To preserve battery life, Tesla recommends not charging the battery over 80-90% of its capacity and only having a full tank of energy for long journeys. For Model 3s equipped with LFP (lithium iron phosphate) batteries, it is good to know that the suggestion is different. In fact, the American car manufacturer recommends that you charge your car 100% regularly.
Tesla has begun equipping China-made Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus with these new batteries. Recently, however, Elon Musk’s company has made it known that it intends to use such batteries on all Standard Range versions produced globally within its factories.
The Standard Range Plus has recently been renamed simply Model 3, an update that has not been limited to the name since the car can count on greater autonomy even if the performance in terms of acceleration has dropped.
Inside the vehicle user manual, there are specific recommendations for managing the charging of this model which are different from those of cars with NCA (Nickel Cobalt Aluminum) batteries. Tesla also explains how its customers can tell if they have an LFP battery.
To determine if your vehicle is equipped with an LFP battery, open the charging screen on the touchscreen, then tap Set limit or open the charging screen on the mobile app and drag the slider.
- If 50% and 100% are displayed on the battery image, the vehicle is equipped with an LFP battery.
- If Daily and Trip are displayed on the battery image, the vehicle is NOT equipped with an LFP battery.
The manufacturer’s guidelines for this version also suggest that you charge the car 100% at least once a week. And if the car has been standing still for more than a week, Tesla recommends returning to normal driving but replenishing it as soon as possible.
Additionally, Tesla adds that it is good practice to disable the automatic activation of Sentry Mode where it is not needed. According to the American manufacturer, all these precautions should allow to optimize the available range and improve the vehicle’s ability to accurately determine the state of charge and estimate the range.
The Tesla Model 3 2022 with single-engine and rear-wheel drive, offers a range of 491 km according to the WLTP cycle. It also reaches a top speed of 225 km/h and accelerates from 0 to 100 km / h in 6.1 seconds. In Italy, this model starts at a price of 49,900 euros.