trip I’ll set my charge limit to 100% on my Tesla app so that it buys me some extra time to finish eating and return to my car without being charged idle fees. I see so many Teslas charging in these spots that are not towing anything, and it may not seem like a big deal but if someone is towing a trailer and pulls up to charge and their spot is taken then they will have to go through the hassle of unhitching their trailer and re-hitching it so just be courteous and don’t charge in these spots unless it’s the only stall open and you’re able to sit in the car in case you need to move out of it quickly.
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[@aslye]

Sponsored: Click the link to start your 7-day free trial and get 25% off a premium membership: blinkist.com/andyslye

[@forestshi]

Doesn’t work

[@forestshi]

Says error

[@blue2indigo411]

That’s not Tesla premium membership 😀

[@paulmarcel9480]

If it is wintertime and you get to your motel with a charge needed, but you are tired, and want to hit the bed and charge in the morning, don’t do it. The battery will be cold, and not accept full supercharger rate and you’ll get a message that says supercharger will take 2 or more hours. So charge the night before, and you’re ready to hit the highway.

[@leaflover3497]

I know that but sometimes we get so tired of charging that we skip it at night.

[@RFXLR]

But when you GPS a supercharger, your Tesla will optimize the battery for supercharging

[@jeffpicken5057]

@@RFXLR That can take up to 15 minutes. If the SuC is a mile or two from the hotel, that's not going to help. That said, you can precondition the battery while you're packing before you get down to your car.

[@drw0]

Rates are also lower during the night I think

[@WV-HillBilly]

hence why automating a scheduled Battery Conditioning 2 hours before your Departure is possible.

[@wardsworldwelcometoit5728]

700 miles 🤦🏻‍♂️😁 Just got back from our latest trip in our MY, 13 states, 6600 miles, with a stay in HOLLAND, Michigan 😃👍🏼 We stayed at the state park, camped in the Tesla and plugged in on site! It was awesome! … great content, keep it coming! 🇺🇸 Ps. Spent $440 in charging, crazy cheap!

[@tommy--k]

With our Model Y, my wife and I drove from LA California to Omaha Nebraska (1600 miles one way), and back without issue. We used the Tesla navigation system, and supercharger network. It worked flawlessly. If you go the speed limit, your good to go. We used autopilot which made the trip a breeze.

[@SpottedSharks]

All excellent tips. I only have two adds. 1 - Maintain correct tire pressure, 2 - Aim to reach the next supercharger in a state of charge between 1-10% to take advantage of the supercharger's maxium output. This reduces the time spent charging.

[@aslye]

Yes spot on about tire pressure. I aim for around 42 psi. And ABRP helps with your 2nd tip. Thanks for watching!

[@stephengraham7950]

Never thought about the trailer issue. I’ll back in from now on

[@richjohnson8261]

The 1-10% reach is also spot on.

[@beefuzzy310]

I get the 1-10%, it makes sense most the time. However, I have had Tesla nav me to a Super Charger under repair and another stuck behind a road closure. I would have been towed if I followed this one.

[@richjohnson8261]

@@beefuzzy310 Yea true. I am not comfortable at less than 5% but the speed of charging is so much faster at low states of charge that it is good to mention to new owners going on trips. Shooting for each leg of trip in the 7-80% range over 30-100% saves a good amount of time.

[@mr.anderson70]

Here's a big one (cheap) that will save you if you're using 110 at your destination. Get a (Klein Tools RT110 Outlet Tester) to make sure there grounding is good at the outlet you're using. At my parent's house in Oklahoma the grounding was bad and I ended up frying my mobile charger. Trust me, you don't want that stress when there are no Superchargers nearby. The tester is about $10 and can be carried in the mobile charger bag.

[@bonniegramlich77]

Great tip. Thanks!

[@BroncoPH]

Brilliant

[@scotthelmann5156]

How would it “fry” your charger? Yeah- it wouldn’t. It just may not let you charge from that outlet. It doesn’t hurt your mobile charge adapter and cable.

[@starfluke]

I had this kind of experience in Waco TX with old wiring. My outlet tester confirmed that there was a ground fault. But my gen 1 mobile charger simply gave me an amber glow and refused to charge, leaving the mobile charger undamaged. Although my gen 1 mobile charger was doubling as an outlet tester by showing amber I carry an outlet tester for convenience when looking around for a good wall outlet. They are small.

[@marcelsilveira1117]

Just came back from a 900+ mile road trip to the Carolinas from Florida fleeing the hurricane in my Model Y and can say all these tips are spot on. Great video!

[@whatsap5129]

ʀᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏɴ ᴡʜᴀᴛsᴀᴘᴘ ғᴏʀ ᴘʀᴏғɪᴛᴀʙʟᴇ ᴛɪᴘs ☝️☝️✅..,

[@mpeg12]

Thanks, Andy! I did not know about the end chargers. Tip 1. When the day's motel stop doesn't have a charger, use ABRP to plan it as a waypoint to the next Supercharger so you'll have enough charge to get to that Supercharger the next day. Tip 2. ABRP lets you adjust for shorter trip legs (more stops) or longer legs (fewer stops). (Personally, I prefer to take more breaks, walk around, and get coffee or food.) It's a very handy app although its UI needs work. Tip 3. Reserve capacity on each leg of the trip in case there's a detour, storm, or other unexpected change. Tip 4. Bring window cleaner, towels, a tire pressure gauge, and a tire pump.

