War and Peace
I will arbitrarily and initially make one statement as an EV owner, after witnessing reactions, and having many discussions about them. The ratio of undereducated opinions of the benefits of well executed EVs, to unpragmatic, utopian views of the potential exclusivity of EVs, is 1:1. After casting those aside, I'll see if I can add anything of value (probably not...). I've always been a fan of all forms of automotive propulsion, and this was the consumer choice I made to fit, own personal perspective. I didn't buy the car for environmental, or some status seeking reason.
I am a 2 year owner of a Tesla Model 3 Standard Range+ (Initial EPA Range - 240 miles). I have the base Autopilot, which is misnamed, and didn't spend the extra money for Full Self Driving. After 40,000 miles, I'm more pleased with my decision now, than I was then. There are pros and cons, as there is with any vehicle.
I have started thinking seriously about buying a Tesla car but I’ve never owned or even ridden in one. I’m thinking a Model S P100D - probably slightly used but new is not out of the question.
I'd look at a new Model S, if you can swing it. They just refreshed it, and should be worthy of your consideration.
I wondered if anyone on The Pack has experience with them or owns one. Going “Green” is not particularly important to me; I mainly like the technology aspect and the performance. I think it would be cool to plug it in at home and it would be ready to go the next morning.
I’m retired and spend most of my driving time shuttling my wife back and forth to doctor appointments in Columbus and Starkville and traveling to MSU for games - all of which are approximately 45 miles one-way from home. I might occasionally use it for longer trips but I could find superchargers along the trip for that.
Oh, it cooler than you might think. Not because of the novelty. But you don't have to stop at gas stations for day to day use. It will spoil you. I use level one charging (regular household outlet, with no necessity of equipment installation) at home, 90% of the time. If you get a 240v wall charger installed, you'll really get the most out of it. You'll only have to stop at Superchargers, during road trips (With the larger battery size of the Model S, stops are less needed than my car with 60% of its range).
One significant issue (in my opinion) is that the closest Tesla dealer is probably Atlanta.
You have to get rid of the traditional dealer paradigm, when dealing with Tesla. BUt I do understand you desire to Test Drive/Ride. The closest service center is probably
in Pearl, or Memphis (depending where you are in relation to the Golden Triangle. The Pearl location is about to get upgraded to a full scale showroom, in the next couple of months. In times where is is most convenient, like minor service, Tesla has Mobile Rangers that will do service to your car at your location, either home or work (by appt.).
Now, I'm adding some personal pros/cons to the ownership experience.
Cons:
- The time you have to add onto your trip, for supercharging. It's not nearly as bad as the uninformed make it out to be. But depending on the length of your trip, the potential is there to make it 20% longer. It takes me 1/2 an hour longer to get to Starkville from Gulfport, than our gas vehicles. But If I had a long range vehicle, like the Model S, or Long Range Model 3, I wouldn't have to stop, and I could charge once I got into town. But with the new faster Supercharger speeds, I've already seen my time/cost for supercharging get cut by 40%, and that should only improve.
- The $150 EV tax levied by Mississippi on your tag every year. I understand the need to recoup the gas taxes you would otherwise be paying, for highway maintenance. But that fee is about twice what it needs to be.
- Speed Kills... your range. If you like to drive north of 75 mph a lot, expect that to shorten your stated range by about 1/3. That problem also exists in normal cars. But in EV's and most hybrids, you get much better range in town, than you do on the interstate. WIth my cars stated EPA range of 240 miles, I get about 190 miles at high speeds, but 300+ in daily street driving (thanks to aggressive regenerative braking).
- Range is cut short in really cold weather. Unless you get a newer Tesla with a heat pump, your car will lose 1/2 of its range in below freezing temps, on a cold battery. There are steps to mitigate this, like preheating the car before you leave home (you can schedule the car to do this)
- Tires. While this is no different than most performance cars, it differs slightly from traditional cars. Because of the extra weight of large battery EV's, and the extra torque you get from the electric motor, expect more tire wear than average. I've rotated my tires every 6,000 miles. with 40,000 on the original set, I probably have 10,000 miles left of good tread left. But I drive much easier on my tires than most. I usually get 70-80,000 miles out of a set of Michelin all-season tires.
Pros:
- Cost of daily operation. It would me about $2.60 to completely charge my car at home. Which is a about $0.0108/mile. After I include the money spent Supercharging (still much less than traditional fuel), I'm at under 1/7th the cost of fuel on my last Honda Accord.
- Cost of Maintenance. Forget about oil changes, transmission flushes, timing belt and water pump changes. The amount of moving parts in an EV are FAR less than a traditional vehicle. You will only go through tires, and washer fluid, and interior cabin filters. Teslas require no periodic maintenance, but only work as needed. I've replace my cabin filters myself twice, at a total cost of $16. USed two gallons of washer fluid, and rotated my tires every 6,000 miles. That's it. With that being said, my car turns two years old tomorrow, and I plan on taking it to the service center in New Orleans, and pay for a strict inspection. I want to catch any potential problems, before my "bumper to bumper" warranty runs out at 50,000 miles. (The battery warranty depends on the model, but is usually in the 8 year 120,000 mile range.)
- Over the air updates. My car is not nearly the same car that I bought two years ago, thanks to periodic updates from Tesla. Features are often added, and performance/efficiency optimized.
- Instant, linear torque curves. It makes your car feel much faster, than it is. But, the increase in responsiveness will really change the way you drive. Or, it will make you dislike driving conventional cars with transmissions and torque curves.
- Safety: The 2nd reason I bought the car. The model 3 is among the safest cars on the planet. That doesn't mean they are bulletproof, and that you'll want to go play chicken with a Suburban. But they are extraordinarily safe. Due to the number of wrecks I've personally been victim in, I placed a larger than normal emphasis on avoidance and protection.
Hope I've at least helped a small amount, with this incoherent rambling. I know it's been like reading a bad novel, for those who made it past "TL/DR" status.
