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Tesla Battery Range in Sub-Zero and Snowy Conditions
Over the month of January I decided to study the impact sub-zero weather conditions had on the battery range of my Tesla Model S and found it to be diminished by roughly 40%. Range will vary depending on one’s driving habits but the effects of winter on a Tesla Model S and its battery range should roughly mirror the data that I was able to collect.
Collecting Battery Range Data
I recorded my Tesla’s rated range at the beginning of the day and once again at the end of the day. I logged the amount of kWhs consumed during my daily journey, the actual miles driven and the average temperature for that day. All of this was plotted into a data grid so that I can analyze the effects winter conditions would have on my battery range. The results were as follows:
Comparing the Tesla Model S rated range display versus the actual rated miles used during winter weather conditions. Results indicate an increase of 21% to as high as a 57% in energy consumption.
Results
Plotting the % of rated miles used / miles driven against temperature lets us see the correlation between outside temperature and battery range.
Here you can generally see a trend towards improved efficiency as outside temperature increases. There’s one big outlier which turns out to be a day when the roads were covered in snow and ice. Taking out that data point shows a better correlation between temperature and battery range.
Using a trend line we can see that the outlier at the 57% mark should have been closer to 32% had the roads been more clear. Driving through snow and ice conditions affected the range by an extra 25%.
The data point at the 30% mark during 14 degree is a result of me pre-warming the Model S while it was still plugged in. Warming your car up from shore power prior to taking a trip improves your efficiency.
Summary
Using the data above and a calculated trend line I came up with the table below. This table is showing the actual maximum range I’d expect to get out of a 85kW battery pack which has a rated range of 265 miles:
This analysis is based on data I collected on my car over the course of one month and during a variety of winter conditions. I found it really eye opening to see the rated range of my Model S go from 265 to a real world average of 143 miles during the winter (90% charge, 40% range degradation). For the 60kW model this would be 112 miles.
Fortunately Tesla appears to be placing Superchargers closer together which will help alleviate any issue with running out of range because of winter weather conditions.
How do you best prepare for winter driving in your Tesla Model S?
- Expect to use (on average) 40% more power during the winter.
- Expect to lose about 10 miles of real range for every 10 degree drop.
- If the roads aren’t dry expect to lose up to 25% more range.
- Plan your charging and driving accordingly — don’t cut it close.
I hope this information has helped you understand the effects of winter on the Tesla Model S. If you have your own data, observations or questions to share, we’d love to hear them so leave us a note at the bottom of the page.
Tesla has launched a new Model Y configuration in the “Premium” trim, and it comes with three highly requested features that have launched in markets outside of the U.S. and in other trims.
Tesla announced on Monday night that it has officially launched the Model Y Premium in a seven-seat configuration, which also comes standard with a 16″ touchscreen and black headliner, both of which are featured in the Model Y Performance trim.
The seven-seat configuration is highly requested by consumers and helps fill out the more spacious SUV offering that the lineup has missed outside of the Model X, which prices out many consumers. This new upgrade only costs $2,500 extra for all three features, bringing the cash price to $48,990.
This also comes with the larger 16” touchscreen! pic.twitter.com/aiAxWUTKZa
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) January 13, 2026
The move to add the seven-seat configuration with the black headliner and additional screen size is a welcome addition, as many Tesla fans have asked the company to come out with an SUV with more seating capacity. Although it is not a full-size SUV, the additional seating will certainly attract some buyers with bigger families.
It appears the third row is slightly more spacious than the past iteration of the seven-seat Model Y, which was available in the previous design pre-Juniper:
Credit: Tesla
However, it definitely still appears to be pretty cramped in terms of legroom. It will definitely be a seating arrangement for smaller passengers, mostly reserved for children.
The other two upgrades are the black headliner, which was launched in other markets and in the Model Y Performance. Many owners have wanted this change, and Tesla listened, but is only offering it with the seven-seat configuration. It also has a larger 16″ touchscreen, also present in the Model Y Performance exclusively:
Credit: Tesla
It is a nice touch to add these highly requested features to the all-electric crossover, which was the best-selling vehicle in the world for the third consecutive year.
Tesla has expanded its branded ‘For Business’ Supercharger program that it launched last year, as yet another company is using the platform to attract EV owners to its business and utilize a unique advertising opportunity.
Francis Energy of Oklahoma is launching four Superchargers in Norman, where the University of Oklahoma is located. The Superchargers, which are fitted with branding for Francis Energy, will officially open tomorrow.
It will not be the final Supercharger location that Francis Energy plans to open, the company confirmed to EVWire.
Back in early September, Tesla launched the new “Supercharger for Business” program in an effort to give businesses the ability to offer EV charging at custom rates. It would give their businesses visibility and would also cater to employees or customers.
“Purchase and install Superchargers at your business,” Tesla wrote on a page on its website for the new program. “Superchargers are compatible with all electric vehicles, bringing EV drivers to your business by offering convenient, reliable charging.”
The first site opened in Land O’ Lakes, Florida, which is Northeast of Tampa, as a company called Suncoast launched the Superchargers for local EV owners.
Tesla launches its new branded Supercharger for Business with first active station
The program also does a great job at expanding infrastructure for EV owners, which is something that needs to be done to encourage more people to purchase Teslas and other electric cars.
Francis Energy operates at least 14 EV charging locations in Oklahoma, spanning from Durant to Oklahoma City and nearly everywhere in between. Filings from the company, listed by Supercharge.info, show the company’s plans to convert some of them to Tesla Superchargers, potentially utilizing the new Supercharger for Business program to advertise.
Moving forward, more companies will likely utilize Tesla’s Supercharger for Business program as it presents major advantages in a variety of ways, especially with advertising and creating a place for EV drivers to gain range in their cars.
Tesla Cybercab is perhaps the most highly-anticipated project that the company plans to roll out this year, and as it is undergoing its testing phase in pre-production currently, there are some things to work through with it.
Over the weekend, an image of the Cybercab being loaded onto a tow truck started circulating on the internet, and people began to speculate as to what the issue could be.
Hmmmmmm… https://t.co/L5hWcOXQkb pic.twitter.com/OJBDyHNTMj
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) January 11, 2026
The Cybercab can clearly be seen with a Police Officer and perhaps the tow truck driver by its side, being loaded onto, or even potentially unloaded from, the truck.
However, it seems unlikely it was being offloaded, as its operation would get it to this point for testing to begin with.
It appears, at first glance, that it needs assistance getting back to wherever it came from; likely Gigafactory Texas or potentially a Bay Area facility.
The Cybercab was also spotted in Buffalo, New York, last week, potentially undergoing cold-weather testing, but it doesn’t appear that’s where this incident took place.
It is important to remember that the Cybercab is currently undergoing some rigorous testing scenarios, which include range tests and routine public road operation. These things help Tesla assess any potential issue the vehicle could run into after it starts routine production and heads to customers, or for the Robotaxi platform operation.
This is not a one-off issue, either. Tesla had some instances with the Semi where it was seen broken down on the side of a highway three years ago. The all-electric Semi has gone on to be successful in its early pilot program, as companies like Frito-Lay and PepsiCo. have had very positive remarks.
The Cybercab’s future is bright, and it is important to note that no vehicle model has ever gone its full life without a breakdown. It happens, it’s a car.
Nevertheless, it is important to note that there has been no official word on what happened with this particular Cybercab unit, but it is crucial to remember that this is the pre-production testing phase, and these things are more constructive than anything.
Tesla Model Y gets fresh configuration with three highly requested features
Tesla expands its branded ‘For Business’ Superchargers
