A new official video shows how engineers push electric vehicles to their limits in temperatures above 122 degrees.
May 11, 2023 at 3:04 am ET
Any car brand that has a modicum of respect for itself and its customers will always try to improve the models it makes, even after they go on sale. And one of the ways a car can be improved is by testing it over and over again until something breaks so the automaker can fix the potential problem before any customer finds it.
That’s why we often see spy photos of camouflaged prototypes undergoing cold weather testing. But as the video embedded above shows, a new car also needs to perform perfectly in extreme heat.
Posted yesterday by Tesla on its official YouTube channel, the video documents how the American EV maker’s field quality engineers tested the durability of the Model S, Model 3, Model X and Model Y in the high temperatures of Dubai and its surroundings, where thermometers often reach over 122 degrees Fahrenheit (50 degrees Celsius) during the summer.
As if that wasn’t extreme enough, the humidity can also reach 80-90 percent, making it an unbearable combination for humans. The cars, however, must be able to perform as advertised while offering comfort inside.
As one of the engineers in the video points out, Tesla, like many other automakers, also conducts cold tests in northern Europe during the winter, so while many customers will rarely (if ever) encounter such extreme conditions, if the car can handle the icy roads of Norway and the scorching heat of the United Arab Emirates, then it should be fine on a road in California or a country road in Germany.
In related news, the upcoming Tesla Cybertruck went through an impromptu mud test after the company’s groundbreaking ceremony for its lithium refinery in Texas. It seems that the electric pickup got stuck briefly because it wasn’t wearing proper off-road tires, but some sort of all-season rubber.
As always, we’d love to hear what you think of the video embedded at the top of the page, so after you’ve watched it, scroll down to the comments section to let us know what you think.
