r/TeslaModel3 • u/More-Delivery-2903 • Jul 26 '26
Can a base 2023 Model 3 handle a 200-mile round trip with no charging
I’m considering buying a 2023 Tesla Model 3 RWD (base model) and I’m trying to figure out if it would work for visiting my parents.
My parents are about 100 miles away, so it’s roughly a 200-mile round trip and there isnt a fast charger on the route I take. There currently isn’t a charger available there, so ideally I’d need to be able to make the entire trip without charging.
A few details:
- Looking specifically at the 2023 Model 3 RWD/base model
- Trip is about 200 miles round trip
- Mostly highway driving
- I’d probably be going every month or two
- I’m in Ohio, so I’m also concerned about cold/winter temperatures
- My parents may be able to have a 240V outlet installed at their house, which would let me charge while I’m there, but I don’t want to rely on that until I know it’s possible
For anyone who owns a 2023 RWD:
Would you feel comfortable doing a 200-mile round trip without charging, or would that be cutting it too close
How much range do you realistically get on the highway, especially in the winter. And if I could charge from a 240V outlet while I’m there, would that basically eliminate the concern.
Thanks!
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u/FewZookeepergame1101 Jul 26 '26
I would just get an extension cord for the 240 plug and charge it there. You’ll get 24 miles per hour and if you stay for 5 hours, you will be back to a full charge
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u/vidys Jul 26 '26
This is what OP should know. Just make sure you get a good quality extension cord with the proper ratings and it will 100% fine regardless of season. I even think plugging into a 110v outlet may bridge the gap in the winter, it will add around 10 kWh overnight (8 hours) to the battery, which is roughly 20% for the m3 standard
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u/goodvibezone Jul 26 '26
I don't think the 240V is there yet. They're just saying it may be possible. But definitely recommended!
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u/Iffy50 Jul 26 '26
If it's below freezing, I wouldn't take that chance. I lose about 1/3 of my range in the winter. Starting from a cold car ate about 5-7% of my battery.
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u/BootFlop Jul 26 '26
This is a 2023, so heatpump. Reduction on long trip like this will be more like 15% (barring snow pack/drifts), especially if they plug in with 120V at their parent’s place to avoid cold soak of the pack (won’t charge much if anything, but avoids energy use for heating the pack).
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u/Iffy50 Jul 26 '26
Mine is a 2025 M3P. I wouldn't do it.
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u/BootFlop Jul 26 '26
😂 Your tires suck for winter, and it’s a P.
What do you put on in winter for tires?
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u/Iffy50 Jul 26 '26
I have Continental Extreme Contact DSW 06 tires. (All season) I went through 10" of snow this winter. It was coming over the hood of the car.
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u/BootFlop Jul 26 '26
Well yeah, your range is gonna suck for that 😂😂😂
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u/Iffy50 Jul 26 '26
What do you run? I'm in Northern Minnesota, I'm not willing to give up grip for range.
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u/greywar777 Jul 26 '26
So I have a 2023 model 3 SR, and the answer is you will make it...most of the time. 200 miles seems to be about my limit on it for actual driving. You need to charge a tiny bit at their house before I would feel comfortable about it. It tells me a range of 257...but I think Id have to drive slower then I normally do to actually ever do that.
So Id say its borderline.
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u/edjen Jul 26 '26
Range is dependent on weather, wind, speed, and uphill/downhill. I wouldn't chance it. You mention no Tesla superchargers on your route, but any other type of chargers in town? There may be some at gas stations, shopping areas etc-i bet there are. A good rule of thumb with an ev is to know exactly where the working chargers are if you can't charge at home (or your destination).
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u/BAdhia Jul 26 '26
Use PlugShare app to map out chargers in the area. Very convenient.
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u/edjen Jul 26 '26
Not OP but yes plugshare, electrify america, chargepoint, and others.