[@NYnative61]

We just returned from a 1 month long 6000 mile road trip, round trip from southern AZ to NY with a week long stop in Kansas City on the way. We were in our 1 month old Model Y long range. Not one issue ever. Loved plugging into my moms outdoor garage outlet while we slept for convenient charging. The only thing we would do different in the future is carry less weight, as previously stated. We always pack too much stuff, Lol!

[@MrSpecify9]

Great tips Andy! Here are some of my own: 1. Stopping is unavoidable, so make them count. - If getting food, pickup food before charging and eat while you charge (I don't recommend the other way around or eating while driving to avoid the need for a bathroom on the road) - Go to the bathroom a few minutes before leaving the charger 2. Adding to Andy's "route planning" it helps to know what kind of charger you are going to. - 150kWh chargers share power with the stall next to them (with the same number) park separate in these kinds of chargers whenever possible. Also be a good neighbor and invite people to charge next to you if you know you are almost done. - 250kWh chargers DO NOT share power and you can go anywhere without worry. 3. If you're car has autopilot (early models did not include this feature) do not use in heavy urban highways. - Quick reactions are required in heavy traffic. Edit: Tip 4. Don't be afraid to charge a bit longer than normal. Your car routes you to the next charger typically with 15-20% charge at arrival but this can be inaccurate. Charging a bit longer gives you a better chance of arriving at a safe state of charge. *Not tested when traveling with young children.

[@YingJwo]

One more tip. As mentioned in other videos, if there are plenty of empty supercharger stalls then don’t park next to an occupied stall. Sometimes the power going to 2 stalls is shared and will slow down the charge rate for both you and the stall next to you. You can usually determine if the power is shared with a designated letter (ie. 1A and 1B vs 2A and 2B).

[@lawrencemcclammy4686]

To make it easier 150 KW charger- sharing with next stall. 250kw - not sharing. 😊

[@LarryButler-kp3se]

The Supercharger at Festival Center in N Charleston, SC has 9 stalls BUT the utility transformer feeding them only has 250 KVA rating! ALL 9 stalls share ONE utility feed.

[@ktrotter]

​@@LarryButler-kp3sepower companies don't believe in normal math lol. So it's probably not as stronger forward as it should be at that location

[@LarryButler-kp3se]

@@ktrotter The transformer overload would trip about 260 KVA. At every charging station you visit, read the utility transformer rating. 4 station Electrify America has a huge 2.5 megawatt monster wasting about 3600 watts core leakage at no load!

[@ktrotter]

@@LarryButler-kp3se in theory. Just like in theory my 200A service shouldn't be supplied by 4/0 AL..but they do that all the time

[@johnditoro1676]

RE: the the end stalls. I find that some of the newer Super Chargers have cables so short that I cannot get near enough to use when I have my hitch mounted bike rack on and loaded. I know that the end stalls are intended for someone pulling a trailer, but I end up using these in that situation.

[@madhououinkyoma]

I think anything bulky attached to the back of the car counts in this case. Usually is a trailer but bike racks likely a close second.

[@Paul-GrnHil]

I recently completed a 350+ mile trip with my M-Y towing a 21ft boat. I often found theses pull-in spots at the entrance to the chargers such that if I pulled in front first, my trailer was blocking the roadway; a good idea, poorly executed. Luckily I traveled at a time when the charges were not busy and I could block a few to get a charge without unhitching. Also, it sure would help to have an extra 2 ft of cable on the chargers.

[@delaware137]

In August I drove my M-3 from Chicago to Jackson, Wy and back again (2,800 mi round trip). Never had a problem. Drove 800 miles a day comfortably. If your route is mainly on the Interstate Highways it's a piece of cake. You don't need to start with a full battery, worry about your speed, ect. The car will get you there.

[@SpottedSharks]

Another tip: At the end of a day's driving, if you are staying near a supercharger then juice up BEFORE you retire for the night. The battery will be warm and ready to accept faster charging speeds. If you wait until morning to recharge, especially if it's going to be cold overnight, then the car will charge much more slowly.

[@brendykes6599]

The catch on that method is that you don’t want the battery sitting around at a high state of charge overnight, unless it is LFP or some other chemistry that is not degraded at high charge levels (above 80%).

[@thomaswilson2917]

@@brendykes6599 in September on my way to Colorado in my Tesla I charged at a supercharger a mile away from the hotel in the evening. Good thing I did. When I woke up to check out the power was out at the hotel. It was also out at the gas station where the supercharger was. No one was charging or getting gasoline. While on a trip you usually don't have to charge above 80 percent to get to the next chsrging station. Besides charging above 80 percent is not time efficent! Only time I would do it if it was necessary to get to the next supercharger.

[@thomaswilson2917]

@@brendykes6599I don't charge above 80 percent on a trip Nt

[@LarryButler-kp3se]

Odd...LG Chem tells you to wait at least 30 minutes for the cells to shed the internal heat before even normal charging. Get the LG 18650 spec sheets to find other FACTS EV sellers don't want you to know.

[@RLang03]

@@LarryButler-kp3se that spec doesn’t account for an active BMS system. Cars literally create extra waste heat to precondition before DC charging for the entire purpose of greater efficiency. The cells like being warmer than ambient but not hot. Unless you’re doing 120mph+ for half an hour, your battery won’t be too hot.

