Teslas will now more accurately predict energy usage and reduce range anxiety

May 26, 2022

By Kevin Armstrong

Update 2022.16 brings better energy usage predictions

gregsramblings.com

Tesla's latest update, version 2022.16.0.2, makes calculating energy consumption on your next trip even more precise.

When navigating to your destination, your Tesla will already show you the estimated energy available upon arrival.

However, with update 2022.16, Tesla's 'Navigation Energy Prediction' will become even more accurate.

Before the update, Tesla's routing system estimated energy usage by distance, elevation changes, and some additional information such as your vehicle type and its wheel configuration.

The new Navigation Energy Prediction makes this projection even more definitive by forecasting wind conditions, assessing if you will be driving into a headwind or crosswind, determining the humidity, and gauging the ambient temperature.

Since Tesla is relying on additional weather information for these predictions, your vehicle will need to have an active cellular connection, but Premium Connectivity is not required.

All Teslas in supported regions (US included) will have access to this information except for older Teslas (2015 and older) that only supported 3G cellular networks which have recently gone offline in the US. Tesla offers an upgrade for those owners affected.

This latest update may not be the most significant factor for short trips; it could be a meaningful upgrade for those who use their Tesla for long-distance traveling when every acceleration and regenerative braking matters.

Also, for those who live in regions with a wide range of inclement weather conditions. One of the biggest rebuffs about Tesla, and all EVs, is that they are not as efficient in extremely cold conditions. Certainly, using the heater will use more energy.

Those concerned about traveling in the winter months now have access to even more detailed information about consumption and can better plan for stops along their way to the chilly destination.

Tesla first included environmental factors in a 2018 update, and the wind calculations have been showing up in the code since March 2022, but it's now available in the production build of 2022.16.

Although these changes are completely invisible to the owner they will help reduce range anxiety on long trips and increase our confidence in the vehicle's predictions.

These changes will also improve the accuracy of your suggested wait time at a Supercharger before you're able to move on to your next stop or destination.

Energy App

A great way to track your energy usage on a long trip is by using the graph in the Energy app.

The energy app will also use these new predictions and will now more accurately display the predicted energy curve.

The energy graph displays two graphs. Your predicted energy usage and your actual energy usage. You may sometimes see your vehicle performing worse or better than the prediction. With 2022.16, these graphs should be even more similar, as the predictions have become more accurate.

Before 2022.16, if you were driving against a headwind, it was possible to use significantly more energy than anticipated, but those instances should be far reduced now.

The energy graphs are still a great way to keep tabs on your energy usage on a long trip and a reliable way to see how your car is performing compared to its prediction.

The Energy app is available on all Teslas, except the new Model S and Model X. Tesla appears to still be tweaking the app to work on the larger display, but there is a little workaround to get it to work.

If you have a new Model S or Model X, you can access the Energy app by using the voice command 'Open Energy'.

Increasing Range

There are several ways to increase the range of your Tesla's energy consumption with or without the Navigation Energy Prediction enhancements.

These include driving in Chill Mode and using Speed Assist to monitor bursts of speed. Tesla also encourages users to understand how to control the accelerator pedal to slow down instead of using the brake pedal.

Then, of course, regenerative braking slows the car and puts energy back into the battery. Drivers can also reduce the use of creature comforts such as heat, air conditioning, driver assistance, and even the Toy Box.

However, Caraoke is a must for long trips, so you may want to better plan your route by using the Energy app.

This action ensures you can sing all the tunes you want to entertain, or annoy, your passengers.

Tesla to Allow Drivers to Display License Plates in Vehicle Visualization

October 30, 2024

By Karan Singh

Rendering of what Tesla's license plate feature could look like

Not a Tesla App

Tesla update 2024.38 has started rolling out to several regions and vehicles. Thanks to Tesla hacker Greentheonly, we have a behind-the-scenes look at some new features coming to Teslas.

License Plate Display

According to Greentheonly, it looks like Tesla may soon let you display your actual license plate in the vehicle’s visualization on the screen. In our article, The Most Request Tesla Features, several readers suggested displaying the vehicle’s license plate in the visualization instead of a blank, white plate.