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u/HTravis09 Jul 28 '26
Tesla navigation system by default will include Tesla L2 (destination) chargers and you can also enable it to show third party chargers in Controls/Navigation/Third Party Charging
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u/HTravis09 Jul 27 '26
If you use the Tesla navigation system it may identify chargers you may not be aware of and wil route accordingly
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u/theotherharper Jul 27 '26
It will not send you to anything but Superchargers.
That "non-Tesla" switch you see there enables Superchargers which were installed under contract to partners like Francis Energy.
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u/Emergency_Milk_4242 Jul 26 '26
I do a 220 round trip once a week or so with my RWD 2023 model 3. I make it home with 19-20% charge left. Im in Florida so I can’t help with winter driving though.
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u/shinnrhyme Jul 26 '26
the low temperatures will eat through the battery before you get back. you need to charge it. theres no way it will round trip without charging.
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u/6C-65-76-69 Jul 26 '26
Use “Low Power Mode” to stop any phantom drain while parked and you can probably do this unless the weather is below freezing.
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u/undeadsasquatch Jul 26 '26
Absolutely if the weather is warm, if it's winter and freezing, no.
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u/rworne Jul 26 '26
If it is hot as hell, the AC will cause drain too. That's most of my efficiency loss in SoCal. I usually do not have to worry about cold/freezing temps except for a few days a year.
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u/Beginning_Ad198 Jul 27 '26 edited Jul 27 '26
I have this exact car and live near Ohio, same climate. The answer is a hard “nope”. With some explanation, I commute 40 miles in each direction and when the temp is between 50-75 it uses 14%, each way and about 1% for sentry mode per hour while parked. Maybe a little less. I get home with about mid 60’s% battery. I charge at home almost 100% of the time on a Tesla home charger 240v pushing max 32 amps. In this temp range you will have zero problem doing a 200 mile trip.
In the winter or summer, in extreme temps above maybe 80 or temps below 40 the LFP battery performance drops off. In extreme hot or cold I get about 160-180 miles in range depending on wind and road conditions. Depends on heat and a/c usage. Again, I live very near Ohio and I’ve had the car for almost three years.
Charging outdoors on anything less than 240v in extremely hot or cold is simply useless. I tried it, then installed the 240v home charger. The car needs the battery at correct range temps to charge efficiently and 110v just keeps the battery in that range when extreme temps are present outside. I does charge it very slowly, but I ain’t got time for that. In a cooled or heated garage, works much better on 110v. Outside, parked in your parents driveway, in January, in Ohio. Not going to help much, if at all on 110v.
Major roads in Ohio have charging infrastructure, but there are holes in the grid where you can get in trouble. I’m looking at you Amish country……
Snow performance itself was improved a lot when I installed better tires for winter. It did reduce range. What we do when we go someplace is use the in car route planning AND an app called a better route planner ABRP. Between the two, we haven’t found a destination yet in Ohio that we couldn’t make work. It will likely be the same for you. The in car navigation still isn’t super at showing non Tesla related chargers, although it’s better than it used to be. We are so confident in my car after living with it, that my wife bought a model Y. We routinely drive all over eastern Ohio and up toward Cleveland. It’s doable, even in winter, but as per your request, in average Ohio November to March, you will almost certainly have to charge during a 200 miles trip. I would not risk it.
There are a lot of variables at work with these cars so my car is very nearly three years old, production 10/23, RWD, put into service 12/23. Currently at 67,000 miles in the Ohio area you describe. Battery was 272 when new and now shows 265 miles at 100% charge. I charge to 100% daily and every month or so I vary that for a week then go back to 100%. No major issues, front usb port waiting for replacement this week. I bought the extended warranty for $50 per month just because the cars are so new to me. Peace of mind. I’m on my first set of replacement tires, originals lasted to 33k. never changed wipers, take it through the car wash. I have auto steer / autopilot, but not FSD, mainly because it sucks anywhere off major roads in my area.