[@rossroderickwhitney]

Absolutely first-rate documentary. The narrator conveys of lot of information quickly, but not annoyingly fast. He's got a great voice: he would be good on radio;. So many well meaning You Tube narrators have very unpleasant voices.The video is of uniformly high quality. And the length of the piece is perfect for the subject. Keep it up, Andy! This is really terrific!

[@Mark4Jesus]

Yes I went uphill with car packed with family and suitcases in the rain and luckily there was a supercharger half way in a remote mountain town, otherwise I would have had to make other plans. I didn't realize the "pull-in" spots were for cars with trailers. Thanks for that info. They should put a big sign on there that says that, otherwise I'm sure plenty of other folks are clueless like me about it.

[@davidbratton9346]

Non-250kw superchargers share power. If stalls are labeled 1A and 1B then pick an un-paired stall first otherwise you will share power output for the shared cabinet. Usually A/B stalls are next to each other so just leave 1 space between cars. If there is a 1C and 1D then they are not shared.

[@darknight2628]

good to know. Didn't know C&D stalls are not shared!

[@The_DuMont_Network]

@@darknight2628 Ummm... that may not be true. Similar numbered stalls are shared, if they are the older style.

[@gregpoy3038]

I think the number #1 tip should be your #3 tip and that is to get Tesla adapters. On a road trip I find that either the super chargers are not convenient to my road trip and are often much more expensive to fill up. Having an adapter so you are not limited to Tesla stations you can find so many more charging stations with many of those stations free or just more convenient.

[@Fulblade]

1. I never charge to 100%, even on trips. Charging to 90% is fine and I’ve discovered that’s not needed. Route planning & supercharge availability means you never have to charge to 100%. 2. I generally don’t charge to above 80% during long trips. I generally stick to the recommendations by Tesla or ABRP. Charging to 80% or more on every stop adds more time than needed to your trips. I road tip between GA,VA & FL. Roughly 4 times a year. No issues ever. 3 year old model 3 Tesla, in the top 93% of battery life/health compared to other Teslas in my class.

[@kimbrady5856]

On long road trips where there are plenty of superchargers (like I-5 West coast) I find keeping on the charge curve where recharging is faster saves time. If I'm at 240 range in my Y I usually take off. Then I try to recharge when the range estimate is < 50. Another tip might be to purchase the Tesla NEMA Adapter Bundle and have the ability to connect to any outlet type -at least in North America.

[@tomsullivan2907]

Thanks Andy, for nice tips, appreciate that unlike some of the KZbinrs you talk in a nice clear voice and don't repeat and waste time.

[@Oncampus2k]

The 110 adapter can be very useful on trips! We went to Orange Beach and was planning on taking the car to a few public chargers to get us by down there, but the parking garage had outlets in it and over the course of the week, we were able to get enough for our daily driving and still fill up enough to get to the first supercharger on the way back home.

[@The_DuMont_Network]

Never leave home without the charging adapter and a full set of plugs. I also have a 50' #10/3 cord. A Modern Spare, inflator kit and a .380 pocket rocket. You don't need any of those until you need them. And then you generally need them badly.

[@rodbrindamour9505]

Spend the night at an RV campground and use a 50 amp site to charge overnight. On our recent 20,000 km road trip across Canada from coast to coast we spent 22 days at RV sites, saved money and woke up with a full charge! Get the NEMA 14-50 connecter for your mobile charger.

[@andyfeimsternfei8408]

My wife and I have made three >6000 cross country trips in our X from NC to the west this year without any planning, we took different routes each time, drove 70-80+ mph, never made reservations (because we didn't know where we were going), had adapters but never used them and never charged to 100%. I guess we are doing it totally wrong?

[@SpottedSharks]

You were doing it so very right!

[@stevedowler2366]

Some very good tips, thanks Andy. On the pull-in stalls, often they are located along narrow sides of a parking lot and if a car with a trailer were to pull in there, the trailer would stick out blocking the lane from other cars trying to get to a stall. Sometimes a car with a trailer can pull alongside the stall and the cable will reach but you will then be blocking the next stall to you so that's not so good either. The best trailer management layout is the pull-through stall located at the end of a line of stalls where the car and trailer can be pulled up to charge and not block any other stalls. Anyway thanks and drive safely.

[@lucaslange4398]

I just now learned about the end stalls purpose being for those who are towing. Why aren’t they labeled with signs or paint on pavement so that everyone knows the first time they see them?

[@anilkumar1971]

Good point!

[@craigscott7760]

Andy, agree on all except the speed warning - it only applies on the last leg. If you are traveling along a chain of superchargers, then speed does not matter. It always takes less time to charge a bit extra than to go slower and take more time and SC's are spaced accordingly. But that last leg, when there is no destination charging, is where going slower makes total sense. One other thing I've seen my car do - there are more direct routes, but sometimes it will take me on back roads with less vertical climb, e.g. from Virginia to western PA will take me along the Potomac (water level route) rather than over some additional hills. That improves range.

[@gregorycollins3096]

We have 42,000 miles on our Model Y. Lots of long 1,000 mile plus trips have taught us to stop worrying about charging. We drive fast and never worry about the weight of cargo. Stop worrying!

