How much battery do Tesla's
parked features use?
Short answer: Anything that runs the A/C, including Dog Mode, Camp Mode, Keep Climate and Cabin Overheat Protection, uses roughly 1 to 2 kW on a hot day, about 1% to 3% of the battery per hour. Sentry uses about 1 mile of range an hour. Venting the windows uses none.
Battery use by feature
| Feature | Rough battery use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Vent | None while the windows are open | Nothing runs. Moving the windows takes a negligible amount of energy. |
| Sentry Mode | Roughly 1 mile of range per hour | Cameras and computer stay awake. Adds up over a full day parked. |
| Cabin Overheat Protection (Fan Only) | Low | Only runs once the cabin passes its limit, and only the fan. |
| Cabin Overheat Protection (On) | About 1 to 2 kW while cooling | Only runs above the limit (about 105°F), so real use depends on sun and heat. |
| Keep Climate On | About 1 to 2 kW on a hot day | Holds the temperature you set the whole time. |
| Dog Mode | About 1 to 2 kW on a hot day | Same as Keep Climate, plus the screen message. |
| Camp Mode | About 1 to 2 kW on a hot day, plus screen and USB | Climate plus power for the screen, music and outlets. |
What 1 to 2 kW means for your battery
Tesla doesn't publish draw figures, so treat these as rough ranges. On a typical 75 kWh battery, 1 to 2 kW is about 1% to 3% of the battery per hour, or roughly 4 to 8 miles of range. In direct sun on a very hot day the A/C can work harder than that; on a mild day, much less.
Any feature that runs the A/C costs about the same per hour. What differs is how long each one runs. Keep Climate, Dog and Camp run for as long as you leave them on. Cabin Overheat Protection only runs when the cabin is over its limit, and stops after 12 hours or at about 20% battery.
How to cut the battery cost
Park in shade, or face the windshield away from the sun. Use a windshield sunshade. Pre-cool the car right before you leave instead of holding it cool all day. And vent the windows: letting the hot air out first means the A/C has much less heat to remove later, whichever feature you use.
More detail on each: Dog Mode, Cabin Overheat Protection (and why it stops working), and Vent.
The zero-battery option, automatic
VentMode vents your windows when it's hot and dry where an empty car is parked, closes them when rain is coming and every evening, and uses no battery while they're open. It's not for pets: if one is in the car, use Dog Mode.
$29/year with a 7-day free trial.
Frequently asked questions
How much battery does Dog Mode use?
Roughly 1 to 2 kW on a hot day, about 1% to 3% of a 75 kWh battery per hour, more in direct sun or extreme heat. Tesla sends an app alert if the battery gets low.
How much battery does Camp Mode use overnight?
It depends mostly on the outside temperature. On a mild night the climate barely runs; on a hot or cold night it can use around 1 to 2 kW. Over 8 hours that ranges from a few percent to 20% or more of the battery.
How much battery does Sentry Mode use?
Owners commonly report around 1 mile of range per hour, which adds up to a noticeable amount over a full day parked.
Does Cabin Overheat Protection drain the battery?
Only while it's actively cooling, which happens when the cabin is above its limit, about 105°F by default. On a hot sunny day that can be hours of A/C. It stops after 12 hours or at about 20% battery.
Does venting the windows use battery?
No. Moving the windows takes a negligible amount of energy, and nothing runs while they're vented.
Related: What a hot summer costs in battery · Ways to keep a parked Tesla cool
Cool the cabin on hot days without touching the battery.
VentMode is not affiliated with Tesla, Inc.