Tesla 2010 Roadster, Owner'S Manual, Page: 45 / 122

Driving basics
6-3 Driving your vehicle
Removing the key
WARNING: Never remove the key
when the vehicle is moving. The
steering column will lock and you will not
be able steer the vehicle.
▲
To remove the key, turn the starter switch
to the OFF position.
Exterior lights (except hazard warning
lights) will automatically turn off when you
remove the key.
Note: If you open the driver’s door when
the key is in the starter switch, you will
hear an audible alert reminding you to
remove the key.
Steering column lock
The steering column locks whenever you
remove the key. You may need to turn the
steering wheel slightly to align the
mechanism that engages the lock.
To release the steering column lock, turn
the starter switch to the ACC position. If it
is difficult to turn the key, turn the steering
wheel slightly.
Driving tips and information
Driving an electric vehicle is similar to
driving a petroleum fuelled vehicle. To
maximise driving range use the same
driving habits you would use when
maximising fuel economy. However, here
are a few guidelines:
Drive sensibly to maximise range
Energy consumption depends on driving
style and the current operating conditions.
Your vehicle is designed to travel over
320 km (200 miles) on a charge.
To get the maximum distance from a
charge, you should:
•
Avoid frequent acceleration and
deceleration.
•
Anticipate stops and instead of using
the brake pedal to slow down, lift your
foot off the accelerator. Whenever the
vehicle is moving and the accelerator is
not applied, regenerative braking will
slow the vehicle and feed energy back
to the battery.
•
Drive with the windows up and the
roof on to minimise aerodynamic drag.
•
Ensure tyres are inflated to the
recommended pressures.
•
Remove unnecessary items from the
trunk.
•
Minimise the use of resources like the
heating and air conditioning. Using the
seat heaters to keep warm is more
efficient than heating the cabin.
In addition to driving style, energy
consumption is affected by environmental
conditions, such as cold weather and hilly
roads.
The power meter on the instrument panel
and the touch screen’s ‘Energy’ screen
displays precise real-time feedback on the
amount of energy you’re using.
Warm weather driving
When driving in warm weather, keep in
mind that the vehicle’s air conditioning
system is unique in that the same system
is used to cool both the Battery and the
passenger cabin.
Use these tips to stay cool:
•
When first getting into a warm vehicle,
roll down your windows to move warm
air out of the cabin. Then, when
driving, roll up the windows and turn
on the air conditioning system.
•
To cool the air inside the vehicle, turn
the blower fan on and then press the
air conditioning button. Rotate the
temperature control to achieve the
desired temperature. To turn off, press
the air conditioning button again.
•
When running the air conditioning,
press the Air Recirculation button (see
page 5) to recirculate the air inside the
vehicle. This prevents warm air from
outside the vehicle entering the cabin.
•
Charge the vehicle using the Range
setting (see Range, page 5-7) to
pre-cool the Battery. By having the