A Tesla owner pushed their car to the limit to see how it handled charging in extreme cold.
YouTuber Out of Spec Reviews took a 2019 Model 3 to Colorado and left it in sub-freezing temperatures for two days before plugging it into a Supercharger.
In severe negative temperatures, the car offered no battery regeneration at all from driving around the parking lot before charging. Then, the first charger they attempted to use was so frozen that it wouldn't latch.
Once they found a working charger, they realized it was focusing all its energy on thawing the frozen battery.
It took a full 45 minutes and four kilowatt-hours of waste heat for the battery to be thawed enough to even charge, at which point it started accepting 23 kilowatts.
After that, the process accelerated, and the car charged more quickly; after an hour and 15 minutes, the power had filled to 70%, and by 90%, it operated like normal.
The test proved the durability of modern EVs, even in the coldest temperatures. It may take longer than normal and require some planning, but it seems a Tesla Model 3 can handle even the more severe conditions you throw at it.
It's yet another example that EVs can stand up to gas-guzzling cars despite misinformation to the contrary. Making your next car an EV can ensure one less vehicle on the road spewing planet-warming gases that trap heat in the atmosphere and deteriorate air quality.
The video is also a boost for Tesla, which has struggled with declining sales in 2025 amid protests against company CEO Elon Musk.
Charging at home is a great way to get your car ready to handle challenging conditions outside while also saving you big on fuel costs compared to relying on public chargers.
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Commenters were shocked by how well the Tesla took a charge in the cold and appreciative of the video.
"You guys freaking rock," said one. "Your videos are so informational it's ridiculous."
"My gosh," said another. "The best EV channel out there."
"What dedication," said a third. "The real-world information you provide is fabulous!"
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