[@mikewashington5628]

Same miles. I agree with you. Just drive. I’ve had good luck with the navigation app forecast for remaining range at the next stop. I go for 2-3% more than suggested.

[@beefuzzy310]

I'll stop worrying when we get more reliable chargers or when the car can accurately gauge range. As of Today, the car is generally 5-25% off estimated range. I live rural and have a lot of hills. The software does not seem to include incline/decline in it's math yet.

[@kenmcclow8963]

My car is almost 8 years old and it estimates range on hills very well and driving in Montana and Wyoming has hills. They don't do wind at all yet, but were going to try and that can make a huge difference. Last Christmas, I got a 20 mile bonus from a big tailwind in Wyoming and week later in New Mexico I had to turn back and get a higher state of charge to overcome a headwind. If you are outside the US maybe they don't include elevation change, but it's pretty accurate anywhere I have gone.

[@dakabero]

Regarding the last tip, the pull-in spots. In addition to trailers, if one has a hitch-attached bike rack or the example you showed with skis on rear, the extra load in the rear may make reserving into the spot difficult or impossible within the Supercharger cable limit. Thanks for such a down-to-earth and insightful podcast

[@crunchmandu]

Something that helps me is lowering the screen brightness. When it’s on auto it always jacks up the brightness to 100 during the day.

[@routedbyreynolds]

Wasn't aware about the end spots and the trailers, thanks.

[@jtau1980]

Those aren’t for trailers. Trailer tow spots are pull through spots. If someone pulling a trailer pulled into one of those end spots their trailer would be sticking out in the road. Those spots are because Tesla knew they were about to be sharing their superchargers with other ev company’s and they wanted to offer some stations were a different brand could charge without taking up two stalls.

[@mitchellbarnow1709]

All excellent tips! Sentry Mode was your best tip of all, Andy. I hate turning it off, but it’s amazing how much power the car needs when it can’t sleep.

[@zawiszaskiresort]

There's a Supercharger in Holland at the Meijer. 250kw, faster than the 3 in GR.

[@aslye]

Yep it hadn’t opened yet when we were there in early August.

[@stankonwiser6180]

You also want to check the $/kwh price of the super charger. Tesla has increased the cost to the extent that cost per mile is higher than many gas cars. The rate can be found on your navigation map. The actual rate is NOT displayed while charging, only the accumulated total cost. You can see the rate after the fact by looking at your Tesla billing records.

[@ezpoppy55]

A great video and some terrific tips, Andy. On my summer trip from Sacramento to Louisville (and back 😅), I made sure to follow that first tip: plan ahead. For me, this meant simply using the car’s Navigation and inputting my day’s destination where I’d spend the night. Navigation did all the heavy lifting, even when I edited the route to do some off route sightseeing. (I was driving my 2021 Model 3 SR+.) I started off using A Better Route Planner, but after a few days of travel, I found I could simply rely on Navigation, making my planning much simpler. Plus Navigation accurately determined in real time how many stalls were available at a particular Supercharger. The hotel in St Louis had a destination charger, but none of the other places I stayed had one. I’ve used those on other trips and they’re very handy! I do plan on getting that CCS adaptor and the RV plug. We used RV stations with my wife’s VW ID.4 PRO on our trip to Zion NP and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, though we used a Level 2 14-50 outlet (check ahead!). The main thing to keep in mind is that road trips are definitely doable with an EV and getting easier all the time. But a bit of planning ahead is a good idea. Hit the road, have fun, and see the USA!

[@whatsap5129]

ʀᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏɴ ᴡʜᴀᴛsᴀᴘᴘ ғᴏʀ ᴘʀᴏғɪᴛᴀʙʟᴇ ᴛɪᴘs ☝️☝️✅..,

[@HardwickInvesting]

Thanks for talking about the supercharger etiquette!!! This one tip helps the whole Tesla Community/Family.

[@techyjames1945]

On that CCS adapter, not all Tesla’s can use the adapter. My year old Tesla Model Y needs a retrofit before I can use it as it don’t have the CCS hardware needs to use CCS DC Fast Charging.

[@ralphrichards4794]

Add a note: be aware of time of day charging. Rates go up in ca between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m.

[@chipkaplove]

I’ve found it helpful to carry a long orang extension cord so that I can always plug into a 110 and - even though the rate of charge is slow - I get extra miles that can help me reach a supercharger if I arrive at my destination with very few miles in the tank

[@The_DuMont_Network]

Make sure it is #10 gauge wire. Coil it up under the rear seat. You'll probably never need it, but like a pistol, it's c comforting.

[@ravitoday]

In my humble opinion and experience of doing road trips along the eastern coast of USA, i would say the #5 ( not blocking pull through) stall should be number 1. And carrying adapters ( if car supports) should be number 2.

[@whatsap5129]

ʀᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏɴ ᴡʜᴀᴛsᴀᴘᴘ ғᴏʀ ᴘʀᴏғɪᴛᴀʙʟᴇ ᴛɪᴘs ☝️☝️✅..,.