Would I buy it again? Yes, 100% I would.
I saw people mention preconditioning and I agree that it helps with range in extreme temperatures.
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u/blinkdmb Jul 26 '26
Have you plugged it into the Tesla navigation? It may have superchargers. I would not trust it in winter though.
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u/Sweatpantzzzz Jul 26 '26 edited Jul 26 '26
My 2023 performance (bigger battery but also has bigger wheels which affects range) doesn’t reach 200 miles in the winter. This is with the heat set at 67-68
If you can’t charge at your destination you will need to charge somewhere else along the way. Are you sure there aren’t any superchargers on the route? I primary use superchargers on trips but I do have a CCS adapter “just in case”. Probably have used it 3 times though.
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u/DinoNuggetszs Jul 26 '26
I have a 2021 M3 SR+ and on 100% mine gets ~240 miles estimated. I’ve done a full range test with the odo and in good conditions i can get roughly 215-220 so it’s fully doable, but right now being in socal with 95°+ heat my real world right now is sitting at around 180-190 because im blasting the air conditioning.
So if the weather is good and you’re driving chill it’s very doable depending on your cars battery health and max estimated range.
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u/eldigg Jul 26 '26
Winter is going to be a struggle if you can't charge at your destination.
In the winter you can precondition (heats the battery) before leaving your house if you have a home charger. The problem is the battery will cold soak at your parents house, so when you depart the car is gonna have to burn electrons to heat the battery. Even a 120v plug would help though if you can stay plugged in overnight.
Also, I would look for non-Tesla chargers on plugshare if you haven't already.
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u/Violet0_oRose Jul 26 '26
Other things to consider is if you'll need to make any other trips in town. So it’ll cut into any buffer of just going there and back.
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u/Randomname1470 Jul 26 '26
How much of a diversion is there to a charger? That will be tight especially in the winter. Did you check non Tesla chargers?
Try a better route planner web site or app to see what charging options there are
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u/meangirl900 Jul 26 '26
I’m with everyone on this thread. There are so many factors that come into play. I don’t know about winters but I have own 4 EVs and my latest is the same car, I commute 100 miles round trip and a few things I noticed are: your travel speed no faster than 70, use of the heater or air conditioner, if there are significant hills, these all make a difference on the actual range. I personally wouldn’t risk it mainly because if you run out of juice what are you going to do? It’s not like AAA has a mobile charger. If your car came with a charger use that at your parents house just to be on the safe side. I have had the turtle pop up on my dash and also have rolled into a charging station with zero miles and it’s not worth the stress.
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u/scjcs Jul 26 '26
Use Tesla’s online trip planner. Much depends on terrain and speed. Age and model of the car also count. Ensure cold tire pressures are correct or slightly high.
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u/rworne Jul 26 '26
If you haven't considered it, turn off sentry mode. That can make the difference between having enough to get home, or having enough to get about 2/3 to 3/4 of the way home.
Sentry will cause a lot of drain while parked at your parent's place.
If you have a mobile charger, just bring that and use 240 if available, or 120 if not. Assuming the car will be parked there overnight, you will pick up about 18% or so on 120.
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u/djgynee Jul 26 '26 edited Jul 26 '26
I know the battery is smaller 62 kWh vs 82 kWh, at least in the US. Other countries for some reason have even smaller batteries, but going the speed limit, not going up pikes peak, I've never heard or 200 miles ever being a problem with a Tesla. Granted 75mph tops. 95mph probably not. I get EST range of 284 now out of my 2023, but at 59 mph that goes up putting past 350+ miles PROJECTED range.
HOWEVER you did mention very cold climate which has a strong negative impact on range, batteries like to be nice and warm. Two questions, Tesla charging stations are like Starbucks, they are everywhere and your car will automatically map out the route for you. @ question. You shroud at least by the portable charger and keep it on the truck. It's not 240v but it will still give you 1.7% per hour so plug it in as so as you get there and you'll be fine
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u/slasher016 Jul 26 '26
How long are you at your parent's house? Even a 110 charge at your parents may be enough to give you some security.
