It’s natural to want to help someone on the side of the road if their car battery is flat, but you might want to think twice if you are driving a Tesla EV car. While it’s technically possible to charge an ICE battery using a Tesla, it is not recommended. Moreover, you need to know exactly what you’re doing to avoid damaging the battery in your expensive electric vehicle.
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Can You Jump Start Another Car With a Tesla?
In short, it is not advisable to jump-start another car with a Tesla vehicle. The reason for this is the low voltage power of a Tesla battery compared to the high voltage power of a combustion engine. If you try to jump-start one with a Tesla, it can lead to a dead battery.
However, you might still want to help someone start their car, whether they are your neighbor or you see them on the side of the road. Don’t risk the battery on your EV; instead, keep a lithium-ion jump starter kit that acts as a conventional battery in your trunk.
How a Tesla Battery Works
Tesla is a leading innovator of electric vehicles and uses lithium-ion batteries to power their cars. A lithium-ion battery is the same type of battery that you find in your phone and other small, high-powered devices. These batteries are best because they offer power and longevity.
Unlike a smartphone, an EV car uses many lithium-ion batteries at once to generate the power needed to replace an internal combustion engine. The Tesla main battery cannot be charged while driving like hybrids; instead, it needs to be charged from an external output.
Can a Tesla Jump Start Another Tesla?
Electric cars are the future – that’s why Elon Musk started the Tesla company and rolled out these innovative vehicles – but the trouble with electric cars is they run out of power when you need it most. The good news is you can jump-start Tesla motors with other Teslas.
Tesla cars normally require a lithium-ion jump starter to get them back on the road; most Teslas should have one in the trunk. But there is another option – jumping a Tesla with a Tesla involves charging the battery with a special connecting lead that you can buy from stores.
Can All Tesla Models Jump Start Another Car?
The good news is that your Tesla car is capable of charging other Tesla vehicles and can even assist vehicles with 12-volt lead-acid batteries. So although it is inadvisable to jump-start a conventional car with a Tesla vehicle, it is technically possible if you locate the 12-volt battery.
All Tesla vehicles contain a 12-volt lead-acid battery used to charge lights, computer systems, window motors, and other electrical components. It is sometimes hard to locate this battery, but it can be used with jumper cables to charge batteries in EVs and other cars.
Can you jump a car with a Tesla Model 3?
Never use the lithium-ion battery in your Tesla Model 3 to start ICE cars; this will result in irreparable damage to your Model 3 engine. That said, you can assist another car with your EV vehicle by linking the 12-volt batteries together using jumper cables. However, you should never start the ICE car while it is still connected to the Tesla in case of damage.
Can you jump a car with a Tesla Model S?
The Model S is a Liftback EV which is a new form of a hatchback with a sloping roof; this model uses a 100 kWh 400-volt lithium-ion battery which provides a maximum range of 300 miles. This model can also be used to start an ICE vehicle with jumper cables. First, source the 12-volt secondary battery or use a portable jump-starting kit that you can store in the trunk.
Can you jump a car with a Tesla Model X?
The Model X is a mid-sized luxury EV notable for its falcon-wing doors and falls under the SUV class. The Model X contains a 100 kWh battery with a maximum range of 300 miles.
The Telsa Model X also includes a high-voltage battery that’s used to charge the internal computer and other functions. Connect the 12-volt batteries using jump cables to charge another 12V battery.
Can you jump a car with a Tesla Model Y?
The Model Y is a compact EV car that uses a 75 kWh lithium-ion battery and a 12-volt ICE battery. According to the Tesla owner’s manual, it is not advisable to use the lithium-ion battery to jump-start other vehicles. Instead, connect the positive terminal of the EV to the other car’s battery and the negative clip to the vehicle’s metal. Remove the clips before testing.
How to Use a Tesla to Jump-Start Another Car
Whatever EV model you own, the process for jump-starting another vehicle is roughly the same. First, you have to locate the second battery, the high-voltage lead-acid battery that powers the car’s internal systems. To do this, you’ll have to remove the tow eye cover.
Next, connect the positive terminals of the batteries and the negative clip to the Tesla’s bodywork. Notice sparks coming from the red terminal.
Why It Is Not Recommended to Use a Tesla to Jump Another Car
Although it is technically possible to generate enough power to jump-start other cars with an electric car, it is not recommended.
This is because the lithium-ion battery in an EV is a low-voltage battery that is unsuitable for charging the other car. Additionally, the 12-volt secondary battery supports the internal systems of the electric vehicle, which might be compromised on the road.
Is it Worth the Risk?
Charging another car with an EV 12-volt battery is possible, but it’s not recommended; you would only take the risk of jump-starting a third-party car if you were in a pinch.
On the other hand, it’s perfectly acceptable to charge your Tesla EV with a conventional ICE battery.
