OT Anybody drive an electric car?
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About 300 ish miles (a few can be upgraded)
Not too sure on the power draw
Super quiet and quick
Very
I’ve traveled with several of our sales reps that love them. I am in consideration but may have one more normal vehicle first
About 300 ish miles (a few can be upgraded)
Not too sure on the power draw
Super quiet and quick
Very
I’ve traveled with several of our sales reps that love them. I am in consideration but may have one more normal vehicle first
Have you traveled with anyone that had to recharge on the road? Is it easy enough to find a charge station?
I'm close. I really like the Mustang Mach E. But the range is still below 300 miles and is just over 200 miles unless you buy the extended battery pack.
In the next 2-3 years there will be battery breakthroughs which will eliminate the fire risk, increase the range and shorten the charge time.
Solid Lithium batteries are being developed by several companies like Quantumscape and several startups. The problem with Lithium is the cost - it is a rare earth. But several companies are working on batteries made from zinc which is plentiful.
In the next 2-3 years there will be battery breakthroughs which will eliminate the fire risk, increase the range and shorten the charge time.
Solid Lithium batteries are being developed by several companies like Quantumscape and several startups. The problem with Lithium is the cost - it is a rare earth. But several companies are working on batteries made from zinc which is plentiful.
I watched Mad Max the other day. Funny how true that movie is becoming. Kill for gas and survival or be killed. Lol
I was considering a Tesla until I read the consumer report reviews from owners. The only recommended Tesla right now is the small 3 series. The other models are plagued by quality issues. I was really disappointed, especially in reviewing the Tesla SUV owner surveys. Hope they improve in the next few years.
I’ve got a Tesla Model 3. Owned for over a year. I’ve got the standard range model. I can get about 200 miles or 3 hours of driving before needing to stop. The long range will cost more and give you more range.
Power bill is minimal. We spread it out over the year on the average so it’s maybe been $5 a month more. No different than putting a freezer in your garage. The power increase wouldn’t stop you from doing that if you really wanted it.
Love the torque and performance. Love paying almost nothing to drive around town. Love not worrying about gas prices and shortages and having my balls held by the Middle East. Love being able to listen to any song or watch TV or play games in the car while my wife is shopping.
The only negatives I have is that it will eat tires. Already on set #2 in a little over a year and 25,000 miles in. With the standard range I have to stop more on really long road trips, but if you think about it every 3 hours or so you’re probably stopping anyway whether it’s for a meal, bathroom, etc…..
What's up with the tires? Are all four wheels driven, or if not, do those that receive the most torque prone to wear out quickly? Are the tires made differently from those on conventional cars? Just trying to understand. Also, what about availability of places to charge while on a trip? And how long to charge the batteries if they are pretty low?
So when you take off from a stoplight there’s no hesitation from the acceleration like in a gas vehicle. I suppose if you absolutely baby it you could do better, but there’s not a lot of fun in that.
I drove that car literally to the Canadian border with no issues on charging. The car will tell you how long to stop and where if needed and even how many chargers are available. Ironically I’ve had the worst time in Columbia where there is only one charger and sometimes it fills up. There will be a new one in Columbia, just a matter of when.
When I charge, it’s either to get home or to the next charging station. So by the time I plug my car in, use the restroom or get a snack and come back to the car, I usually have enough charge to unplug and go. You could sit there 30 minutes or so charging a very low battery to a very full one, but over time you learn how much you need to minimize those stops. Most of my stops are in the 10-15 minute range now.
My kid has a power wheels Jeep, not sure how far it could go on one charge.
$5 a month to charge a vehicle numerous times? Sounds really fantastic considering the size of those batteries. With increased charging you will be dependent on the grid which is mostly powered by natural gas, nuclear or coal. The price for more demand will drive the cost of KW per hour skyward.
I’m not pushing an agenda here and not claiming to save the environment. All I will say is unless you’re specializing in the Amish lifestyle, we’re all dependent on that grid.
Ever have any questions let me know. Other than my house, it’s the best purchase I’ve ever made. I’ll have the car 2 years next March.
