Drive Differently in Model S?

[caddieo]

After the first few days spent confirming the performance characteristics that mattered to me, I realized that I had really nothing further to prove. Whereas in my previous ICE cars I often felt the urge to see how they matched up to others, I, like others who have posted here, have become a calmer driver. I let all the muscle cars go by and stomp on the go pedal only when I really have to - passing anesthetized slowpokes or evading the clueless. Amazing how you can still be faster than most even when trying to maintain a smooth consumption graph. Also, even gentle pedal pressure when the light turns green launches you to the posted limit before you know it. Without intending it, you're leaving everybody behind.

 

[Peter_M]

The one thing that has changed is I now leave more distance between me and the car in front of me. Not just because I don't want stuff getting kicked up and hitting my car. Though that hasn't worked out really well (damn shovels). But because I really don't want to use my brakes. So I give lots of time now so I can maximize regen.

That's the one thing I was thinking about - following from farther back for better regen and to avoid the sudden stops that would make getting rear-ended more likely. Although I've got the latter on my mind 'cause I got rear-ended a couple of weeks ago. It wasn't a big deal - the guy 2 back hit the guy behind me into me, so I didn't get hit hard, and luckily I was in a 10-year-old car. But I sure wouldn't want that to happen in my MS!

So what happened with a shovel?

Can't wait to experience all these Model S driving differences! About 3 weeks to go!

 

[SCW-Greg]

Calmer... definitely.

Driving with Tesla's regen system, has become such a symbiotic experience, that the car just speeds up and slows down as you will it. I kind of disappoint myself every now and then, when I have to move to the brake pedal (other than a stop sign/light).

It's this kind of driving, in and out of traffic, that really makes for a more dynamic experience, over *any* other car. It's actually less effort, less jumping from pedal to pedal, less "out-of-crontrol" between the pedals... that connect the car to you.

When I got the car I drove it to experience the thrill of the extremes. Then in the late Fall, when I didn't need the HVAC, I drove it to see how low I could get my Wh/mi from commute to commute (290 60 mi/day). Now I just look for the occasional opportunity that presents itself, where just pushing the accelerator to 70% is fun enough.

 

[brianman]

I kind of disappoint myself every now and then, when I have to move to the brake pedal (other than a stop sign/light).

Do you hear this voice when this happens?

 

[SCW-Greg]

Do you hear this voice when this happens?

That's it!
(Some how I hear Charlie Brown's voice too)

 

[AudubonB]

Most of my in-civilization driving over the past two decades has been in either a diesel Crew Cab Longbed F-350, or in a diesel Golf.

The two vehicles are at extreme ends of the consumer automobile: the former is about as large, powerful and sluggish as any vehicle on the road, short of a Class 3 or greater truck; the latter possesses just about the ultimate combination of zippiness and 50mpg fuel economy. Even more so as most of the time, the pickup is pulling a 10K, 14K or 18K trailer.

So my "road mood" either has been "Hey, I'm bigger and gruntier than you, and if you don't like how slowly I accelerate (etc.), there's really nothing you can do about it AND I DON'T CARE". or "Hey, this little car that you can barely see can very easily get me into a whole lot of trouble with traffic cops, and besides, it's burning only about half as much fuel as you are SO I DON'T CARE".

Now in the Tesla, in a way similar to what SCW-Greg wrote, I "drive to the watt-hour". That is, after 2,000 miles and three weeks in my P85, I find myself most consistently concentrating on how close to a 300Wh/mile energy consumption rate I can maintain. Smooth acceleration and maximum efficiency of regen-slowing are the keys to achieving those. What's fun is that in city driving, I can achieve all that and still not lag at all in green-light start-ups.

Overall, very, very different driving. And much more pleasant!

 

[JPP]

For me, it is the knowledge of the resources I have available to me with respect to performance, handling, safety, etc that I enjoy. I don't have to show off, drive fast, or drive aggressively to appreciate and enjoy what I have.

 

[Al Sherman]

For me, it is the knowledge of the resources I have available to me with respect to performance, handling, safety, etc that I enjoy. I don't have to show off, drive fast, or drive aggressively to appreciate and enjoy what I have.

^^^This^^^ I have lots of time in jets with a helmet on, but none in a car. After a lifetime of upside down at 600 MPH, I drive like an old man.

Having said that; every once in a while someone who is driving stupidly deserves to get dusted. So, very rarely but every once in a while I "let the big dog eat!":smile: It's effortless and a pretty neat feeling to know I can.

I'm addicted to the car, and do drive more. I also hardly ever touch the brakes. I still enjoy the energy game more than anything, but I'm not obsessive about it. Although my wife would disagree. The last time she drove my car the app showed her doing 80 on a county road.

 

[brianman]

I'm addicted to the car, and do drive more. I also hardly ever touch the brakes. I still enjoy the energy game more than anything, but I'm not obsessive about it. Although my wife would disagree. The last time she drove my car the app showed her doing 80 on a county road.

I wonder if we can convince Artsci to come up with a heads up (windshield) display for the speedometer. I'd love to not to have to take the eyes off the road to access the instrument cluster data.

