Buried in the same North American software wave that carries FSD (Supervised) v14.3.13 is a quieter trip-planning tool Canadian owners can use before the next snow belt run: Set Arrival Energy. Tesla’s notes for update 2026.38.5.12 say you can set a desired arrival battery percentage from your phone. Open the Location tab in the Tesla app, enter a destination, and tap Set Arrival Energy. You need mobile app version 4.58.0 or later.
We already covered the FSD build itself and Automatic Collision Evasion. This post is about the trip planner change that matters when Ontario temperatures sit below freezing and every Supercharger stop costs time.
What Set Arrival Energy does
Instead of always accepting Tesla’s default arrival buffer, you pick the state of charge you want when you roll into a destination or a charging stop. The trip planner then reshapes recommended Supercharger stops and charge durations to hit that target. It is not a new battery. It is a control for how aggressive the route plan is about reserves.
Tesla lists the feature for Model S, 3, X, Y and Cybertruck on the current notes. Availability still follows the usual staged rollout, so some Canadian cars on older 2026.38 builds may already have it while others are waiting on 2026.38.5.x.
How to use it before a Canadian winter trip
- Update the Tesla app to 4.58.0 or newer on iOS or Android.
- Confirm the car is on a 2026.38-series build that includes Set Arrival Energy (Controls > Software).
- In the app Location tab, enter the destination, then tap Set Arrival Energy and choose a percentage.
- For winter highway runs, pick a practical reserve rather than 100%. Extra margin for cold pack, headwinds, and cabin heat usually beats arriving at 5% in a blizzard.
- Navigate to Superchargers from the car so battery preconditioning can start on the way. Arrival Energy and preconditioning work together; one without the other still leaves you slow at the first stall.
Related software still riding this wave
The same release-note family also lists Dynamic Headlight Leveling on specific Model 3 and Cybertruck vehicles, Supercharger Site Maps for older Intel-based cars at pilot sites, and Emergency Drive Away at Superchargers. Those are separate toggles and hardware gates. Do not assume every feature on the Not a Tesla App page is in your car tonight. Check the in-car notes after each install.
Dynamic Headlight Leveling is worth a special look for Model 3 owners on dark rural Ontario roads: Tesla says low beams re-aim based on driving conditions and nearby traffic to improve your view while cutting glare for oncoming drivers. It is listed as specific vehicles only, not a fleet-wide unlock.
What it means for Canadian owners
Winter range planning. Cold packs, winter tires, and cabin heat already tax estimated range. Setting a higher arrival percentage forces the planner to insert an earlier Supercharger instead of gambling on a thin buffer into Barrie, Kingston, or North Bay.
Busy corridor stops. Sites like the 401 corridor and Highway 7 can queue on Friday evenings. Arriving with 25 to 40% instead of 10% gives you options if a stall is down or a non-Tesla EV is taking a Magic Dock bay longer than expected.
App vs car. The feature is initiated from the phone. If a passenger is navigating while you drive, they can set the reserve without digging through the centre screen in motion. Keep phone mounting legal and eyes on the road.
What not to expect. Set Arrival Energy does not add range, fix a weak 12V, or replace preconditioning. It also does not change Supercharger pricing. Canadian rates still vary by site and time of day in the app.
Bottom line
Set Arrival Energy is a small software control with outsized value on Canadian winter road trips. Update the app, confirm your car has the feature, and pick a reserve that matches real cold-weather consumption before your next Highway 401 or Trans-Canada run. For broader cold-weather habits, see our Tesla winter driving and range guide for Ontario.
What arrival percentage do you run in January? Tell us in our Facebook group, Tesla Model Y & 3 [Ontario, Canada], or join our X community Tesla Model* [Ontario, Canada].