Winter is travel season for a lot of Canadians. Whether it’s a week down south over the holidays or a business trip out of Pearson, many Tesla owners end up leaving their car parked, unplugged, in the cold for days at a time. A Tesla handles this well if you prepare it properly. If you don’t, you can come back to a much lower charge than you expected, or in the worst case a car that won’t wake up.
Here’s how to get your car ready, based on Tesla’s owner’s manual.
How much charge will I lose?
Tesla says the battery discharges very slowly even when the car isn’t being driven, because it powers the onboard electronics. The manual gives a rule of thumb of about 1% per day, and specifically mentions parking at an airport as an example. Over two weeks, that works out to roughly 14%.
That rate is a starting point, not a promise. Tesla says it can vary depending on environmental factors such as cold weather, your vehicle’s configuration and the settings you choose. The biggest setting is Sentry Mode, which we cover below.
Best option: leave it plugged in
If you can plug in, do it. Tesla calls leaving the car plugged in when you aren’t using it the most important way to preserve the high voltage battery, especially if you won’t be driving for several weeks. The manual says plugging in prevents normal range loss and keeps the battery at an optimal temperature, and that the car is safe to stay plugged in for any length of time.
At home, that’s easy. Leave the car on your charger with your normal charge limit and let it manage itself. Away from home, some hotel and airport parking garages offer Level 2 chargers. Check ahead with the parking operator rather than assuming one will be free when you arrive.
If you can’t plug in: a pre-trip checklist
- Leave with plenty of charge. Do the math using roughly 1% per day, then add a generous buffer for cold weather and the drive home. If you’ll be gone 10 days, arriving with 30% would leave you very little margin by the time you get back. Charging higher before you park is the simplest fix.
- Turn off Sentry Mode. Tesla says power use may increase when Sentry Mode is on, and that Sentry Mode turns itself off if the battery drops below 20%. Software updates also can’t install while Sentry Mode is on. Unless you really need recordings at that location, switch it off before you walk away.
- Check the app less. When it’s not in use, the car goes into a sleep mode to save energy. Tesla notes that checking the car’s status in the mobile app wakes it up and starts normal energy use. Opening the app a few times a day for a week adds up.
- Close everything. Make sure the windows, trunk and frunk are fully closed and the car is locked before you head to the terminal.
- Bring a key card. If your phone dies on the trip, the key card still unlocks and drives the car.
The extreme cold limit
Tesla’s manual gives a specific temperature guideline for long-term performance: avoid exposing the car to ambient temperatures below -30 °C (or above 60 °C) for more than 24 hours at a time. Most of southern Ontario rarely gets that cold, but parts of Northern Ontario, the Prairies and Quebec can. If you’re leaving a car for a week in a place where deep cold is forecast, a heated garage or a plug-in spot is worth the effort.
Never let it hit zero
Tesla warns that discharging the battery to 0% can damage other components. When the displayed charge gets to about 0%, the car enters a low-power mode in which the main battery stops supporting the onboard electronics and the low voltage battery. Tesla’s advice is to plug in immediately at that point, to avoid needing a jump start or a new low voltage battery, and the manual notes that discharge-related repair and transport costs are not covered by the warranty or Roadside Assistance. If your car won’t wake up after a trip, see our guide to jump starting a Tesla’s low voltage battery.
Coming back to the car
When you return, give the car a few minutes to wake up, and use the app to warm the cabin and battery before you drive. Tesla’s manual recommends starting climate settings 30 to 45 minutes before leaving in cold weather, and notes that defrosting can help free a frozen charge port latch. If your car has an LFP battery, Tesla recommends that after more than a week parked you drive as normal and charge to 100% at your earliest convenience. Our charge limit guide explains how to check your battery type.
What it means for Canadian owners
For a typical one-week trip from the GTA, a well-charged Tesla with Sentry Mode off should come back with plenty of range. The trouble usually starts with a low charge before parking, Sentry Mode left on, or a long stretch in severe cold. Plan for those three, and the car will be ready for the drive home. If you rely on overnight charging, set it up on Ontario’s Ultra-Low Overnight rate to top up cheaply the night before you leave.
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Sources
- Model Y Owner’s Manual text: Battery Care
- Model Y Owner’s Manual text: About the High Voltage Battery
- Model Y Owner’s Manual text: Cold Weather, After Driving (Storage)
- Model Y Owner’s Manual text: Using Sentry Mode
- Model Y Owner’s Manual text: Cold Weather, Before Driving
- Tesla Model Y Owner’s Manual (online edition)