Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) does enough to make sure that even if the battery power of its cars reduces zero, the customer is not left stranded, and there is enough reserve to take the car some distance. A couple of years ago, it was first discovered that Tesla gives a generous back-up battery after the range of the 85 kWh Model S running on firmware 5.9 falls to zero, notes Teslarati.
Not much has changed
Now with hundred of upgrades and improvements in the firmware since the days of the early pre-Autopilot S 85kWh vehicles, one might expect better performance from the vehicle after the power is exhausted. To test this, a YouTuber named MrFirelakeDK took up a daunting challenge.
In the video, the driver of theModel S 85D says, “I made a deliberate ‘run-out-of-power’ test late October, 2016 to see what happens when you continue to drive when you have zero left on your dashboard – and of course to share this useful knowledge with all fellow Tesla enthusiasts.”
The result was similar because there was not much difference to what one experienced two years ago, says Teslarati. The Palo Alto-based EV maker ensures that drivers are not left disappointed and have enough back-up power when the range indicator shows 0.
The driver says his Model S 85D was able to drive at a speed of 69 mph (110km/hr) for the next 16 kilometers (10 miles), and after that, the vehicle started reducing the power and the speed was left at 25mph (40km/hr). The Model S could drive four miles more (6.4 km), making for a total of 14 miles before the vehicle was no longer able to drive.
Tesla Model 3 to get biggest charging network
Tesla Model 3 owners, however, will have better charging infrastructure, so they may never have to worry about going to a zero battery. They will have a better charging infrastructure, both from internal sources — the Supercharger and Destination charging network — and from external public and private charging networks.
The infrastructure supporting electric vehicles is growing rapidly, and plans are in place to come up with an entirely different and larger landscape when the Model 3 arrives in the market. Not just Tesla, but according to Wired, Volkswagen, as part of its “dieselgate” program, will apportion around $2 billion to finance EV education programs and charging infrastructure.
At present, Chargepoint is the country’s largest provider of charging stations, offering charging points in around 30,000 locations. The company was founded nine years ago and so far has raised $173 million in funding.
