Drove A Tesla Today

[IdahoRanger]

EV's are cool, you cannot argue that they are just cool technology. Will they save the planet? No. But they are cool nonetheless.
When my boss bought a Tesla, he took me for a ride. He floored it when merging onto the highway. HOLY CRAP! My brain was going "wait, that was freakin' awesome, but something's missing!" Then I realized any vehicle I had previously been in when floored had engine noise to go along with it. I couldn't believe the acceleration without noise.

I was behind a damn slow poke Prius on the way home from Costco and was thinking: hit the gas you slug.

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[Dr. Zaius]

I was behind a damn slow poke Prius on the way home from Costco and was thinking: hit the gas you slug.

Most of the Prius (Priuses? Priuii?) in this area are weighed down with environmental and co-exist bumper stickers so they are a bit sluggish.

 

[brroberts]

I’ve always said as soon as they get 400 mile range and can fill up in under 10 minutes at as many places as I can get gas I’m in. Looks like we’re getting closer.

My Tesla Model Y goes around 300 miles, but not exactly. To protect the battery, it’s recommended to drive on 20%-80% charge. It’s even better to go with 60%-25%. Most people can easily get by on 35% because that’s basically 100 miles. 80%-20% is basically 200 miles.

For road trips, I leave home at 100%, drive to 10% ish, and charge enough to get to my next charging stop. As with all batteries, the lower the battery, the greater the charge acceptance rate; therefore, the faster the charge. So on a road trip you do more driving on the bottom half of the battery to minimize charging times. Charging stops run from 5 minutes to 20 minutes depending on the size of the charger, the state of the current battery charge level, and the distance to the next charger.

For example, since we are older now, when we go see my mom, it’s 700 miles. We make 4 stops. It doesn’t matter which truck or car we take, we make four stops. It takes a little longer in the Tesla, but we arrive more rested and relaxed.

Barb always drove the car, we both drove the 3/4 ton, and I drove the Ranger. Now, Barb, when she can drive, wants one of the trucks, and I want the Tesla. I could never imagine myself wanting a car, but the Tesla really is different.

Maybe some day they will make a real truck.

 

[Dr_Strangelove]

I'm also in the "my other car is an EV" crowd. It rules, honestly. I love mine - it has been the perfect car to do my commutes to the studio in. I do about 1100 miles a month in it and it costs me around $40/mo with home charging. The car came with a charger that could do Level 1 or Level 2 charging, and it cost me about $350 all said to get a 240V plug installed in my garage next to where the car parks. I thought I wouldn't like one-pedal driving and now I find myself annoyed at the brake pedal in my Ranger (just being funny.)

@AzScorpion - food for thought, owner's perspective, the acceleration party trick is so fun and yes you will be doing it now and then for your friends but for yourself, eventually, you'll just drive it like a normal car. EV's, one downside, is they do go through tires faster than an ICE vehicle. The Performance has a staggered tire setup like a Corvette and if you're doing your acceleration party trick - that combined with the regenerative braking - you'll be eating through your rears maybe faster than you'd like. The LR is also very fast - but can be bought with a square tire setup so you can do tire rotations. That can save you money in the long run if you're buying the vehicle for outright efficiency like I did.

Hope you enjoy your new car

 

[AzScorpion]

I'm also in the "my other car is an EV" crowd. It rules, honestly. I love mine - it has been the perfect car to do my commutes to the studio in. I do about 1100 miles a month in it and it costs me around $40/mo with home charging. The car came with a charger that could do Level 1 or Level 2 charging, and it cost me about $350 all said to get a 240V plug installed in my garage next to where the car parks. I thought I wouldn't like one-pedal driving and now I find myself annoyed at the brake pedal in my Ranger (just being funny.)

@AzScorpion - food for thought, owner's perspective, the acceleration party trick is so fun and yes you will be doing it now and then for your friends but for yourself, eventually, you'll just drive it like a normal car. EV's, one downside, is they do go through tires faster than an ICE vehicle. The Performance has a staggered tire setup like a Corvette and if you're doing your acceleration party trick - that combined with the regenerative braking - you'll be eating through your rears maybe faster than you'd like. The LR is also very fast - but can be bought with a square tire setup so you can do tire rotations. That can save you money in the long run if you're buying the vehicle for outright efficiency like I did.

