Munich to Paris is 840 km. In a diesel, it's roughly one refuelling stop. In a Tesla Model Y Long Range in January, we made it in 3 Supercharger stops, 1 hour 22 minutes of total charging, and arrived with 18% battery.

The Route

Total distance: 840 km
Month: January (average temperature: -3°C to 5°C along the route)
Vehicle: Model Y Long Range AWD (2024 refresh)
Starting charge: 90% (~540 km estimated range at departure)
Target arrival: 15% minimum

Navigation-planned Supercharger stops:

| Stop | Location | Distance from prev. | Arrival % | Target % | Charge time | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | 1 | Ulm (A8) | 155 km | 61% | 80% | 19 min | | 2 | Strasbourg (A35) | 130 km | 48% | 85% | 31 min | | 3 | Metz (A31) | 155 km | 38% | 72% | 28 min | | Arrive Paris | Paris Bercy | 155 km | 18% | — | — |

Total charging: 1 hour 18 minutes
Total journey time: ~9 hours (including charging, lunch at Stop 2)

Pre-trip Preparation

Night before departure:

  • Scheduled charge to 90% (not 100% — unnecessary for daily use and reduces battery longevity)
  • Set departure time in car → automatic battery pre-conditioning

Morning of departure:

  • Car at 90% with warm battery (cabin also pre-warmed)
  • Temperature: -5°C

What Actually Happened vs Tesla's Prediction

The navigation system predicted we'd arrive at each Supercharger with ~5% more than we actually did. In January, in Germany, at 130 km/h, real consumption was:

  • Predicted: 19.4 kWh/100 km
  • Actual: 21.8 kWh/100 km

This is normal. Tesla's prediction system is quite accurate in summer. In winter, at German motorway speeds, add 10-15% to the predicted consumption.

21.8 kWhActual consumptionPer 100 km, January, 130 km/h
19.4 kWhTesla's prediction12% underestimate
€ 38.40Total charging cost0.35 €/kWh avg.

Supercharger Experience at Each Stop

Stop 1 – Ulm Weststadt V3 Supercharger

  • 12 stalls, 250 kW V3
  • 3 cars charging on arrival (very quiet — 8am on a weekday)
  • Peak charging speed achieved: 234 kW
  • Actual time: 19 minutes (61% → 80%)

Stop 2 – Strasbourg Pont de l'Europe V4 Supercharger

  • 8 stalls, 350 kW V4
  • 6 cars charging (busier — lunchtime)
  • Peak charging speed: 247 kW (limited by car's onboard charger)
  • 31 minutes including lunch at adjacent McDonald's

Stop 3 – Metz Technopôle

  • 12 stalls, 250 kW V3
  • 2 cars charging (quiet — mid-afternoon)
  • Slowest session: battery was still slightly cold from outside, initial speed 180 kW then climbed to 230 kW
  • 28 minutes (38% → 72%)

Key Learnings

Best practice: Add 10-12% safety margin to every charge target in European winter. If the car says you'll arrive at 25%, assume 13-15% in reality at motorway speed. Charge to a slightly higher level at each stop.

What worked well:

  • Navigation planned all stops automatically — no manual research needed
  • V4 Superchargers (350 kW) are increasingly common in France and are genuinely faster
  • App notifications told us exactly when we had enough charge for the next leg

What was tricky:

  • The Metz Supercharger has limited adjacent facilities (small petrol station only)
  • Cold weather caused battery to warm up over the first 5 minutes of each session, meaning the charge curve starts slower than in summer

Cost Comparison: Tesla vs Diesel

| Cost Item | Model Y (this trip) | Comparable diesel SUV | |---|---|---| | Fuel/charging | €38.40 | ~€95.00 | | Motorway tolls (France) | ~€35 | ~€35 | | Total energy cost | €38.40 | ~€95.00 |

Despite 1h18m of charging stops, the total journey cost was significantly lower than diesel.

Tips for Your First Tesla Road Trip

  1. Trust the navigation — it genuinely plans optimal stops
  2. Pre-condition before departure when plugged in
  3. Add 10% to predicted consumption in winter
  4. Download Supercharger locations offline in case of poor cellular signal
  5. Keep headway high in traffic — coasting recovers significant energy
  6. Don't rush charging — adding 5 more minutes at a V3 Supercharger saves having an anxious final 20 km