I want to take my 2023 MYLR up to Tahoe from the bay area this winter, but not sure what to expect.

[Josep]

I'm curious if anyone uses their MYLR to go to the Southlake resorts like Sierra and Kirkwood and what has been their experience with range loss in cold weather and range loss from roof racks or tow hitch racks. Should I just give up a seat inside for all the gear? How much range do I want to arrive with to get back down the hill confidently? What is the chain situation for AWD Teslas? I see tons of Teslas everytime I have gone in the past but I'm still new to the electric life and have so many questions about winter driving. Thank you in advance for the help.

 

[LoudMusic]

I haven't been to Tahoe in my Tesla, but I did drive across Kansas and up the Rockies in Colorado in Jan/Feb a couple years ago. There's a pretty big cold weather hit - maybe 10%. I've not attached anything outside my vehicle, but I've seen reports that roof racks are around another 10%. A hitch rack might be a little less. Climbing the hill will be another hit to range.

But if you charge to 90%+ in Placerville you should be able to arrive at the resort with more than 40%, according to ABRP. It also claims you'd only use about 20% coming back down.

I'd try to select a resort that has EV charging. Sierra appears to have two Tesla, and Kirkwood has four J1772. Being able to top up once or twice while you're there would be very nerve calming. Keep in mind every other EV is having the same concern so please move your vehicle if you aren't actively charging.

As for winter driving conditions in a Model Y, I was pleasantly surprised. There were only a handful of occasions during my month in Colorado that I dealt with inclement roads, but I didn't experience any excessive performance problems. The car was planted, the power was good, any slippage was quickly controlled. Smooth controls are very important. I did not use chains, but Tesla does sell them. https://shop.tesla.com/product/model-y-19_20_-snow-chains . When I used chains on my Jeep it was otherworldly.

I look forward to reading reports from people who have made that journey - I'm sure there are quite a few.

 

[bradtem]

Not had a problem in my trips up there. Usually charge at hangtown and get fish and chips at the supercharger. There is a supercharger at the Hard Rock Casino but I just plug in Level 1 at the cabin up there and it does the job. The store at Strawberry has a CHAdeMO adapter you can borrow, or if you have the CCS adapter, you can probably use it there if you don't want to go down to the lake. Just ask inside the store to borrow the adapter. It's close to Sierra-at-Tahoe, which also has Level 2 at it. I think there's level 2 at Kirkwood, isn't there, but it's for VIPs.

South Lake has now got a lot of CCS if you don't want to go all the way to the Hard Rock Casino.

 

[LoudMusic]

Not had a problem in my trips up there. Usually charge at hangtown and get fish and chips at the supercharger. There is a supercharger at the Hard Rock Casino but I just plug in Level 1 at the cabin up there and it does the job. The store at Strawberry has a CHAdeMO adapter you can borrow, or if you have the CCS adapter, you can probably use it there if you don't want to go down to the lake. Just ask inside the store to borrow the adapter. It's close to Sierra-at-Tahoe, which also has Level 2 at it. I think there's level 2 at Kirkwood, isn't there, but it's for VIPs.

South Lake has now got a lot of CCS if you don't want to go all the way to the Hard Rock Casino.

It's amazing how much you can get done on L1. We had a house in a Colorado mountain town for about a month and used L1 for everything except our road trips. Totally fine - no worries the whole time.

 

[bradtem]

It's amazing how much you can get done on L1. We had a house in a Colorado mountain town for about a month and used L1 for everything except our road trips. Totally fine - no worries the whole time.

They should stop publishing how long it takes to recharge the battery from 0 to 100% on Level 1. People read that number and they say, "An EV is not for me." They don't read the important part -- you will never, ever have call to do that. First of all you won't ever charge from 0 to 100 at any time, and you'll only recharge from 10 to 90 on or at the end of a long road trip, and on said road trip you will have access to faster charging.

The reality is on Level 1 sometimes you won't get your car back to 80% overnight. But unless you plan to drive 200 miles the next day that's perfectly OK. You'll get it up the next day, or the next, or maybe twice a year, you will have some extra travel and you will stop at a fast charger to make up for this.

It's a bit more worrying some times, but it works way more than people imagine. I keep reading about these people who tried to figure out to get their level 2 charger up from 32 amps to 48 amps. That's just silly.

 

[Tesery]

I haven't been to Tahoe in my Tesla, but I did drive across Kansas and up the Rockies in Colorado in Jan/Feb a couple years ago. There's a pretty big cold weather hit - maybe 10%. I've not attached anything outside my vehicle, but I've seen reports that roof racks are around another 10%. A hitch rack might be a little less. Climbing the hill will be another hit to range.

But if you charge to 90%+ in Placerville you should be able to arrive at the resort with more than 40%, according to ABRP. It also claims you'd only use about 20% coming back down.

I'd try to select a resort that has EV charging. Sierra appears to have two Tesla, and Kirkwood has four J1772. Being able to top up once or twice while you're there would be very nerve calming. Keep in mind every other EV is having the same concern so please move your vehicle if you aren't actively charging.

As for winter driving conditions in a Model Y, I was pleasantly surprised. There were only a handful of occasions during my month in Colorado that I dealt with inclement roads, but I didn't experience any excessive performance problems. The car was planted, the power was good, any slippage was quickly controlled. Smooth controls are very important. I did not use chains, but Tesla does sell them. https://shop.tesla.com/product/model-y-19_20_-snow-chains . When I used chains on my Jeep it was otherworldly.

I look forward to reading reports from people who have made that journey - I'm sure there are quite a few.

Absolutely, navigating through the winter terrains with your Model Y demands a bit of strategy, especially in colder regions like Tahoe. Thanks for sharing your experience driving across Kansas and up the Rockies; it's invaluable for fellow Tesla adventurers.

Cold Weather Considerations:

• You're spot on about the cold weather hit on range. It's a real thing, around 10% as you mentioned. Good call on skipping external attachments – they do take an additional toll.
• Choosing your charging points wisely, like hitting Placerville before the ascent, is a smart move. ABRP's insights are golden; ensuring you arrive with a comfortable buffer is key.

Resort Charging and Range:

• Opting for resorts with EV charging is a game-changer. Sierra and Kirkwood's charging options provide peace of mind. Topping up during your stay, even if it's a quick session, can make a huge difference.
• And yes, the plea to move your car when not actively charging is a friendly reminder we all need during peak charging times.

Winter Driving in the Model Y:

• Your positive experience driving in Colorado's winter echoes many Tesla owners' sentiments. Smooth controls and the car's stability on icy roads are commendable.
• Tesla's snow chains, like TESERY's Tesla snow chains collection, are an ace up your sleeve. While you might not need them often, having them is like having insurance for extreme conditions.

Your anticipation of more reports from fellow travelers is shared. It's a community effort to make winter journeys smoother for everyone. Safe travels, and may your Model Y conquer Tahoe's winter wonders!