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If you have a Tesla, you know that plugging it in on a routine basis is the recommended course of action from not just other owners but Tesla itself. You probably already follow that advice, too, especially if you’re driving your vehicle daily.
But what if you’re going away for a few days and are leaving your Tesla behind?
Can you leave it plugged in for a number of days? Should you and what happens if you do leave it plugged in for days or even weeks?
These and other questions related to how long, and what may be too long, to leave a Tesla plugged in are all worth taking a look at in further detail. So, let’s get to it.
Can You Leave a Tesla Plugged In for Days?
There are no restrictions on leaving your Tesla plugged in for days or even weeks or months.
As long as your Tesla has a dedicated charger, that charger has power, and you’ve pre-set your battery charging range to stay at a particular percentage (60% charged, for example), you have nothing to worry about.
The Tesla’s Battery Management System will take care of the rest. It will charge the battery when needed if it drops below 60%.
It will heat the battery if it gets too cold and cool the battery if it gets too hot.
So, yes, you can leave your Tesla plugged in for days.
In fact, Tesla recommends you plug it in if you’re going to be away for a while and have the ability to do so. A Tesla not in use should be a Tesla plugged in.
Should You Leave a Tesla Plugged In for Days?
Yes, per Tesla’s recommendation and guidance, if you’re not going to be driving your Tesla for several days, the best option is to plug it in before you leave.
This will maintain the battery’s health and ensure you have a properly charged vehicle upon your return.
Plus, it’s a good way to test the Battery Management System while you’re away to make sure it does what it’s programmed to do.
Think of your trip as an opportunity to take your car for a test storage run instead of a test drive.
What Does Leaving a Tesla Plugged in for Days Do?
Leaving your Tesla plugged in for days without driving it maintains the health of your battery and the operation condition of your vehicle.
It also ensures you don’t have a degraded or dead battery upon your return.
The only thing it doesn’t do is keep your tires inflated. So, if you are gone for an extended period of time, you may have to check your inflation levels before hitting the road again.
Do I Leave My Tesla Plugged In While on Vacation?
The better question is probably, “Should you leave your Tesla plugged in while on vacation?” and the answer is, yes, if you have the ability to do so.
Now if you’re flying somewhere and leaving your Tesla in a long-term parking lot, you may not have the option to plug your Tesla in while you’re gone.
This shouldn’t be a big deal if you’re only gone for a few days.
Newer model Teslas only lose about 1% of their battery charge per day while not plugged in.
As long as your car’s at a decent charge level before you park it for a few days, you should still have more than enough charge upon your return.
Think of it this way. If you’re losing 1% a day, you can conceivably go 100 days if it’s at 100% before you park it.
That being said, that’s probably not the best idea.
And if you can leave your Tesla somewhere where it can be plugged in while you’re gone, go with that option.
Is It OK to Leave a Tesla Plugged In Overnight?
Yes, it’s OK to leave your Tesla plugged in overnight. In fact, this is exactly what Tesla wants you to do.
As part of their guidance, it’s recommended to plug in your vehicle every evening as a way of “topping off” the battery from the day’s usage. The idea is while you sleep, it “recovers,” too.
How Long Can I Leave my Tesla Unplugged?
As noted earlier, you can conceivably leave a newer model Tesla charged to 100% unplugged for about 100 days before the battery is completely spent.
That being said, it’s not a recommended policy.
However, if you’re only leaving town for a few days and can’t leave your Tesla plugged in, try to ensure it has a sufficient charge before you leave and everything will be just fine upon your return.
Final thoughts
Tesla’s vehicles are designed to be plugged in when not in use.
This isn’t just to keep your battery charged for driving.
It’s also a way of preserving your battery’s service life by keeping it charged at appropriate levels while also protecting the battery from extreme temperature conditions while sitting unused.
Whether they’re left plugged in overnight, several days while you’re on vacation, or several months, the length of time doesn’t matter as long as the car is plugged in.
You really only have to take time into account when calculating how long a Tesla hasn’t been plugged in and how that impacts battery performance.
