Tesla Model 3 Cold-Weather Test: Range and Fast Charging Plunge After Overnight Exposure at -36°C

Canadian YouTuber FrozenTesla conducted an extreme cold-weather test on a 2024 Tesla Model 3 Long Range in -36°C conditions. The vehicle was left unplugged and unpreconditioned outdoors for 10 hours, during which its state of charge dropped from 48% to 45%. The next morning, with the battery temperature at just -20°C, the car traveled 35.4 kilometers to a Supercharger station, consuming 13.7 kWh of energy—equivalent to an energy consumption rate of 64.2 kWh per 100 miles. This suggests an estimated real-world range of less than 193 kilometers under such conditions. During the trip, the battery warmed up to 3°C but still hadn’t reached the ideal temperature for fast charging. As a result, the initial charging power remained below 100 kW for an extended period, and charging from 25% to 75% was projected to take approximately 55 minutes. On the return journey, with the battery already warmed up, energy consumption improved by nearly half, dropping to 33.28 kWh per 100 miles—highlighting the significant impact of extreme cold on electric vehicle performance.