[@thop1984]

The issue I just ran into on my trip was insects smashing into the vehicle and disrupting the autopilot cameras. My front end was getting really dirty with bug guts, and I had a few instances where the autopilot slammed on my brakes on the highway, thinking there was something in front of me, nearly causing me to wreck. Once I cleaned off the front end, the issue stopped. I know others have had a similar issue that did not involve insects, but for me, the issue stopped when I cleaned it off, so I am attributing the issue to that. I will make it a point to always check the front end at every Supercharger stop and clean if needed. Having your brakes get slammed on the highway is not fun; luckily it never happened when I was in a lot of traffic traveling 75 mph. Thanks for the tips. Not turning off unneeded items was a mistake I made while I was staying at a hotel for four days. It ate up a lot of battery in the parking garage. It had me worried for a while.

[@jgelim]

Without doubt my favorite Tesla commentator - so much good stuff concisely shared

[@markroath98]

I just completed a trip from Yukon, OK to Shelby, Montana and back or 3,300 miles in four days. One additional tip I would offer is that when planning your charging stations make sure you take into consideration the time that you will arrive, i.e. arriving at midnight or beyond at some charging stations is somewhat unnerving--that is, because some charging stations are not in the most idea locations and safety is of concern.

[@user-fe7me4ih1o]

If your going uphill(which we have a lot of in CO) range loss is about 20-40% depending on slope. Turning off the AC adds a little back. There are usually alternative routes that can be traveled safely, without danger of not being able to charge so planning matters. Also you may gain if the downhill is significant as well.

[@marcgrondin65]

Use your cruise-control to maintain a regular speed - it's easy to get distracted and slow slide pass your target long-range speeds (i.e. 100-105 km/h). Thanks for the tips, I tend to forget them. Will make a check-list.

[@talon310calif]

I took a cross country trip on my Y. 13 of the 16 estimated remaining battery charge between charges were within +/- 10%, so it's fairly accurate. I drove generally about 5mph over speed limit. Never waited to charge. Took advantage of every stop..walked around, grabbed food, used restroom, shopped, etc. When off interstate, I looked for hotels with free charging. Many places including small towns have ev charging. Bring different adapters and plugs. I've found even when small towns (welcome centers, libraries) charge, rates are pretty low.

[@rayheatley9910]

That was a very good video. I never thought about those end spots being for a Tesla towing a trailer. I will try not to use them in the future. Thanks for the information. Ray

[@k8923]

Really good tips, Andy. Almost all of these tips are on my list as well, having been driving EV's since 2012. We've only gotten into trouble 2 times: first was we decided to push on to the next chargers rather than charging at our usual charger on a trip. We got there, and not one of the 4 chargers were working (not tesla chargers). Had to call a tow truck. Second was, like you said, staying at a motel in a cold bird sanctuary area for several days with just enough charge to get back to a supercharger. Left the sentry mode on and between that and the cold (30's to 40's), next time I checked the car I had lost about 30 miles of range. Fortunately, had the adapter kit, and charged up at an RV resort nearby. If you have the 30a RV adapter you can almost always charge up at a RV campsite at about twice the rate of a 120v plug. For straight 120v destination charging, you might want to bring along a heavy duty 15a extension cord. A tire inflation kit is not a bad idea either.

[@The_DuMont_Network]

I bought Tesla's little tire kit. I test it one a year.

[@Serge1951]

Thank you very much, best tip was the last one you said.

[@JorgeSaenz1913]

These are great tips I actually hadn’t heard of. Thanks!

[@kirkjbush]

I am from Holland and owned Tesla’s since 2013, there is a Tesla V3 Super Charger at the Meijer’s on 16th St. in Holland plus one at the Hudsonville Meijer’s, 15 miles and there are at least a dozen charge point chargers within a 5 miles radius of Holland, and 4 of them are right downtown. Holland is great place to visit and we are ready for Tesla drivers to visit!!!

[@kf6auf]

A TT-30 to 14-50 adapter like the one shown at 5:45 is a bad idea if you don't know what you're doing.* You're much better off getting a TT-30 to Tesla Mobile Connector adapter. Tesla doesn't sell them, but third parties (such as EVSEadapters) do. *There are really two types of TT-30 to 14-50 adapter. One kind won't work at all for EVs because they put out 0V across the pins that are supposed to be hot. Potentially worse, the kind that can work are only capable of charging your car at 24A, not the 32-40A that your Mobile Connector will expect to be able to charge at. You won't have those problems with a proper TT-30 to Tesla Mobile Connector adapter: just plug and go.

[@CJLHD]

Holland Michigan has a Supercharger now. Muskegon or Hudsonville superchargers weren’t very far away from Holland either.

[@peteruk8925]

Just subscribed to your channel, hopefully ordering my model 3 in March next year and your tips have been most useful helping understand the differences within the vehicle. Thank you Peter from UK 🇬🇧

[@paulabrahan5429]

You’ll love the 3. Most fun car ever!

[@rogersmj]

6:13 “…because CCS chargers are only going to grow in the future…” That aged well 😂 Great tips though, thanks!

[@iotarask77]

Would add to inform about and register for 3rd party charging providers ahead of the trip. They might be slower chargers but usually sufficient to add a bit of range to make it to the destination.

[@Sibs]

Awesome tips here! As I've gotten more comfortable with trips, I find myself planning less and less. After owning this car for a while all of this starts to come naturally and feels like a "normal" road trip

[@AKA001]

Great tip on the trailer!