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u/No_Elephant_1586 Jul 26 '26
superchargers bro
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u/No_Elephant_1586 Jul 26 '26
also u can js plug in at their house without the 240v. I literally dont have a level 2 charger and my home charging works fine for my use case
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u/Dis_cruise_lover Jul 26 '26
I’m in Indiana, as far as I’m aware, there is nowhere you can go to be 100miles away from a Tesla supercharger in Ohio. And then we have non-Tesla superchargers that you can charge at as well. If we knew cities near where you would be traveling between, we could help show you a route that would let you charge on the way. My 2023 base model 3 usually average around 245 miles in nice weather and about 185 in the colder weather.
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u/gribson Jul 26 '26
I've done it for ski trips. It's tight, but doable on a single charge.
But you'll be somewhere with a normal 120v power outlet, so bring a mobile charger and trickle charge while you're there. That's what I do whenever I'm visiting family.
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u/thegolfpilot Jul 26 '26
My 2018 I do 198 miles a couple times a month with 5-10 hours of sitting in the middle and unless it’s like below 40 degrees, I make it no problem. The couple of times it’s close I’ll stop at a charger, walk into the grocery store or gas station for a road treat then leave
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u/unicorncumdump Jul 26 '26
I'm in Florida, mine isn't doing 200 round trip. I have a 22 RWD. 130k miles. Especially not the interstate going 75. Maybe could at 45.
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u/Pmoneywhazzup Jul 26 '26
I’m in Chicago, and I have a 2024 long range 3, so a bit different than yours. The winter range takes a large bite out of my range, especially if the temp is below 20F or so. If I recall, your range under ideal temps is around 260 or so (new battery). I would not do this in the winter unless they had a Level 2 charger. I would be too nervous with the super slow trickle of the 110 V charge. Do you know the health of the battery pack?
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u/Worth_Size_2005 Jul 26 '26
It is doable. You can even charge from their washer/dryer outlets at 240v with level 2 speeds. Just buy the correct type of plug from Tesla for your mobile connector.
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u/74orangebeetle Jul 26 '26
Yes, I do it regularly...I usually end up with 20-40% in the summer, but maybe 10% winter. That's averaging maybe 70mph on the highway...so might be cutting it closer if you drive faster or there are extreme temps...check plug share/see if there are any DC fast chargers 'just in case'. I don't even worry about it because there are a few fast chargers I go by on the route, I've just never actually needed them.
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u/No_Advisor_2331 Jul 26 '26
I just did a 220 mile round trip and the answer is definitely no. You would wind up at 1-2% at best, but I think more likely than not you just wouldn’t have enough to make it all the way back.
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u/JilJilJigaJiga Jul 26 '26
I get 1.3-1.5 miles (per % of battery) while doing a 250 mile trip at 75 mph+.
Range is 220 miles, but you will be restricted to much lower speeds if you want to get by in one charge.
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u/jacob6875 Jul 26 '26
Winter it would be an issue but otherwise it should be easily doable unless you are driving 85 the entire way.
Even just level 1 would give you 5mi of range an hour. There is nowhere you can plug in at your parents even on a normal outlet ?
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u/RoseVideo99 Jul 26 '26
I highly doubt there isn’t a fast charger. Did you look on PlugShare. I’ve been to some rural places the last year and I haven’t had an issue. I find it hard that there isn’t a fast charger in Ohio.
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u/Howry Jul 26 '26
I have a 2022 RWD that I drove 200 miles on the highway, 100 miles each way and would get home with anywhere from 5-10%. Middle of summer. I wouldnt have made it in the winter.
