Hereinafter Tesla will be ready to install charging stations at your customers' homes. With this service, the American brand is once again expanding its activity as it did with the solar roofs that it launched just three months ago or with the Powerwall batteries for the home.
These new Tesla charging stations have a power of 240 volts and are capable of recharging cars like the new Tesla Model 3 at the rate of 40 km of autonomy for each hour of recharging. For now, only its installation in the United States has been announced, with a cost of 1.000 dollars (about 850 euros). But given the expansionist intentions of the company it is very likely that soon we will see them in our country.
The charger for the car at home and the Tesla plans
The set of services offered by Tesla, which includes the car charger, the Powerwall high-capacity battery and the solar roof, are part of a larger plan. While is true that an electric vehicle leaves no trace on the environment, yes, most centrals do that generate the electricity you consume. For this reason, Elon Musk's company is not satisfied with the development of cars like the Model S or Model X, that are revolutionizing the automotive market, but dedicates part of its efforts to promoting an infrastructure that feeds them with 100% renewable energy.
In Spain Powerwall 2 self-consumption batteries are now available with a capacity of 14 kWh, although more than one can be installed in each home. The same is not the case with solar roofs, which, although Tesla has reached an agreement with Panasonic for the manufacture of photoelectric cells, would have to face the so-called "sun tax" in our country, which is levied for each kWh generated by the Username. Even so, it seems that Tesla does not give up the effort to enter our market, as it demonstrated with its plan of install another 14 Tesla superchargers in Spanish territory.
Tips to increase autonomy a few more kilometers
Many do not have a charger for their electric car at home, and we do not have an infrastructure with too many electric chargers on Spain's road network, as you well know. Therefore, keeping in mind some tips to save battery can help you increase the autonomy of your vehicle a few more kilometers and be able to reach your destination without problems, or to the next charger... These tips include:
- Route planning: Before leaving, plan your route to avoid traffic jams and minimize distances. Use navigation apps that provide you with information about the availability of electric charging stations on your way. This is vital to avoid taking wrong paths, having to go back, not getting lost when locating a charging point, etc. Also, if you have charging points located, keep in mind that they usually take a while to charge the battery. You should know well the range and charging time of your vehicle to better plan the trip and times.
- Efficient driving: The way you drive has a great impact on electrical energy consumption, this is true in fuel vehicles and also in electric vehicles. Therefore, you have to know how you should drive to improve autonomy. For example, you should accelerate and brake more smoothly. In fact, when you are going to brake, it is better to stop accelerating some time before and let the drag or aerodynamic resistance have its effect by braking the car. On the other hand, it is best to maintain a more or less constant speed, whenever possible, without decelerating and accelerating.
- Climate control: uses the air conditioning system, the computer and other electrical elements efficiently. Using heating or air conditioning excessively can consume a lot of energy, therefore, if you have to use it, try to set moderate temperatures to avoid such high consumption.
- Check tire pressure: Make sure the tires are inflated to the recommended pressure. Underinflated tires can increase drag and reduce efficiency as the motors will have a harder time moving the vehicle.
- Reduce load: Avoid carrying unnecessary weight in the vehicle, as this can increase energy consumption. This is not always possible, but in some cases you may have things of considerable weight that you can do without. And I'm not referring to the mother-in-law... ;p
- regular maintenance: Performing regular maintenance on your electric car, such as keeping the battery system in good condition, checking the electric motor, etc., can help the vehicle run more efficiently. Additionally, there are some things you can also do to help your battery have longer life:
- You should always follow the manufacturer's recommendations, consulting the manual.
- Always keep the battery between 20% and 80% charged to prolong battery life. Don't rush her too much when possible.
- Do not use fast charging frequently, as this type of charging may reduce battery life. Better use conventional charging modes even if they are slower.
- Avoid parking the vehicle for long periods of time or frequently in very hot places, as this will damage the battery. That is, try to park in a garage, or places where there is shade, etc.
- If you have an electric vehicle that you are not going to use frequently, it is important to use it regularly, making even short trips periodically to maintain the health of the battery.
- Take advantage of smart features: Some electric cars have intelligent functions that allow you to program low consumption modes, and avoid Sport or similar modes, which provide more performance, but also mean emptying the battery more quickly.
- Software updates: Keep your electric car's software up to date, as updates often include improvements in efficiency and performance, just like computers.
Very good idea! As long as the price is reasonable