I-95 Highway traffic jam

[FutureBoy]

over the last 36 hours or so, I-95 was shut down due to a large snowstorm. This resulted in a large number of stranded vehicles on the highway for over 24 hours in the cold. There are stories of drivers helping out each other with blankets, food, water, etc.

Which makes me wonder how long my CT would be able to have me sitting inside warm before running out of battery. In an ICE car you can shut off the engine to conserve fuel. Is there a similar mode in a Tesla? Or can we keep the heat on while shutting off the cameras, entertainment, etc? Control is through the screen so that probably can’t be shut off all the way.

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[Dusty]

On that day in VA a Tesla would use probably less than 1.5kW per hour in camp mode. So whatever you have in battery at the time then assume, at a stand still, every hour will eat 1.5kW.

 

[CyberGus]

There's an interesting discussion about the winter storm over on TMC:

https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/snow-storm.252778/

No one has yet claimed to have been stuck on I95, but there are other first-hand reports of using a Tesla in adverse weather.

(forgive the cross-post)

 

[larryboy31]

over the last 36 hours or so, I-95 was shut down due to a large snowstorm. This resulted in a large number of stranded vehicles on the highway for over 24 hours in the cold. There are stories of drivers helping out each other with blankets, food, water, etc.

Which makes me wonder how long my CT would be able to have me sitting inside warm before running out of battery. In an ICE car you can shut off the engine to conserve fuel. Is there a similar mode in a Tesla? Or can we keep the heat on while shutting off the cameras, entertainment, etc? Control is through the screen so that probably can’t be shut off all the way.

If the 120V outlet is available in the cab, as it should be, one of those heated throws or a twin size electric blanket would be just the ticket. You can buy them in the spring for $30 or so and they draw about 40 or 50 watts. During the entire traffic jam you could keep warm for a kilowatt or 2 at the most. A large metal can like a coffee can with a couple of blocky candles, a lighter or matches, a few granola bars and a box of kleenex and you could be pretty comfortable. I get a kick out of how little people know about the basics of survival. People were complaining that they had no drinking water. It was snowing several inches an hour so a few feet off the road there was a lot of drinkable water. For those who could melt it. I predict that in a few years there will be a lot of stories of survival in a CT.

 

[Crissa]

The seats are heated. Just use a blanket. That's why I have a down blanket in the car.

Unlike with an ICE, you don't need to 'shut it off' because it doesn't use power it doesn't need. You're not throwing poison into the air and heat out the back. ICE can't be kept idling in those conditions because the exhaust will build up and kill the occupants.

Best case for being stuck? Find an L1 or L2 charger and sit on it. ICE can't do that.

-Crissa

 

[Dusty]

My Jeep is filled with little things if I get stuck. I keep

- 2 blankets (used normally for wrapping the side windows when I take the top off)
- Zippo hand warmers (6 or 7 are tucked away)
- Zippo lighter
- Flask of lighter fluid
- A gallon jug of water that I drink at the end of winter to ensure I get a fresh one eventually.

The large Zippo hand warmers are awesome and last for 10 hours each filling. They smell a little while operating. A tin of lighter fluid provides at least 20 refills.

 

[Bill906]

The large Zippo hand warmers are awesome and last for 10 hours each filling. They smell a little while operating. A tin of lighter fluid provides at least 20 refills.

Dad had a bunch of those for when we went hunting when I was a kid. They were pretty cool neat.

I"ve since found these:

OCOOPA Hand Warmers Rechargeable, 1 Pack 5200mAh Electric Portable Pocket Heater, Heat Therapy Great for Outdoors, Hunting, Golf, Camping, Warm Gifts

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07H3LZ..._dp_NHHV177W2ZV719W872R0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

No smell, easy to recharge, can also be used as a power cell to charge phone etc.

If you decide you want one, I suggest buying two. One for each hand.

No I am not affiliated with this company in any way.

 

[Dusty]

Dad had a bunch of those for when we went hunting when I was a kid. They were pretty cool neat.

I"ve since found these:
No smell, easy to recharge, can also be used as a power cell to charge phone etc.
If you decide you want one, I suggest buying two. One for each hand.

No I am not affiliated with this company in any way.

The thing I like about the Zippos is that "recharging" them takes under a minute to put fluid in, then wait 2-3 minutes to let the fluid saturate the cotton, then you're good. They're always ready to go because they don't discharge while sitting in storage waiting to be used. They cost $10 each (buy a 12 pack of them during the warm seasons). And, I don't have to rely on access to electricity. If I get stuck overnight in a crazy situation in freezing temps; I'm good for days. With those, you're stuck like chuck after 4 hours because you then have to wait for them to charge, if you have access to charging.

Also, I'm not affiliated with Zippo!

 

[swengl]

My Jeep is filled with little things if I get stuck. I keep

- 2 blankets (used normally for wrapping the side windows when I take the top off)
- Zippo hand warmers (6 or 7 are tucked away)
- Zippo lighter
- Flask of lighter fluid
- A gallon jug of water that I drink at the end of winter to ensure I get a fresh one eventually.

The large Zippo hand warmers are awesome and last for 10 hours each filling. They smell a little while operating. A tin of lighter fluid provides at least 20 refills.