 

[Zapped]

I found myself speeding a lot. The silence is deceiving and my perception of speed could no longer be referenced to motor noise.
I scared a few passengers at first and only realized how fast I was going by the fearful look on their face.
I'm much better now but it did take some getting use to.

 

[breading]

Yeah, it is easy to let the speed get away from you. Nice to have someone else to remind you every so often.

Not long after getting my Model S I got a call from my oldest son who was following my progress home from work on the iPad app. He called wondering why I was going 80+.

 

[paulkva]

And I am much less agile as the Model S is much larger than my GTI.

Model S is about 6" longer and 6" wider than my previous car (Mazda 6 wagon), but it actually has a tighter turning circle (37' vs ~39'). So although I'm cautious, I find I can navigate tight spaces *better* than I could before.

The main change that I have found is that I am not quite as attentive a driver. I think driving a stick, and constantly changing from gas to brake, clutch on, off, made driving more active. With the simple one pedal driving I am not quite as active. So I have to make myself pay attention more than I used to.

Funny, I was trying to say the opposite -- that one pedal driving gives me a really good sense of control, much like driving a stick did. I'm constantly looking ahead so I can avoid using the brake pedal, and I pay close attention to exactly how much pressure I'm putting on the go pedal. And like many others have already said, in a way I feel like I've failed when I need to hit the brake before I'm under 5 mph.

 

[neroden]

I've posted this elsewhere but it is probably worth repeating. I find that driving MS "enhances my calm".

I have the same experience -- the car is calmer to drive. I am still cursing at people who cut me off. But apart from that I'm a lot more *patient*.

I attribute this to (a) the lack of creep, and (b) the lack of shaking. ICE cars shake constantly because of the engine making for an unsettling and nervous-making experience. An auotmatic transmission *wants* to go at a particular speed (you have to ride the brake to prevent it from moving) and keeps trying to get ahead of you, which induces impatience with the people in front of you.

I have no problem cruising behind a bicycle and matching speed. (We have lots of streets here where you cannot safely pass a bicycle.) Very mellow.

---
I am glad for the BIG digital speedometer, because it is very easy to accidentally find yourself going at 80+ on an open road. After doing that once, I'm watching my speed very carefully and now I keep having impatient speeding idiots pass me when I'm driving at the speed limit.

 

[JacobI]

After a month and 2500 miles in my P85, I was very surprised to find myself driving slower than I used to, especially in city driving. Even though my previous car had a V8, I felt that the engine ran the smoothest at cruising speed. So I was always in a hurry to bring her to cruising speed. But the Model S is always smooth! This must be the reason why I am driving slower. When deciding to buy the MS, I never suspected there might be fewer speeding tickets in my future! The Model S keeps on giving!!

 

[EarlyAdopter]

Generally I find myself driving more calmly. Easy to do in a car that so effortlessly propells itself. And one foot driving with heavy regen is bliss.

But I've also noticed something else. When I'm at the front most position at an intersection waiting for the light to change, when it turns green I'm more inclined to punch it! I attribute this to the Model S being completely silent.

In my last cars, high performance meant a lot of noise, a lot of attention drawn, and a lot of obnoxiousness. So I was less inclined to use the acceleration at hand. Not so on the Model S!

 

[bareyb]

I drive more smoothly and with a bit "zip" now. Like EarlyAdopter says, it's always in stealth mode so I can get away with it a little more without calling undue attention to myself.

 

[wcalvin]

Going uphill (lots in Seattle) I find that I accelerate more than customary because of the lack of gears to shift. In an ICE, I was always holding back because of avoiding a downshift. And then upshift. The fixed gear ratio means that I can take advantage of gaps without factoring in the time delay involved in downshifting.

Any unexpected acceleration distresses my wife, so it was an early problem as she was expecting one thing and I was doing another. She called it jerky but in reality it wasn't; it was her expectations that had pauses in them.

 

[DanielG]

I came from a Prius. After 7 months and 18k miles, I still floor it on a S85/19" at every opportunity I have. It's just silly, but can't help it. Without the engine noise it is less obvious that you floor it. Three of us recently went for lunch and I drove down city roads of Santa Barbara. I though I was restrained, but one person commented on the "roller coaster" drive. Yep, took defensive driver's ed in college. For the records, zero speeding or moving tickets in my life.

With the flooring, however, comes coasting to a stop with minimal break usage (single pedal driving). After a while you will master it no problems.

The lack of a hill break or hand break has led me to learn left-foot breaking. That took a while to get used to. Initially, I felt like a learn-a-driver with uncontrolled breaking strength, so practice on empty roads with nobody behind you. After a week or two, it gets quite a bit better, even with learning to reduce breaking as you get closer to stop. You can also break with right foot, then when at complete stop, switch feet on break pedal, so you have left on depressed break, and are ready with right foot on accelerator. The lift-off from break and depression of accelerator has to be timed right: too soon and you get a MS system error with beep (both pedals depressed), too slow, and the car rolls backwards. Again, after a week you get it down pat.

I use cruise control A LOT. Keeps me from accidentally speeding.

 

[huntjo]

Brake