Tesla’s Cold-Weather Upgrade: Charge Port Heating Made Easy

Tesla is addressing one of the most persistent cold-weather issues for electric vehicle (EV) owners with a new software update that allows direct control of charge port heating.

A Solution to Freezing Frustrations

Previously, charge port heating was only indirectly accessible through functions like rear defrost or vehicle preconditioning. Owners in cold climates often struggled with frozen charge ports and cables, which could lead to inconvenient and costly charging interruptions, especially at Supercharger stations.

The new feature, available on select 2023 and 2024 Model X and Model Y vehicles, enables owners to manually activate the charge port heater through a dedicated menu option. This comes after years of addressing cold-weather charging challenges that have plagued Tesla owners since the Model 3’s early winters.

How the New Feature Works

Users can now access the charge port heater directly by navigating to Controls > Service > Charge Port Heater. This targeted approach allows for more efficient and precise heating, addressing a long-standing user request.

Since 2018, Tesla has been working to mitigate cold-weather challenges. The company introduced charge port heaters across its vehicle lineup in late 2020, but until now, there was no direct way to control this feature. Previous workarounds included using rear defrost or preconditioning, which would unnecessarily heat the entire vehicle cabin.

Availability and Limitations

The new feature is currently limited to a small segment of vehicles, primarily 2023 Model Y and 2024 Model X models running software update 2024.44.3.1. Vehicles manufactured after September 2020 are most likely to have the necessary hardware.

Tesla hints at future improvements, suggesting the next step might be automatic charge port heating before scheduled departures, further enhancing the user experience in cold climates.

What This Means for Tesla Owners

As a result, the update represents a small but significant improvement in EV usability, addressing one of the practical challenges of EV ownership in cold regions.

Read More: Tesla Doubles Down on Referral Rewards: $2,000 Off New Purchases

For Tesla owners in snow-prone areas, this could mean fewer charging headaches and more reliable winter performance. By addressing a common pain point with a thoughtful and user-friendly solution, Tesla continues to refine its EVs to meet real-world needs.

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