Tesla’s are super easy to charge on the road. I’ve driven to Canada and out west with mine. Now if you go with a different electric vehicle it’s going to cost a lot of time and money. I wouldn’t recommend long distance travel in an electric vehicle other than a Tesla unless you have an abundance of time/money.
I will admit I own the 3, so my satisfaction may be higher because of that. I can fit my family of 5 in my car, but it’s a tight squeeze. But most of the time when I’m driving I rarely have the entire family. If we need the space we have an SUV for those trips.
How do you know where the charging stations are? I've only happened up on one or two in my travels and neither had any notification that I could see out on the interstate . Is there an app?
The Polestar will be built in Charleston within a year... Not to be confused of the Pole Dancer Star...
The car tells you where all the chargers are. There is also a PlugShare app when on the road and just looking to plug in near where you are located. 99% of the time I’m either charging at home or at a Supercharger. I’d probably say 90% of that time is at home.
Curious. What makes Tesla so much easier to charge vs others? Do you have to pay to charge on the road? Is it simply that Tesla's charge quicker?
I’m interested in electric cars. But my gut is telling me to wait another 3 to 5 years for improvements on the batteries and infrastructure. I could see more and more gas stations getting charging ports by then maybe…… But are they going to be charging an arm and a leg for a charge?!?! One thing I read about them is that if your heavy on the acceleration they run out of juice super fast. Example, there was a police department that had one and was involved in a vehicle pursuit. It ran out of power and had to drop out the chase while gas powered cars stayed in pursuit.
I’m in no rush to get rid of my gas guzzler. I think that if you want fuel savings and something more reliable that hybrids are currently the way to go.
I’m in no rush to get rid of my gas guzzler. I think that if you want fuel savings and something more reliable that hybrids are currently the way to go.
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Tesla has a supercharger network. These are level 3 chargers, which charge super fast, charging in 30 minutes or less. While there are DC fast chargers for other EVs, they are much harder to find throughout this country currently. Tesla pretty much has the entire country covered with their network. There are not enough of the Chademo/DC fast chargers to cover the country yet. I wouldn’t buy a non Tesla EV until this changes unless you just want it for a ride around town car…and there’s nothing wrong with that. Just know that’s what you have.
There are an abundance of level 2 chargers, but those take about 8 hours to fill the battery and really don’t make sense unless you’re planning on being somewhere for a few hours (shopping, park, ballgame, etc…). I’ll do it if it’s convenient, but many times I’ll just park in a normal spot if it’s not. You don’t have to fill the battery (just like you don’t have to fill a gas tank) but I’m obviously not doing this for a 15 minute stop bc I’m not adding much battery.
Level 1 charging is like a standard outlet. Trickle charge and takes forever. I get about 1/3 of my battery while I sleep. Did this for a while until I installed a level 2 charger in my garage. Now I go from nothing to full while I sleep, but rarely am I on empty.
The best way to describe charging is think about water running through a pipe. Level 1 is a trickle. Level 2 is a steady stream. Level 3 is full blast.
Used Tesla’s before 2019 have free supercharging for life. I have to pay, but each stop is usually around $3-$7. I only need it for longer trips. I’ll drive from Greenville to Atlanta or Columbia for around $6. Nothing on the way and a few bucks of charge on the way back. Tesla has my credit card info, so when I charge they charge it. I just plug and unplug.
I’d say if you really want it go get it. Life is short. But you are right it will be better in 3-5 years, but in general that’s true of anything.
Just for info purposes.
A 50 kWh battery on the Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus will cost approximately $8.24 to fully charge.Jul 28, 2021
A 50 kWh battery on the Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus will cost approximately $8.24 to fully charge.Jul 28, 2021
I’m very impressed with the number of posters considering an Electric Vehicle. If I can answer any questions, don’t hesitate to hit me up. Any of you. I’m not trying to convert anyone, but I’m always willing to answer questions.
That may be true BUT:
1. It assumes you are on nothing, which is usually not the case
2. It assumes you are fully charging. I rarely go past 80%. After that you’re charging very slow and it’s not great for the battery.
Thus my charges are usually in the $3-$7 window.
