BMWBLOG Model S Review

[tommolog]

BMWBLOG asked me to review the Model S. I drive a BMW ActiveE and and I have a series on BMWBLOG about driving electric so it was a natural they ask me to review the Model S. How'd I do?

BMWBLOG Test Drive: Tesla Model S

 

[walla2]

Fantastic review. You seem to have figured out exactly everything that is game changing about the car and summed it up well. I long considered an M5 over my MS but held out and have no regrets.

 

[NotTarts]

The Model S is a good example of how EVs can be better than ICE cars because they're EVs, and you've done a nice job of describing that

 

[ggr]

It's a great review, thanks. But there's one comment I have to make. Almost all reviewers talk about how long it takes to charge; you mention "up to 9 hours". This is true, but irrelevant! It's always full in the morning. Since your audience is non-EV drivers mostly, I think it behooves you as an experienced EV driver to try to communicate this difference. It's life changing, in a minor but good way.

 

[tommolog]

It's a great review, thanks. But there's one comment I have to make. Almost all reviewers talk about how long it takes to charge; you mention "up to 9 hours". This is true, but irrelevant! It's always full in the morning. Since your audience is non-EV drivers mostly, I think it behooves you as an experienced EV driver to try to communicate this difference. It's life changing, in a minor but good way.

Yes I agree, but it is also important to let people know how long it does take to fully charge a depleted battery. If you notice, I followed up that line with the example of driving 60 miles in a day and how the twin chargers can replenish that in about an hour. Many of the BMWBLOG readers are really complete novices to electric drive so I wanted to explain the charging the best way I could while giving an example of what they might experience in a typical day.

BTW, I'd love if some Model S owners would comment on the story there and tell the readers how much you love the car. Thanks

 

[StephenM]

Very well written IMO. Good job!

 

[Lloyd]

It's a great review, thanks. But there's one comment I have to make. Almost all reviewers talk about how long it takes to charge; you mention "up to 9 hours". This is true, but irrelevant! It's always full in the morning. Since your audience is non-EV drivers mostly, I think it behooves you as an experienced EV driver to try to communicate this difference. It's life changing, in a minor but good way.

I have found, and this is important, that the time I have spent waiting for charging in 7,000 miles with this car is less than I would have spent in a gas station in a gasoline car. Prior to owning this car I never thought I would be able to say this.

Tesla and News orgs: You can quote this!

 

[tommolog]

I have found, and this is important, that the time I have spent waiting for charging in 7,000 miles with this car is less than I would have spent in a gas station in a gasoline car. Prior to owning this car I never thought I would be able to say this.

Tesla and News orgs: You can quote this!

I actually did a blog post about that nearly three years ago to the day when I was driving a MINI-E:
MINI-E #250: Plugging In

 

[adiggs]

I've only been driving the Roadster for a little over 2 months, and never spent much time at the gas station (filled up every ~3 weeks). Despite that, I spend less time keeping the Roadster charged than I used to spend visiting the gas station on occasion.

Of course, I haven't gone road tripping in the Roadster yet and only have about 1500 miles to your 7000, but the experience I'm having is identical. I spend less time, and less mental energy, on charging for the Roadster, than I spent on the previous car.

 

[Doug_G]

In my experience, it takes more time to plug in the Roadster, maybe 10 seconds, and less time to plug in the Model S, maybe 3-4 seconds. Similar times for unplugging.

I'll trade a whole year of plugging/unplugging for even one stop at a gas station in a howling blizzard.

 

[vfx]

My figurins had me spending more time plugging in than at gas stations per year.

10 to plug in. 15 to unplug and wind cable every day of the year. 12+15=27 x 365 = 9855/60=164.25m/60=2.75 hours per year.

Gasoline every two weeks at 7 minutes in and out. 7x26=182m/60=3 hours per year.

Good news is the plug time is a pretty solid number that only changes when opportunity (by choice) or road trip charging. As long as around town never exceed maximum car range it's always the same.

Gasoline fillup time is much more miles driven dependent. A lot of long range day driving in a row could increase the gasoline station stops needed where a rechargeable car would not.

 

[tommolog]

My figurins had me spending more time plugging in than at gas stations per year.

10 to plug in. 15 to unplug and wind cable every day of the year. 12+15=27 x 365 = 9855/60=164.25m/60=2.75 hours per year.

Gasoline every two weeks at 7 minutes in and out. 7x26=182m/60=3 hours per year.

Good news is the plug time is a pretty solid number that only changes when opportunity (by choice) or road trip charging. As long as around town never exceed maximum car range it's always the same.

Gasoline fillup time is much more miles driven dependent. A lot of long range day driving in a row could increase the gasoline station stops needed where a rechargeable car would not.

Still 2.75 hours is less than 3! but if you really only need to go to a gas station once every two weeks then you drive very little and there is no need to plug in the car every day. That would be like filling up your gas tank every time you drive 50 miles.

 

[Cattledog]

Yes I agree, but it is also important to let people know how long it does take to fully charge a depleted battery. If you notice, I followed up that line with the example of driving 60 miles in a day and how the twin chargers can replenish that in about an hour. Many of the BMWBLOG readers are really complete novices to electric drive so I wanted to explain the charging the best way I could while giving an example of what they might experience in a typical day.

BTW, I'd love if some Model S owners would comment on the story there and tell the readers how much you love the car. Thanks

Done.

 

[KenEE]

My figurins had me spending more time plugging in than at gas stations per year.

10 to plug in. 15 to unplug and wind cable every day of the year. 12+15=27 x 365 = 9855/60=164.25m/60=2.75 hours per year.

Gasoline every two weeks at 7 minutes in and out. 7x26=182m/60=3 hours per year.

Good news is the plug time is a pretty solid number that only changes when opportunity (by choice) or road trip charging. As long as around town never exceed maximum car range it's always the same.

Gasoline fillup time is much more miles driven dependent. A lot of long range day driving in a row could increase the gasoline station stops needed where a rechargeable car would not.

Wind cable? I have my cable where the plug is never more than 2 feet away and it takes 3-5 seconds to plug/unplug. It's a simple, single, one arm motion from table to car. (or back) We have this setup for both my S and my wifes Volt.
Do you charge outside or something that requires you to wind/unwind your cable every time?

 

[mark]

BTW, I'd love if some Model S owners would comment on the story there and tell the readers how much you love the car. Thanks

Done - Thanks!

 

[StephenM]

Wind cable? I have my cable where the plug is never more than 2 feet away and it takes 3-5 seconds to plug/unplug. It's a simple, single, one arm motion from table to car. (or back) We have this setup for both my S and my wifes Volt.
Do you charge outside or something that requires you to wind/unwind your cable every time?

I was thinking the same thing. It takes longer for me to get out of my car, than to take one step back, and plug it in. 3 seconds max.

 

[VolkerP]

vfx was commenting on the Roadster plug, which has a twist & turn + slider to engage contact. Tesla surely has improved on the Model S plug.

 

[Doug_G]

vfx was commenting on the Roadster plug, which has a twist & turn + slider to engage contact. Tesla surely has improved on the Model S plug.

Indeed, it takes a small fraction of the time to plug in the Model S compared to the Roadster.