Tesla Targets Sentry Mode Vampire Drain: Upcoming Update to Slash Power Use by 40%

By Kevin Armstrong
Sentry Mode Update is Coming
Sentry Mode Update is Coming
Not a Tesla App

In an exchange on X, Drew Baglino, Tesla’s Senior Vice President of Powertrain and Energy Engineering, addressed the concerns regarding the power consumption of Tesla’s Sentry Mode. Responding to a user inquiry, Baglino confirmed the company’s commitment to reducing the feature's energy use by approximately 40% through a software update expected in Q2, which begins on April 1.

This announcement follows feedback from Tesla owners regarding the 'vampire drain' experienced when using Sentry Mode, highlighting Tesla's responsive approach to customer feedback and its dedication to continuous improvement. Another X user stated that there should be a breakdown or battery usage. This information already exists, but Baglino politely responded: The energy app provides a wealth of information about where your energy goes. He also linked to our Not a Tesla App article explaining that system.

Understanding the Drain of Sentry Mode

Sentry Mode is an advanced security feature for Tesla vehicles, leveraging the car’s cameras and sensors to monitor and record surroundings for potential threats when parked. Sentry Mode has proven invaluable for vehicle security by activating various deterrents, including pulsing headlights and alarm sounds.

Despite its benefits, the feature’s energy consumption, referred to as “vampire drain,” has been a concern, with estimates suggesting a small yet consistent drain on the vehicle's battery life. By optimizing Sentry Mode's power usage, Tesla enhances the feature's efficiency and extends the usability for owners, particularly when parking for extended periods without access to charging facilities.

Battery Management: Recognizing the importance of battery preservation, Sentry Mode automatically deactivates when the battery level falls to 20%, ensuring that the vehicle remains operational for essential travel.

Activation and Customization: Owners can activate Sentry Mode via the vehicle's touchscreen or mobile app, with options to customize settings, such as disabling sounds or excluding specific locations, tailoring the security feature to individual preferences and requirements.

Tesla's forthcoming software update aims to significantly reduce Sentry Mode's power usage, making it more adaptable for various situations without impacting the car's range or battery longevity. This enhancement aligns with Tesla's commitment to continuous improvement via over-the-air updates, directly responding to customer feedback with practical solutions. Owners looking forward to this change appreciate the balance between maintaining Sentry Mode's security benefits and preserving battery life for everyday needs.

Tesla's Q1 2025 Earnings Call: Top Investor Questions

By Karan Singh
Not a Tesla App

Like clockwork, it’s time for the opportunity to submit questions for Tesla’s Q1 2025 Earnings Call. Q1 has historically been difficult for Tesla and other auto manufacturers in general, but doom-and-gloom aside, there’s plenty more to be excited about, including upcoming improvements to FSD and the first phase of Tesla’s Robotaxi network.

Earnings Q1 2025 Questions

Tesla is gearing up for its Q1 2025 Earnings Call, providing an opportunity for shareholders to once again submit and vote on questions they want to be addressed during the event. Tesla has already announced the lower-than-expected delivery numbers for Q1 2025, and also held a Public All-Hands Meeting for the first time, so we’re interested to find out what answers to some of these questions during their Q&A session.

Most Popular Questions

When will FSD unsupervised be available for personal use on personally-owned cars?

Is Tesla still on track for releasing “more affordable models” this year? Or will you be focusing on simplified versions to enhance affordability, similar to the RWD Cybertruck?

Robotaxi still on track for this year?

How is Tesla positioning itself to flexibly adapt to global economic risks in the form of tariffs, political biases, etc.?

When do you expect Robotaxi to expand to all major US cities?

Regarding the Tesla Optimus pilot line, could you confirm if it is currently operational? If so, what is the current production rate of Optimus bots per week? Additionally, how might the recent tariffs impact the scalability of this production line moving forward?

Did Tesla experience any meaningful changes in order inflow rate in Q1 relating to all of the rumors of “brand damage”?

When will Tesla Insurance be available in all 50 states. I’m from Idaho, and I’m surrounded by states where it is available, but it isn’t available in my state.

How is the company planning to deal with the impact of Elon’s partnership with the current administration?

is there a possibility of a stock split if so what would it be

Can you provide more details on the plans for HW3 upgrade path for FSD?

When is Grok coming to Tesla vehicles? And will it be able to control anything in the car?

Submitting Your Own Questions

Questions and voting are conducted through Say, a third-party platform that validates share ownership. Once your ownership is verified, you can use your shares to vote, with your vote weight corresponding to the number of shares you hold. Submitting a question initially gives it votes equivalent to your number of shares.

Below, we also compiled a list of the top questions going into the Earnings Call, which takes place a week from today.

You can vote and submit your questions through Say right here.

Earnings Call

The Earnings Call itself will take place on April 22, at 5:30 PM EDT (2:30 PM PT). Links to the live stream will be made available closer to the event. A recap of the key points will also be provided as usual, so stay tuned for that in the hours after the call.

Tesla Reveals Q1 2025 Supercharger Vote Winners, Opens Voting for Q2

By Karan Singh
Not a Tesla App

With Q1 2025 now behind us, another round of Tesla’s Supercharger Voting has wrapped up. The previous vote took place back in December, and we now get to see which locations came out on top.

It’s been an exciting year for Supercharging, with the launch of 325kW charging for the Cybertruck and the upcoming debut of 500kW-capable V4 Superchargers. Tesla has also been rolling out several quality-of-life improvements to improve the charging experience, such as faster Supercharger data and an upcoming virtual queue system when Superchargers are full.

Let’s take a look at the Q1 2025 winners of the Supercharger Vote:

North America

🇺🇸 Lake Wales, FL

🇺🇸 Henderson, NV

🇺🇸 Clarksville, TN

🇺🇸 Roswell, NM

🇺🇸 Long Beach, CA

🇺🇸 Decatur, IL

🇺🇸 McAlester, OK

Europe

🇬🇧 Bournemouth, United Kingdom

🇮🇹 Bari, Italy

🇵🇱 Wrocław, Poland

🇨🇿 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic

Asia-Pacific

🇰🇷 Namyangju - South Korea

🇦🇺 Nicholls, Australia

Supercharger Voting Q2 2025

Another quarter means another round of Tesla's Supercharger Voting, giving Tesla owners the chance to influence where new Supercharger sites will be built. Following the Q1 2025 voting round, Tesla is now opening the polls for Q2 2025.

How to Vote

To participate in the Q2 2025 Supercharger Voting, visit the Tesla Supercharger Voting page and sign in to your Tesla account. You can vote for up to five different locations, with a limit of one vote per location, every three months. The most popular Superchargers are displayed on the leaderboard, and you can also suggest new locations for future voting cycles.

Tesla will announce the winners at the end of Q2.

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