Tesla Model Y Real-World Efficiency in 4 Seasons

How much does energy efficiency really change throughout the year when driving an EV? I have been collecting data for this experiment for well over a year driving several thousand kilometres in each season. The Tesla Model Y I’m driving is currently the best selling EV (and car!) in the world, so this test is relevant is representative for what many drivers can expect.

My climate here in Toronto, Canada presents both extremes with both hot summer heat waves and frigid snowy winters. My driving routes are approximately 70% highway and 30% city.

As shown in this table, Spring and Autumn efficiency is only a few percentage points worse than summer. But my winter consumption increased dramatically by 29%. That’s almost 1/3 less driving range on the same charge.

Wheels and Tires

My Model Y is the Long Range Dual Motor variant with 20″ Induction wheels and Continental all-seasom OEM tires. But in the winter months, I was using the same Induction wheels on non-EV Falken EuroWinter tires. I suspect that EV-specific winter tires can close the gap by a few percentage points, but there is no way around increased consumption in the winter.

Reasons Why Winter Range is Worse

There are several factors limiting efficiency and range in the winter months. Not only is the atmospheric air more dense when the weather is cold, the car needs to spend more energy heating the cabin and preconditioning the battery pack for fast charging sessions. Winter tires have deeper tread grooves and softer rubber compounds for better grip on slick surfaces, and the constantly wet (or snow covered) road surfaces add even more rolling resistance.

Read our guide on minimizing range loss in the winter months here.