[@ChrisLeiter]

Did a 5,200 mile road trip this summer in my Model 3 Performance to take my kid to college. I have all the adapters (CCS included), the mattress, etc. and.... used literally none of them. Put the destination in and it took me all the way along the route. Even when we just decided to take a different route randomly. ABRP actually tried to screw us over a few times and I decided to cancel my account. Number one thing for summer roadtrips: no faster than 72MPH. Period. Ever. Number two: get the UV-blocking roof panels Number three: for longer supercharger stops, use the pop-in window shades and sunscreen for the windshield. I'm going to make a video about the roof panels soon, and have a window one on my channel already.

[@brendykes6599]

72mph? Really? I think that’s the worst tip on here. If your buffer for arrival state of charge is coming up short, slow down. Otherwise drive safely & with traffic. I cross most of the country at 80-90mph no problem. I would get run over if I only went 72. I’m in the middle of my 4th 4K+ mile EV trip between Idaho & Louisiana. -and I rarely wait for the car to charge. It’s ready before I am 90-95% of the time.

[@brendykes6599]

ABRP has been great for me. The only issue I had was on a trip with my Bolt when I misread the plan. That one is totally on me.

[@LJ-jq8og]

EXCELLENT TIPS !

[@dmbfannh]

Another great Tesla video from Andy. Keep them coming Andy.

[@bdtang]

+1 on the CCS adapter. Used it on the Ohio turnpike. One of the stops for super charger didn’t have food so we left and went to the next stop and it happen to have the EA chargers there (supercharger are still being installed). The EA charger was free for that session. On the way back I stopped by the east bound station hoping EA was free but it wasn’t. Super charger rates are 0.44/kWh but with EA’s monthly $4 pass, it was 0.33/kWh so while it wasn’t free still saved me a couple of bucks.

[@chelin7023]

Good to know! Thank you!

[@lets.get.crafty84]

Agreed on bringing your own mobile connector on long trips. When we drove to a small island north of Seattle (drove from Portland OR) we stayed at a hotel that had no ev charger on site. There were no Tesla supercharger and The only level 2 charger was two streets over and the only one in the whole island. We charged at the ev charger twice but during the night the hotel was nice enough to allow us to use their regular electrical outlet to plug in to charge for the 3 nights that we stayed there. The island was small enough that we didn’t have to charge too much while visiting. Always plan ahead.

[@The_DuMont_Network]

You can find at least 110V outlets here and there. Behind vending machines, on light poles, walkways, etc. I have dropped a cord through my window and used the AirCond plug. 20 A at 220V will work jes' fine.

[@KatAdair]

Good tips overall…but be careful about charging to 100% the night before. I always leave a little extra, because I live in the mountains outside Denver, and the first 60 miles of my trips are always downhill. If the car is charged to 100%, there is no room for regenerative braking to put power back to the battery, so the system gives an alert that “regen braking is diminished.” This causes me to have to use my brakes going down the mountain. My second thought is that I am NOT a fan of ABRP (A Better Route Planner). I think the interface is terrible and it overcomplicates route planning. I used it once when I had a lot of cargo in my car, because you can tell it how much extra weight you’re carrying. But part of the beauty of the Tesla system is that you hop in the car, press the voice button, and say “navigate to Austin, Texas.” I have made that trip between Breck and Austin many times, and the onboard planner is great. Come to think of it, I never plan my routes ahead of time…just hop in and go. I might add 5% extra if it’s really cold or really hot, and I use Autopilot and Traffic Aware Cruise Control to even out the acceleration. With those, I hit the estimates almost perfectly.

[@KatAdair]

The other thing I will add…most people, when they buy or rent a Tesla, will want to “fill it up” every time they supercharge. This adds HOURS to your trip. The route planner is trying to balance bringing you in somewhere around 10-15% battery level so you will charge at the fastest rate possible. The 250 kW charger near my house starts charging at over ONE THOUSAND MILES per hour of charge if I come in at 12%. But if you arrive with 70% and try to charge, it’s MUCH slower. The route planner will rarely ask you to charge more than 80%…the only time is when there is a long distance between two chargers. If you allow the planner to do its thing, my charging stops between Austin and Breck are 15-25 minutes long. I watched my cousin, who rented a Model Y, try to overthink and outsmart the route planner. He would force the car to go to the first supercharger, but he refused to put the entire route in the computer. The car thought that the destination was the FINAL destination, so it didn’t precondition the battery, and it slowed down charging significantly. He also insisted on charging all the way up at every stop. It added HOURS to his trip unnecessarily. He’s used to driving a Leaf, so not going more than about 75 miles, and he thought he understood the Tesla more than he did. At the end of the first day of his trip he was stressed and exhausted. He just refused to use the route planner as intended.

[@The_DuMont_Network]

ABRP's interface is indeed hideous. But it is useful to be able to sit in my big comfy chair and see if a route is at least possible. Then I print the route and use it as a guide. But I learned long ago to listen to what the car tells me. It generally is more up to date and knows better than I do.

[@KatAdair]

@@The_DuMont_Network agreed. Although it’s funny that I’ve had the car for two years and just realized that I can do this planning in the Tesla app under the location section. I did use ABRP once when I was taking a road trip to Montana with three friends and luggage. I liked the ability to choose whether I wanted more stops or fewer stops, and the ability to add the extra weight. It took a little while to fully trust the car, but now I’ll take it just about anywhere.