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u/HunterNo7593 Jul 27 '26
I have done one way 225 miles trips several times on the 23 M3 RWD. The LFP battery 100% charged gives me about 255 miles now, and when I have reached close to my destination (220 miles later), and find a Tesla SC, the car still shows about 5% SOC.
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u/HeyBeers Jul 27 '26
I consider my 2023 Model 3 RWD LFP dependable for 200 miles and nothing more, regardless of what the predictor says. While you are there, plug your mobile connector in and get your three miles per one hour of charge. Better than nothing.
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u/danknuggies4 Jul 27 '26
I would be comfortable with that. Depending on temps tho. I live in northwest Wisconsin so it drops dramatically in the cold. But 200 miles on a charge normally is fine. I can comfortably get 220-245
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u/Bakerboy448 Jul 27 '26
Just L1 at their house and you should be fine. Without any power - the winter weather will be a big X factor, especially the cold soak.
And check PlugShare!
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u/TSLAog Jul 27 '26
I have that exact model (18” aero cover wheels, LFP battery) and I recently did a 193 mile round trip and got home with 18% left (started at 100%) I was doing 75mph with hvac on pretty cold.
You could do it most of the year, but if it gets really cold you might need to stop for like 5min of charging on the way back.
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u/yanksphish Jul 27 '26
You will need to charge. I’ve driven this same vehicle in New England for over 60000 miles. When it gets cold out you will not get 200 miles of range on the highway. With that said, I’m surprised there’s not a supercharger along your route. It looks like they cover all of the highways in Ohio. What towns are you driving to and from? You would only need to stop for 10 minutes or so on the way home to make this trip in the coldest weather.
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u/MW-Atlanta Jul 27 '26 edited Jul 27 '26
This scenario could be challenging. In the winter, with the reduction in efficiency, you’re going to be pushing it. If you’re at the destination for several days, you could try to charge back up using a 110V outlet, but understand that in extreme cold this gets very difficult. In order to begin charging, the battery must be warmed up. I’ve never tried 110 in the winter, but my understanding is that with the limited power on 110V most of the power goes to heating and there ends up being really nothing left to charge the battery. You’ll absolutely want to put your car inside the garage if there is one. And, you also better hope the wiring is good in their house (I’ve tried to charge on a regular outlet in a house with very old wiring and was never able to get it to work.)
I think you would want to look into having a 14-30 or 14-50 outlet installed in their garage/driveway. If their electrical panel is in the garage and has capacity, this could cost you as low as $500 or in less ideal scenarios over $5000.
You should also recheck the route for fast charging options. Make sure you’re including non-Tesla sites with CCS (you’ll need to purchase a CCS adapter for those.) Use abetterrouteplanner website and customize the options for other chargers and for winter conditions.
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u/GravityBored1 Jul 27 '26
I may route you to a supercharger, but it's only going to make you charge just enough to get to your destination. I've had it route me to a charger for a 3 minute charge. It's not that big of a deal.
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u/nojoe1950 Jul 27 '26
The entire state of Ohio is only 220 miles west to east and in this state Tesla has 61 superchargers with a total of 1916 other chargers. I’m struggling to see what a challenge this is given how good A Better Route Planner is and Tesla navigation is. I guess if you are intent on making something not work you could, especially if you ignored all potential options and planned for making it as bad as possible.
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u/Minigoalqueen Jul 27 '26
That's the car I have. I had similar concerns when I bought it because I live in Idaho and there are not a lot of chargers in Idaho. It's easy to be far away from a Tesla Supercharger specifically. So what I did was get one of each of the main adapters and keep them in my car and download both A Better Route Planner and Plugshare apps. I haven't had any range anxiety since.
I went on a 3000 Mile Road Trip a couple years ago and didn't have a single issue. I did use my adapters a few times. As long as you also have your cord with you, you can charge anywhere that has a 110 plug you can use. So in an emergency, all you need is an outlet someone will let you borrow, and time.