Those hand warmers ROCK! We have one and it works great!

 

[Skipperoo]

If you are traveling in even moderate winter snow, a sleeping bag for every person in the car is probably one of the best insurance policies you can get. No expiration, no power or fuel requirements, and can be used for camping and power outages at home.

 

[HaulingAss]

On that day in VA a Tesla would use probably less than 1.5kW per hour in camp mode. So whatever you have in battery at the time then assume, at a stand still, every hour will eat 1.5kW.

That test is not a good representation of a typical real world emergency for a few reasons. First, it was -24 degrees outside, secondly, he heated the cabin initially to 20.5 degrees C and said it was "too hot" so he lowered it 1/2 degree C to 20 degrees C. That's pretty warm, most people in an emergency would conserve energy by lowering it to 15 degrees or something comfortable enough without being toasty warm. Also, he put up a thin insulating film on the windows which most people wouldn't have with them. So it's difficult to draw good conclusions from that test.

My wife recently had to wait 2 hours in her car when the outside temperature was 26 degrees F. Her car has the less efficient PTC resistive heater, not the newer heat pump. It was cold enough she was worried it might run the battery down because she had the cabin set at a comfy 68 degrees F. but, after two full hours she had only lost 2 miles of range. That implies at that temperature she could have gone many days with the heat on constantly. An ICE car in the similar setup could not go many days without running out of gas.

Helpful EV tips for those finding themselves stranded in a winter storm:

1) Use manual heat settings so you can select footwell heat and mid-level heat (make sure the defroster is not selected).

2) Use a fan speed of 1 (only turn it up if it's not keeping the cabin warm enough)

3) Make sure 'Recirculate' is selected. This will still bring in fresh outside air but not as much as when it's not selected.

4) Use seat heaters! This will keep you feeling toasty with much less juice than turning up the air temperature. Each seat heater will use around 40 watts on the middle setting which feels quite warm. It feels like the heat is being pumped right into your body. A 75 kWh battery charged to 50% can run the seat heater non-stop for about a month if not using any other heat or lights!

5) Make sure the air flow to the rear seat vents is not selected unless there are rear seat passengers. This keeps the heat in the front of the cabin.

6) If you are solo, make sure the side you are sitting on is adjusted a few degrees warmer than the empty side. This keeps the warmest part of the car where you are sitting.

7) Leave the heat on a steady setting as low as is comfortable, don't cycle it like you might do with a gas engine. This allows you to stay warm at a lower average consumption than cycling it hot on/off.

Using the heat efficiently means the car can go days without without killing the battery, even if starting at 50% state of charge. This is a far better situation than being stuck in an ICE vehicle with 1/2 tank of gas and cycling the engine every half hour to stay warm. ICE engines are incredibly inefficient at turning fuel energy into cabin heat because the engine is radiating your heat away into the night air even when you turn the engine off.

 

[Richard V.]

over the last 36 hours or so, I-95 was shut down due to a large snowstorm. This resulted in a large number of stranded vehicles on the highway for over 24 hours in the cold. There are stories of drivers helping out each other with blankets, food, water, etc.

Which makes me wonder how long my CT would be able to have me sitting inside warm before running out of battery. In an ICE car you can shut off the engine to conserve fuel. Is there a similar mode in a Tesla? Or can we keep the heat on while shutting off the cameras, entertainment, etc? Control is through the screen so that probably can’t be shut off all the way.

That is an interesting point. If you radio, lights are off and you are in park are you consuming little except for the cameras? Unless the big CPUs are running all sort of apps. So yes, in this case going into a minimalistic emergency mode would help. I am thinking on the Mars rover with solar panels trying to survive.

 

[Richard V.]

If the 120V outlet is available in the cab, as it should be, one of those heated throws or a twin size electric blanket would be just the ticket. You can buy them in the spring for $30 or so and they draw about 40 or 50 watts. During the entire traffic jam you could keep warm for a kilowatt or 2 at the most. A large metal can like a coffee can with a couple of blocky candles, a lighter or matches, a few granola bars and a box of kleenex and you could be pretty comfortable. I get a kick out of how little people know about the basics of survival. People were complaining that they had no drinking water. It was snowing several inches an hour so a few feet off the road there was a lot of drinkable water. For those who could melt it. I predict that in a few years there will be a lot of stories of survival in a CT.

My Jeep is filled with little things if I get stuck. I keep

- 2 blankets (used normally for wrapping the side windows when I take the top off)
- Zippo hand warmers (6 or 7 are tucked away)
- Zippo lighter
- Flask of lighter fluid
- A gallon jug of water that I drink at the end of winter to ensure I get a fresh one eventually.

The large Zippo hand warmers are awesome and last for 10 hours each filling. They smell a little while operating. A tin of lighter fluid provides at least 20 refills.

I am a non-smoker and have been carrying in my pockets a lighter, a small magnifying glass and a fairly large legal pocket knife. But, I might consider extras.

 

[Crissa]

The car has flint and tinder, though I really have never used it, my spouse has used the one in her purse several times.

But the electric handwarmer was the stocking stuffer I got here this year! Far safer than the zippo handwarmers.

-Crissa

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