Travel / Charging

Plan a long trip in your Model 3

Model focus: Model 3 · Checked September 9, 2026

Let the car calculate the route, then sanity-check the stops and conditions before leaving.

1. Enter the final destination in the in-car navigation. Review every planned charging stop.
2. Check the expected arrival charge, weather, elevation, and whether you will need energy after arrival.
3. Navigate to the selected fast charger so the car can prepare the battery when supported.
4. During the drive, watch the arrival estimate. Slow down or choose an earlier stop if the margin keeps falling.
5. Before entering a sparse area, identify a practical backup charger and verify access requirements.

What changes the plan

Cold, rain, wind, high speed, climbing, roof loads, towing where permitted, and cabin conditioning can raise consumption. Charger availability and charging power can also change during a trip.

At the charging stop

Plug in, confirm charging starts, and use the departure estimate rather than automatically charging to a round number. Charging often slows at a high state of charge, so the route may be faster with shorter, well-placed stops.