It looks like Tesla will be doing just that, at least in China. Green found references that appear to conclude that you’ll be able to display your vehicle’s plate on screen. This will likely be user input, so you could have it say anything you’d like, and it doesn’t have to be your actual license plate.

For many owners, who may find it difficult to remember their license plate, this could serve a practical purpose in addition to adding to the visualization's realism.

While Green was only able to say it’ll be available in China, we expect this is due to China’s software development team working on it and that it’ll eventually be released worldwide.

We’ve seen several features originally released in China and later applied to everyone. Some of these include the Air Quality Index display, the trip meter that displays traffic along your route, and even the ability to change your vehicle’s color.

While code for this feature was found in update 2024.38, we may not be turned on in China yet. We suspect this feature may be a strong candidate for Tesla’s upcoming holiday update.

FSD Hardware Version Display

As part of the 2024.38 update, Tesla has now made it easy to determine whether your vehicle includes Hardware 3 or Hardware 4. You can now simply navigate to Controls > Software and tap Additional Vehicle Information. In addition to other hardware information about your vehicle, your Autopilot hardware version will now be listed as well.

You can see whether your vehicle has HW2.5, HW3, or AI4. This in-car display is useful, but if you don’t have access to the vehicle, you can always use our guide on how to determine the hardware version of a Tesla.

New Battery Health Test & Service Mode Improvements

Green found some additional things as well. There’s a new and improved Battery Health Test. The new test will show you how your car scores compared to similar vehicles in the Tesla fleet.

In addition, maintenance records can now be permanently stored “in the car.” It doesn’t appear that this feature is activated yet, but it’s likely in active development with some parts leaking out in the 2024.38 update.

Tesla has included various Service Mode improvements and new visualizations in this update.

Leaked Images of the Tesla Model Y Juniper Refresh

October 30, 2024

By Karan Singh

Mr Li on X

It’s been a while since we saw the last batch of leaked images of the Model Y Juniper refresh. That inspiring photo, alongside other images, set the blood of many concept artists on fire. We saw a ton of awesome concepts of Project Juniper, and now there are even more leaked images.

Mr Li on X came across some covered-up Project Juniper vehicles recently and he managed to get various shots of the vehicle.

Juniper Images

This front image reveals what looks like two rows of lights, possibly confirming the front light bar for the Model Y refresh — similar to the one on the Cybercab.

The rear side has a lot of lights on it!

Mr Li on X

The rear side shows a ton of brake lights, but it’s not clear why. While it looks like the Model Y refresh will also feature a rear light bar similar to the Cybertruck, there isn’t strong evidence of that in this photo.

Mr Li on X

There's an obvious set of lights at the bottom, so it looks like the Model Y refresh will be similar to the new Model 3 where the bottom lights can operate as brake lights when the one-piece tail lights and trunk are up.

Mr Li on X

In the last photo, we see that the overall form factor of the refreshed Model Y will remain unchanged, and Tesla is focusing the changes on the front and rear ends of the vehicle, much like the Model 3 refresh. However, in this one shot, we can also see what appears to be red light leaking out of the rear camera cover opening, possibly due to the rear light bar.

The Model Y is not only Tesla’s best-selling vehicle but also the world’s best-selling car in 2023. This year, it’s expected to be the best-selling vehicle in the United States and again in the world, so this refresh will be huge for Tesla.

We expect most of the interior to remain the same as the Model 3 refresh, which saw substantial improvements in quality, noise reduction, and performance. Check out our wishlist of more things we hope to see in the Model Y refresh.

Dominic’s Concept

Dominic's Concept, in all its glory.

@DominicBRNKMN on X

@DominicBRNKMN made another fantastic set of concepts based on these new images. Given he had the most accurate Model 3 Highland concept before the official launch, we’re pretty sure his latest work be close here as well.

@DominicBRNKMN

We’re super excited to see the eventual reveal of Project Juniper, which is expected in the first half of 2025. However, expect to see a few more leaks before production kicks off at Giga Shanghai.