[@starfluke]

I agree. One can now use the updated route planning functionality in the app for detailed route planning and send it to the car. This can also be done in the car. Sometimes, when planning a complex route the route planning will not give correct arrival times for me. @@KatAdair

[@thewaxlab]

Great video. Over here waiting for my model Y, and no one has talked about super charger etiquette

[@benwashburn8553]

Great video, especially the reminder to turn off Sentry Mode. I have to say I'm not a fan of your tip #4 I think it was. If the station isn't crowded, then ok, push the limit up some so you can finish eating. But if it's over about half full, I'm sorry but I think you just need to get up and go out there and move your car.

[@tamillat]

Inclines and wind factor had made a difference especially with the Y vs 3. M3 is closer to stated range where Y range can vary a lot. Thanks for showing different adapters.

[@dscarty]

I booked a motel w/destination charger halfway through a 1000 mile road trip. Fortunately I called ahead about this. When I arrived there was a Tesla on the charger. Turns out he was a 2 day guest & would have stayed on the charger if the desk clerk hadn’t asked him to share with me. So I got my over night charge. Call ahead.

[@cgrscott]

We go to Holland, and Saugatuck, MI every summer for five days. Sometimes we stay at a hotel in Douglas, MI. Other years we stay at one of the hotels in Holland. Nice area. South Heaven is a nice stop when your coming or going as well.

[@jbiz1234]

Great point on ccs

[@steffanaarts-greven1352]

I am surprised you need all those adapters in the US. My European Model 3 (built in Fremont) takes Tesla plugs, Type 3 chargers AND CCS as a standard. And even if a stall doesn't fit they usually offer adapters at the stall itself but that only happened to me once. And added tip: up the tyre pressure to maximum. This reduces drag. And use auto pilot as much as possible, especially at hilly or rolling areas. Autopilot or even cruise control uses regenerative braking much more efficiently making even use of a slight downhill incline where humans can't.

[@fatboy19831]

Excellent tips.

[@WayApp]

Great video! Thanks for sharing!

[@BenjaminKomen]

Regarding tip 3 charging cables and/or adapters, what you say is kinda specific for North America. I've owned both Tesla's in Europe and North America and noticed a big difference, in Europe the charging outlets are a lot more standardized, with J-1772 and CCS you can go virtually everywhere, because both your Tesla, superchargers and most other chargers have this. In North America there is a lot more variety in standards, because tesla choose to use some different smaller charging port than normal.

[@NettePaker]

Thanks for sharing.

[@zhenzhu8248]

Tire pressure, make sure it's at correct PSI (42 PSI for my M3 & MY, Aero wheels)

[@peterjacobi794]

I just took my first road trip in my new Y this weekend going into the Appalachian Mountains. Watt-hour efficiency was like an EKG going through the hills but I averaged about ~300Wh/mi. Used the same V2 Supercharger both ways. There was also a ChargePoint station about 300 yards from the lake house we were at, but I didn’t need it. I think EV road-tripping is getting easier and easier despite needing 20 minute stops instead of 5 minute stops for ICE cars.

[@motarded4214]

5 minute gas stops? You obviously don't travel with my wife and kid. Every gas stop turns into a 15-20 minute affair every time.

[@The_DuMont_Network]

Trust me... the older you get, the every couple of hours stops become self explanatory...

[@LordStevie]

I don't know about using Chill gives you longer range? I did that on a trip to FL, and while down there, i encountered a Mobile Service Tech, who came to hotel to change a 12v battery on an S. I asked him about that, and he told me I wouldn't notice any difference. I put my car back in Sport, and made it back to the same Superchargers on the return trip, without incident. I pretty much only use Chill when in FSD around town, as my car tends to accelerate kinda fast after making a turn.

[@raremage]

Good tips. I’ve also set my limit to 100% habitually before a long trip. I did the same as hurricane Ian approached. Incidentally, for those concerned, we continued to be able to charge as we never lost power (Zane have an emergency generator). Meanwhile gasoline access was restricted in central florida in some places as they prioritized gas to other areas of the state.

[@whatsap5129]

ʀᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏɴ ᴡʜᴀᴛsᴀᴘᴘ ғᴏʀ ᴘʀᴏғɪᴛᴀʙʟᴇ ᴛɪᴘs ☝️☝️✅..,

[@donaldstinnett5630]

I have charged to 100% only twice in the four years I've had my M3. The second time was this past weekend, but I only got it to 100% just as we were ready to leave. You should not let your car sit at 100% as that can damage the cells. Top it off then go right away. LFP cells can go to 100%, though. LFPs are used in all standard-range Teslas since late 2021 or early 2022. In fact Tesla suggests charging LFPs to 100% at least once a week. That would kill my battery pack!

[@danl1924]

@@donaldstinnett5630 How do I know which type of battery I have?

[@David_Polak]

@@danl1924 Standard (range +) model 3 & Y have LFP batteries. The others versions don't.

[@HockeyPurist]

Andy, Love your vids! Can you post the link to the 30A adapter?

[@Dustin1047]

Great tips! Just did 1200 miles in our Model Y, again!

