Learning about energy efficiency is highly encouraged! And perhaps that’s what made you guys think about Tesla’s self-charging ability. Although this may seem puzzling, it’s actually not!
Let’s just cut the chase. Do Tesla cars charge themselves?
Well, it can but only if using the regenerative braking hack. Just drive the car at a low speed (45 – 60 MPH) and make friction using the brake to slow it down. That way the motor can use the current from the battery.
I’ll cover all the most-asked queries about the Tesla self-charging here in this guide. So if it still seems confusing to you, keep scrolling and reading through the topic.
Tesla Cars Charge Themselves By Regenerative Braking!
Usually, Tesla EVs isn’t able to charge themselves. They need a long procedure of charging through charging stations, wall connectors, or other sources. Ensure to know whether can you charge Tesla on 110V outlet or not for research purposes.
Coming to the topic, are Tesla cars self charging or not? Technically, they can charge themselves with the regenerative braking system.
It’s a rare function that can be seen in hybrid or other EVs. This trait helps cars to recharge up to 10% – 20% in urgent situations.
You only need to run the car at a low speed and make fast friction or drag so that it slows down. This helps the motor to turn into electricity by drawing the created current to operate the car. During this moment, the car will recharge the batteries.
Note: This only happens when the Tesla is in motion, and you are slowing it down or going on a downhill surface.
Alternative Way Of Tesla Self-Charging!
A lot of people who love physics come up with new ideas. They suggest charging Tesla with solar panels or wind generators which helps it to run forever using the electrical power stored inside. To do that, here are some of the things to do:
- The EV needs to be lightweight and tiny with no use of the heater, AC, and even radio.
- One need to use the car with solar power at night only.
- Bring the car in the morning so that it can use the energy of the sun in the grid.
- This procedure requires up to 8 days of no usage for proper charging through solar panels.
Based on experts, the above technique is impossible for busy folk who owns one car to attempt without using it for weeks. Plus, this needs strong physics study if using the wind generator!
Do Teslas Charge While Driving Or It’s Impossible?
All models of Teslas (M3, MY, MX, and MS) will not charge while driving. Because the cable that goes in the charge port will stick inside that causing the car to not run no matter what.
If you try that while using the Tesla wall charger or other connectors, the touchscreen will show an error code. It’s a bad thing to try in real life (don’t try at home)!
And, if it’s about moving the Teslas in a small zone for some reason, then insert an extension cord for Tesla charging and disable the interlocks that don’t allow the car to move.
Why Don’t Tesla’s Self-Charge Work At Times?
Tesla can charge itself using the regenerative braking trick. But, sometimes it fails to do so due to 2 main reasons. These includes:
- If you drive the Tesla at a slow speed but the friction or drag is low, this causes it to not recharge using regenerative braking.
- Driving in a flat terrain when you are cursing is another point that causes Tesla to not self-charge.
Exactly How Does A Tesla Recharge Its Battery?
With a little understanding of physics, you can easily grasp the procedure of the Tesla recharging its battery.
The motor Tesla uses a generous amount of electricity to generate the car when the Tesla’s speed is at max level with low air drag. Usually, the car accelerates from 0 – 60 MPH (Miles Per Hour) with low battery power.
The current comes when you run the car at this speed. Then, it helps the motor to run while ensuring the wheels are continuously spinning.
When the car reached the max speed (60 MPH), it’ll face an encounter with friction or drag on the tires thanks to the terrain and air pressure.
During this period, the battery will supply some electricity to the car so that it runs and stay in motion. The best thing you can do to keep the car going is to switch to Neutral gear. This will help make the car slow down.
On the other hand, the air drag grows when the speed increases. For example, if the car is running at 30 MPH, the air drag will be 4 kN. This will go 4X (16 kN) if the speed is 2X (60 MPH).
In summary, maintaining the speed using the brake pedal while focusing on the air drag is how you can cause Tesla to recharge its battery in the simplest way.
Overall Thoughts
Tesla cars charge themselves and this isn’t a new thing as some hybrid cars can do the same. You only need to try the regenerative braking trick for recharging the Tesla by itself in emergency cases.
Other than this, I’ll suggest you carry a reliable and portable charger for Tesla and charge the car on the road when in need.
Catch you in some new guide soon. See You!