Hope you enjoy your new car

Thanks for the info Adam its very helpful!

The one touch driving is really nice and it really only took me a few minutes to get use to it. The first couple times letting off the pedal fast slows the car down very quickly so you kind of learn fast how to ease out of it and slow yourself down to a light.

You're right, I'm sure the acceleration trick will get old fast. lol

One of my other (big) concerns was insurance for it. I just got off the phone with my agent and she ran the VIN for the car that was in the showroom which would be identical to the one I like. I was way cheaper than I thought and would only add $301.00 to my premium for a years rate of $1,301.00. That's also with full replacement value and rental coverage. I was honestly thinking it would be closer (if not over) $2,000.00/year.

 

[got3fords]

One of my other (big) concerns was insurance for it. I just got off the phone with my agent and she ran the VIN for the car that was in the showroom which would be identical to the one I like. I was way cheaper than I thought and would only add $301.00 to my premium for a years rate of $1,301.00. That's also with full replacement value and rental coverage. I was honestly thinking it would be closer (if not over) $2,000.00/year.

You currently pay exactly $1000/year?

 

[AzScorpion]

You currently pay exactly $1000/year?

Well, $1010.00/year lol

Our area is cheap(er) to insure

 

[Dr_Strangelove]

You're right, I'm sure the acceleration trick will get old fast. lol

For me it's not even so much that it got old as I want to be viewed as a responsible member of my community, haha. Spider Man's whole "with great power" spiel was right, you know.

 

[IdahoRanger]

Most of the Prius (Priuses? Priuii?) in this area are weighed down with environmental and co-exist bumper stickers so they are a bit sluggish.

So true, this one had stickers, dust and ash.

 

[dtech]

Hope it's a really good deal on the Tesla - Rangers seem to hold their value reasonably well, but nothing like used Tacomas which still have very high resale value.

From Forbes

Top Fast-Depreciating EVs (5-Year Mark)
According to extensive market studies by iSeeCars, electric cars lose an average of 57.2% of their value over five years, heavily out-depreciating gas cars. The worst individual performers include:
Forbes

• • Nissan Leaf: Loses 63.1% of its value (an average drop of $17,443).
  • Volkswagen ID.4: Loses 62.1% of its value (an average drop of $28,010).
  • Tesla Model S: Loses 62.0% of its value (an average drop of $58,907).
  • Tesla Model X
    : Loses 61.2% of its value (an average drop of $61,216).
  • Ford Mustang Mach-E: Loses 60.8% of its value (an average drop of $22,976).
    
    
    Forbes

 

[Dr. Zaius]

Thanks for the info Adam its very helpful!

The one touch driving is really nice and it really only took me a few minutes to get use to it. The first couple times letting off the pedal fast slows the car down very quickly so you kind of learn fast how to ease out of it and slow yourself down to a light.

You're right, I'm sure the acceleration trick will get old fast. lol

One of my other (big) concerns was insurance for it. I just got off the phone with my agent and she ran the VIN for the car that was in the showroom which would be identical to the one I like. I was way cheaper than I thought and would only add $301.00 to my premium for a years rate of $1,301.00. That's also with full replacement value and rental coverage. I was honestly thinking it would be closer (if not over) $2,000.00/year.

Wow Dave, it sounds like you're about to start a Hallmark movie about about a plaid-wearing electric company executive coming into town to build a new power plant.

Edit: Wait, forgot to give the typical Hallmark plot synopsis..

Sparks fly when a Tesla comes into town, and it's even driving itself...

 

[got3fords]

Well, $1010.00/year lol

Our area is cheap(er) to insure

I thought that was an oddly exact price.

 

[AzScorpion]

Wow Dave, it sounds like you're about to start a Hallmark movie about about a plaid-wearing electric company executive coming into town to build a new power plant.

Just wait until seasons 2 & 3 come out.

I already have Danica Mckellar signed up to playing Annie.

 

[Dr. Zaius]

Just wait until seasons 2 & 3 come out.

I already have Danica Mckellar signed up to playing Annie.

And you can get Lacey Chabert to play the evil Hyundai EV...

Well, maybe not.

An inanimate object might require too much emotional range for her.

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