Electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla has released a new update for its mobile app that can reduce the amount of energy drained while the car is parked or not in use, according to Electrek.
The new major app update addresses the "phantom drain." The major causes of phantom drain are the systems that continue to operate when the car is not in use, such as climate control, data sharing with servers, Bluetooth connectivity, software updates, Sentry Mode, and other background processes.
Tesla vehicles wake up with connectivity automatically, which can drain the battery when the car is not plugged into an EV charger. Earlier in 2024, the company released an update that cut the energy usage on Sentry Mode, the feature that monitors the vehicle's proximity for suspicious activity through its cameras, by 40%. Another Tesla update also created added safety with parental control options.
The new 4.35.0 app update addresses the connectivity. According to Tesla Newswire (@TeslaNewswire) on X, formerly known as Twitter, the vehicle "will no longer wake up and will just show 'asleep for x hours.' You can wake it up by sending a command or pulling down to refresh."
According to Electrek, this could save drivers up to 0.5 kilowatt-hours of energy per car per week, which is substantial in the long run.
Electric vehicle sales are rising across the globe. In the second quarter of 2024, sales grew by 11.3% in the U.S., according to Kelley Blue Book — to a record high of 330,463 EVs in one quarter. While Tesla purchases dropped 6.3% year-over-year, the company is still at the forefront. By the end of 2023, Tesla had sold nearly five million vehicles.
Electric vehicles can lower fuel costs for drivers while eliminating demand for dirty energy like gas. EVs use about half of the energy that traditional gas-powered cars use, according to Yale Climate Connections. So, the efficiency of the electric battery is important when it comes to cleaner air and saving money.
Overall, this update can help drivers save more money by consuming less energy and reducing energy pollution.
As Fred Lambert of Electrek noted: "I love to see it."
Tesla is continuing to find new ways to save people money and make its cars more efficient. In addition to electric vehicles, the company offers Powerwall storage systems and solar panels to help save homeowners money.
If you are looking to buy a new car, check out our guide on purchasing an electric vehicle.
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