Yes we were between VA beach & Richmond (15 minutes = 250+ miles).
wawa, hotels, 7/11, others have them and are adding them. I would be more comfortable for my personal needs if the range was 500ish, but I still need some size and performance. I’m strongly looking towards an Audi SQ5, selfishly because we love how our A6(3.0 Quattro) performs, while feeling our next vehicle after that will likely be electric (Toyota truck, Audi or Tesla).
Most do. There are some free chargers. I know you’re an upstate guy so they have some in downtown Greenville in the parking garages, the Greenville Zoo, one near that Tiny House neighborhood in Greer. These are level 2 charges so it would take a few hours to fully charge but these are free.
Now the Tesla super chargers always cost. There are a few people (mostly senior citizens with an abundance of time) who will try to do as much driving for free as possible. At this stage in my life, time is money as well so sometimes it’s just worth a few bucks just to get on with life and get on the road.
For example, I know an old man that will take his Tesla to the Ingles and charge. He will walk around the store, sip a coffee and hangout for hours. That’s extreme and there’s only so much time I can kill at a grocery store before it’s just evaporating time off my life. But I guess if I was on a fixed income and had an abundance of time on my hands, I would be more willing to do it.
Here is my question, if on a long trip, and the charging station indicated on the route trip is at a hotel, what is the proper procedure to use that station. (i.e Notify the front desk ? )
Good question. If it’s a Tesla supercharger, nothing is needed. Just go plug.
If it’s a destination charger (not a Supercharger) where they have a plug, I would ask up front. The only time I did this was in Pittsburgh. Ironically I booked the hotel at the last minute, didn’t think to look since the hotel was located near a Supercharger, but I just happened to see it on the way to checking in. I mainly just connected to be full and have a spot up front.
You probably won’t find them at Super 8 or the Economy Inn, but more Hilton and the more upscale hotels are starting to carry them now.
Is the one in Columbia at the Hilton Garden Inn on Farrow Road? I seem to see a good number of Tesla’s coming from there heading back to 77.
We were just in NC and noticed the Smithfield’s we always stop at had Tesla chargers in the parking lot. I was curious if they installed them to lure in business.
We were just in NC and noticed the Smithfield’s we always stop at had Tesla chargers in the parking lot. I was curious if they installed them to lure in business.
Good eyes. That’s it. Ironically even though I use that one a good bit for traveling from USC games, that’s one of my least favorite stops. There are only 8 chargers so it’s usually packed and that’s not exactly the best place to be out for a walk either. I predict one will be somewhere in the Lexington/Irmo/W Columbia area in the next year or two.
I think it’s possible the hotel put the Superchargers there for business. I try to spend dollars wherever there is a Tesla charger I am using just to support those that support the brand. My wife buys overpriced snacks from the hotel lobby all the time just to kill a few minutes and support the business.
I wouldn’t necessarily book a hotel there just for the charger. Financially it might make more sense to book a nicer or cheaper room depending on the situation and commute there. It certainly is easier to book where you charge though.
My son is a Tesla Model 3 owner. He lives with us. Loves it. It does eat tires as was mentioned because you just want to accelerate at an unbelievable rate of speed from a dead stop. About 270-300 miles of range. Need to put a charger in your garage. Very minimal change to electric bill.
Don’t let this story hold you back. I’ve posted about the charge and it’s really cheap.
I typically go between 70-80 mph on the interstate. I’ll drive a little over but I’m not looking to get a huge speeding ticket. The car will tell you if you’ll make it and with what percentage. If you’re close it’ll tell you to not go over 75,70,65,60 mph to make it. So the only way you’re running out is if you constantly ignore it.
I don’t know the details of this chase but it’s possible the cop was low, wanted to engage in the chase long enough to help his fellow cops out and then back off. Sometimes these stories get planted by the people who are against electric cars.
If you run out of power in your electric vehicle you’re basically an idiot, just like the guy who runs out of gas in his gas vehicle. It’s not that you didn’t know, it’s that you made a poor decision.
I'd like my next vehicle to be an electric, but it's going to have to be a mid-sized SUV...about the size of a CR-V...and get good range.
Audi unveils the Skysphere: A futuristic, sinister-looking EV roadster concept car in new direction for automaker
The roadster concept can change sizes based on driving modes and boasts a digital cockpit with a retractable steering wheel that can stow away.