[@aleksanderpegan4015]

Very useful video! Thx

[@qman66]

just did a 2000 mile trip. didnt really plan anything until on the road looking for next stop usually when the battery would be really low by following stop. Used SCs and EA

[@davidellison4750]

Another tip, winter. You’ll use less power using seat heaters and setting cabin heat much lower. Some newer units use more efficient heat pumps, others use resistance heat which is power expensive. Mine’s older so seat heaters and a jacket saves me a lot of power from cabin heat.

[@Shadox498]

I try to do this but I always end up with fogging windows. How do you mitigate that?

[@davidellison4750]

@@Shadox498 you have to run the air conditioner compressor to dry the air. Defog will automatically do this. Don’t fight the car, let the systems work as designed.

[@Shadox498]

@@davidellison4750 thanks a lot!

[@johnmcandrew852]

Good stuff. Wish the CCS adapter worked with my 2018 Model 3, but you can't have it all. Am in the middle of a 2400 mile round trip. I use PlugShare instead of ABRP. Only nervous period so far was between Shamrock and Amarillo, Texas during last weekend's windstorm. Thought I'd have 31% charge left on arrival; had 18%, and only because I turned off AC, slowed down, and got behind a truck as a windbreak (not sure that last part worked; I wasn't close enough to draft. But it made me feel sheltered, whether the physics worked or not). Will turn on chill mode on the way home. I cannot believe Sentry mode is the battery suck it is!

[@apagoogootwo7552]

travelling for days with family, we opted to use the frunk exclusively for footwear storage. teenagers have smelly feet, and when going from snowy to sunny areas, much footwear is required. sequestering all of the footwear to that one space ensured that odors would, at worst, only taint other footwear. there were about twenty pairs of shoes, boots, flipflops etc. in there at any given time and we always knew where they were.

[@markroath98]

Last week, I traveled 3300 miles (OKC to the Montana/Canadian border and back) in my Model Y. Several suggestions that you indirectly spoke about that are worth mentioning again: (1) Tesla tends to direct you to 150kw Superchargers, when 250kw Superchargers might be nearby as well; (2) Not all Supercharger sites are all alike, especially at night. During my trip, I needed to charge at a Supercharger site in a real industrial area after midnight, and it was somewhat stressful entering the area and waiting to complete the charge; (3) Tesla will show when your vehicle is charged enough to proceed to the next charging site. However, one should consider factors which might impact that charging level, and plan accordingly. While Tesla might suggest that 8 to 15 percent charge is sufficient, I tried to charge up to 19 to 23 percent to take into consideration slow traffic issues in big cities, weather conditions, etc.; and finally (4) Be cognisant that Tesla roadside assistance is not unlimited; thus, before you travel know what they will or won't provide should you have vehicle trouble.

[@The_DuMont_Network]

My one major complaint is the lack of a bailout button. In the early days I had to charge in the middle of the night in a VERY sketchy lot at the edge of a dying shopping center. You really feel helpless knowing you will have to get out and unplug. I did it once when a car slowly cruised by then U turned a little bit away. I now carry as pistol. I really hate the need for that, but that's today. Fortunately there is a new S/C down the road. But I still carry the Ruger. One never knows...

[@lmacfarl]

@@The_DuMont_NetworkUse Evject emergency breakaway adapter.

[@kebuhrogers]

Range Mode is good for highway driving. Let's you coast more without applying regen braking. Uses less power when acceleration and for temp management

[@sheneedsme]

My wife and I just took a spur the moment trip to Holland. Nice town. Went from there to Saugatuck State park to see spectacular fall colors and Lake Michigan. We love our Tesla Model Y and we have had zero issues with it.

[@BrooklynnAlexx]

Thanks Andy!

[@kebuhrogers]

Comparing my tesla to my girl's, my sun shield that covers the glass roof makes a huge difference to keep the car cool. Less need for cabin overheat protection and air conditioning

[@kyleb8117]

As someone new to Tesla driving I really appreciate the one about the towing chargers. I wouldn't have guessed that and I definitely would have jumped in there for easier charging. (I'm not used to backing into spots yet.) Very good to know.

[@RickAtlanta]

I always learn something from your videos!

[@pnky2006]

Great tip

[@migmigjohnson9351]

Biggest tip you didn't mention: Public campgrounds serve as a really good last resort (ignore the pun), so carry an RV 50A adapter, which can top you off overnight. Plus its common areas make for a very good rest stop. Thank you for the info on the trailer charging station. They should be properly labeled because it wasn't obvious.

[@TraderJono]

Changing the stock wheels to smaller lighter wheels helps the range alot!! Sometimes 10-20% more range

[@whatsap5129]

ʀᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏɴ ᴡʜᴀᴛsᴀᴘᴘ ғᴏʀ ᴘʀᴏғɪᴛᴀʙʟᴇ ᴛɪᴘs ☝️☝️✅..,

[@AHuntley]

I guess you posted this when I was 600 miles into my 1200 mile move in my model 3. Only 100 miles to go. Watching this at the last supercharger stop!

[@peternarbus2384]

Always carry a mobile charger and a 50 foot extension cord. I charge from any 120V outlet at my AirB+B.

[@anilkumar1971]

Quick question. Are you using any special extension cord (I mean heavy duty or specifically for EVs)? Any link is appreciated. Thank you.

[@starfluke]

I'm not the above poster but I bring along a heavier gauge extension cord. Small cords theoretically have more energy loss to resistance heating of the cord. @@anilkumar1971