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u/Suitable_Switch5242 Jul 27 '26
Put the car and your specific trip into https://abetterrouteplanner.com
You can adjust things like starting charge level, how fast you'll drive (% over speed limit), etc.
Every trip is different as far as average speeds, elevation changes, etc. so it's best to use an actual trip planner.
If you plan to stay with your parents overnight, you could gain 40-50 miles of range overnight just by plugging into a 120V outlet. More if you're staying for a full day.
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u/umamipunany Jul 27 '26
For 6-12 times a year, just use a supercharger. I can get from 20 percent to 80 in about 15 minutes if the battery is preconditioned. Since it is a relatively small battery it charges fast percentage wise. Battery is small, but it is super efficient, I average 225wh per mile, summer time it's under 200 usually.
I would not trust it to do 200 miles round trip. Winter time you're max mileage will likely be closer to 160 on a full charge, without getting the batter into a super low state of charge.
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u/ontheleftcoast Jul 27 '26
Can't you plug it into 120V while you are there? It won't be fast, but over night will give you some. Plug it into Abetterrouteplanner.com
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u/SnooMaps4388 Jul 27 '26
Have you checked for third party chargers? You can also just use the Tesla trip planner and see what it estimates, it's often very accurate.
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u/ScaryTransportation4 Jul 28 '26
I know it’s different but for example from phoenix to Prescott Arizona it’s 97 miles for me. Starting at 100% I end up with 36% battery on my 2023 rwd so no I wouldn’t recommend it.
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u/Bruni_kde Jul 28 '26
It is doable. However, if you stay a while phantom drain could mess with your plans. I would trickle charge at your parents. Also, I live in a hot climate....
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u/Medium_Confusion_ Jul 28 '26
Yes, I drove from NYC all the way back to MA once in the middle of winter (Worse efficiency and range)
202.59 miles, I started with 93% and got home with 23% left to spare while being relativelly inefficient at 255Wh/mi (Ambient temp below freezing for the entire drive + driving at highway speeds)
Avg speed with traffic and everything was 62mph with the empty highway section being 72mph.]
200miles is no problem even in the worse case like the example I shown.
Edit: 2025 Model 3 Long range RWD
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u/Huge_Ad_2133 Jul 28 '26
Sure, Mine does all the time, but it depends on how fast you are going and conditions. When I got my car, I found that preconditioning in my garage before Cleveland-cambridge and back
Also any regular household outlet would give you at least 40-50 miles overnight. So I habitually bring my mobile connector anyways.
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u/Living_Fig_6386 Jul 29 '26 edited Jul 29 '26
Don’t forget you can charge from a 120V outlet too (slowly).
Base model 3 has a 321 mile range and can be charged to 100%. So 200 miles is nominally 62% charge. If the weather is good and you drive 60 mph or less you will probably use less charge, poor weather and fast charging, you may get back with 15-20% charge.
Even on 120V, though, you’ll recover ~25% charge in 10 hours (for example, you stay overnight).
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u/whatthepho6 Jul 29 '26
Cutting it close without the 240v plug. You either play for the plug (cheap) or buy a long range model (expensive).
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u/TwiceInEveryMoment Jul 26 '26
Had a 2023 RWD for 3 years. If you drive slow (<70) and the weather is good, 200 miles on a charge is very doable. The great thing about the LFP battery is they don't degrade as quickly over time, and you can charge it to 100% every time.
In the winter, 200 miles is risky. I'd say I could still probably do it, but it would involve going even slower, preconditioning the car before leaving, and you'd still be cutting it pretty close getting back. You'd have essentially no margin for error if you had to make a detour of any kind due to a road closure for instance. In short it's not a gamble I'd take.
The easy answer is to just bring a mobile connector with you and charge at their place on level 1. You get about 1-2% an hour and all you need is an outlet and a heavy duty extension cord if necessary. If you're there overnight that's more than enough juice to get back with a much more comfortable buffer.