This Week in Tesla: 100 MW of Tesla Batteries to be Installed in Israel, Tesla Learned From Model Y’s First Winter

100 MW of Tesla Batteries to be Installed in Israel -

In an addition to Tesla’s recent spree of orders for energy storing megapacks, Tesla received an order for 100 megawatts of energy storage. Nofar Energy, an Israeli electricity supplier ordered a new energy storage system that they claim will deliver over 100 megawatts of energy between 2021 and 2023. It was also announced that Nofar will pay $30 million for the battery system. Recently, Tesla’s energy division has been deploying a massive amount of energy storage, with 1584 MWh deployed last quarter alone. Although Tesla has not yet begun selling vehicles in Israel, it is good to see them making an impact on the country’s emissions.

Tesla Learned From Model Y’s First Winter -

At the time of its release, the Tesla Model Y was likely Tesla’s most capable car in the snow, and still is. A big part of this is due to the heat pump that was introduced first into the Model Y but now is present on the Model 3 and refreshed Model S/X. Vehicles made prior to the heat pump must use energy from the battery to heat the battery, but the heat pump allows heat to be recycled and created much more efficiently, resulting in a far less noticeable difference in range lost in cold temperatures as opposed to warmer temperatures. This week, Tesla released a software update to all Model Y and 3 cars, and the release notes state: “Minor Cold Weather Improvements and Bug Fixes. Additional enhancements have been made to improve the overall experience of your Tesla vehicle in cold weather.” Although it is not explicitly stated as to what the actual improvements were, some owners are reporting improvements in regenerative braking in cold temperature, and the battery management software was also likely updated.