In the rare case that your electric car battery reaches 0% charge while on the road, rest assured that your car will not suddenly stop in the middle of the road.
Like gas cars, which all have a built-in fuel reserve even when the fuel gauge reads empty, electric vehicles also have a similar reserve in the “tank” when the displayed state of charge reaches 0%.
As Kyle Conner of Out of specifications A YouTube channel recently appeared in his country 2026 Tesla Model 3 Premium— formerly known as long-range rear-wheel drive — the power reserve in some modern electric cars is quite impressive.
Photo by: Tesla
He took several steps before running Form 3 until he died. He first preconditions the battery to make sure it’s good, warm, and ready to charge when it dies. Once that was done, he drove the electric car on a closed circuit for safety’s sake, as running out of charge in the middle of a public road can be dangerous.
Testing began at a 5% state of charge, and the trip computer was reset when the indicated battery percentage reached 0% to see exactly how far the electric car would go below that limit. Finally, the Model 3 was driven with Tesla’s Advanced Full Self-Driving (FSD) driver assistance system activated, to see how it handles low battery conditions like this.
When the Model 3’s screen showed a 0% charge status, it still showed 2 miles remaining. But here’s the unexpected part: Once the remaining range displayed was 0 miles, the Model 3 continued driving for another 31 miles. After reaching 0%, the Model 3 consumed approximately 6 kilowatt-hours of electricity, proving that Tesla leaves a large buffer for emergencies.
The Premium trim is already one of the longest-range electric sedans money can buy, with an EPA-estimated 363 miles of range.
It covered that distance with an impressive efficiency of 192.5 watt-hours per mile, which translates to about 5 miles per kilowatt-hour. The FSD then told the driver to take control and gradually brought the car to a stop, displaying warnings on the screen that the car was about to idle.
Not all EVs will have a similarly large buffer, but all automakers ensure there is some power left when the kit reads the 0% charge status, giving owners a few extra miles of range to get to the next charging station.
However, you should try not to rely on your battery’s backup power – in part because it’s a best practice to keep your battery healthy not to completely discharge your car. It is always advisable to plan ahead and know your charging stations. But in the rare event that you find yourself in a difficult situation, know that the extra juice in the package will have your back when you need it most.
Contact the author: suvrat.kothari@insideevs.com
