First time driving EV - what to look for

[ewoodrick]

I drive one multiple times a day, I never think about driving it.

• Regen will fill a little funny at first, it's not going to make you crash.
• The accelerator will be a LOT more responsive, use a light foot.
• Make sure that the tank is full when you leave.
• Understand how/where to fill if you need to. (it takes a LOT of driving to run it down)
• Determine what key you are going to be using (phone or card)
• Understand how to put in Drive, Reverse, and Park
• Understand how to leave, lock, unlock, and start car
• Have pocketbook ready for your return to handle damage that it did (whoops, I meant the damage to the pocketbook that is about to happen)

And have someone else there to take picture of that grin on your face!!!

 

[posity]

Since you live in Seattle, I would be sure to test drive on a rainy day. Especially a drizzly day. This will give you a chance to experience the auto windshield wipers which just plain don't work here in the Northwest IMHO. You'll find many owners that don't seem to have complaints about the Tesla auto-wipers, however if you live in the Northwest (like you and me), they are awful. I love everything about my Tesla (a model X), but will never buy another one until Tesla quits using cameras and neural networks to run the wipers - Tesla: just add a standard infrared wiper sensor and be done with it.

 

[srs5694]

If you've never driven an EV before, you might want to test-drive something else in addition to the Model 3, just to have a point of comparison. That will help you judge what about the drive you like or dislike that's Tesla-specific vs. true of all EVs.

 

[ulrichw]

Advice for someone driving an ICE car for the first time:

- When you hit the accelerator, don't expect anything to happen immediately - it takes a little while for the air to start making its way into the engine.
- Conversely, if you step on it hard, be prepared to lift off when the extra power comes in about half a second later - it may be more than you wanted
- It's normal for the car to vibrate and make noise when stopped at a light
- When you lift off the accelerator, don't expect any deceleration - if you need to slow down, you'll need to waste the energy by turning it into heat with those things called "brakes"
- Remember, there's these things called gears. Even if you're in an automatic, you need to give the transmission time to downshift if you suddenly need to accelerate
- ICEs don't do that great at low RPM - you want to hear a lot of noise and feel a lot of vibration - that means the engine's "happy"
- Starting from a stop, be sure to anticipate a little - it takes a while for the engine to get going

Any questions?

 

[focher]

I would not recommend changing the regen setting from Standard to Low, because one pedal driving is one of the most noticeable benefits of driving an EV (in addition to the lower noise and vibration levels). One pedal driving is where you mostly use the accelerator and rarely touch the brake pedal. Instead of braking, you lift up on the accelerator to allow regenerative braking to slow the car. You might even push down a little on the accelerator so that the car isn't slowing as rapidly. In many instances, the car can come to a complete stop without ever touching the brake pedal.

Teslas are a little different than most other EVs in regards to the brake pedal. Other EVs usually utilize regen even when using the brake pedal until the car determines it needs the friction of the brake pads to slow down sufficiently. Teslas do not do this, but instead use solely the brakes if you press the brake pedal. That's another reason to use the one pedal driving method above, and stay off the brake pedal as much as possible.

Also, make sure that Creep mode is not enabled. That's the feature that replicates an ICE vehicle's behavior of moving forward unless the brake pedal is depressed. Teslas now have a "hold mode" that, upon coming to a stop if you depress the brake pedal then the car goes into a "pseudo" Park mode and holds the car in place until you press the accelerator pedal.

 

[jrh007]

Brake lights will turn on if you decelerate enough, even without the brake pedal.
The first time I drove Model S, I let completely off the accelerator too; but I learned before the test drive was over to just ease off until I'm slowing at the pace I want.

As long as the car you are driving isn’t red, you will see the brake lights come on when you look at the screen after enough of a regen brake.

 

[SoCalMom]

If you happen to be at a stop light and the Tesla employee gives you the go ahead to floor it when the light turns green, make sure you MASH THAT ISH (after making sure there are no cars or pedestrians in your way).
We got to test drive a Model S P100D with Ludicrous. Salesperson told my husband to launch it at the light. My husband was worried about spinning out so he didn't hit the pedal as hard as he could have. It was still super impressive....but could have been better. Teslas do not spin out.

 

[dlinsley]

My first EV was a Bolt, and the one pedal driving was just so natural about 20s after pulling out of the dealer's lot on the test drive. It really is marvelous, though on the Bolt you could come to a complete stop but the Tesla nearly always requires me to tap the brake to bring it to a complete stop. However, I can then tap again to go to Hold rather than riding the brakes - I never liked how the Bolt would not turn on the brake lights when you were stationary, and so for safety I'd often ride the brake as that's what people behind me would expect to see. I nice small difference on the Tesla.

 

[dlinsley]

If you happen to be at a stop light and the Tesla employee gives you the go ahead to floor it when the light turns green, make sure you MASH THAT ISH

Yes! OP if your test drive is at U.Village (I dont know about the other locations), the AWD they have for test drives is actually a P3D He told me to floor it after we got on I5N from 520. I'm such a rule follower that I had to back off way quicker than anything else I've driven.

 

[Nocturnal]

Have you ever driven a manual car? If so regen braking won't feel weird.

The only real hurdle is changing how you view refueling. Your daily refueling will be 30 seconds a day vs 10 minutes a week. Long trips do take more time for fueling but just let yourself relax. Is it really that bad to take a leisurely lunch while your car is charging? We stress too much about "making good time", an EV makes you calm down a little.

 

[Wennfred]

Everything you need to know is posted on YouTube, tons of videos there on the Model 3.

 

[Runt8]

I would not recommend changing the regen setting from Standard to Low, because one pedal driving is one of the most noticeable benefits of driving an EV (in addition to the lower noise and vibration levels). One pedal driving is where you mostly use the accelerator and rarely touch the brake pedal. Instead of braking, you lift up on the accelerator to allow regenerative braking to slow the car. You might even push down a little on the accelerator so that the car isn't slowing as rapidly. In many instances, the car can come to a complete stop without ever touching the brake pedal.

Teslas are a little different than most other EVs in regards to the brake pedal. Other EVs usually utilize regen even when using the brake pedal until the car determines it needs the friction of the brake pads to slow down sufficiently. Teslas do not do this, but instead use solely the brakes if you press the brake pedal. That's another reason to use the one pedal driving method above, and stay off the brake pedal as much as possible.

Also, make sure that Creep mode is not enabled. That's the feature that replicates an ICE vehicle's behavior of moving forward unless the brake pedal is depressed. Teslas now have a "hold mode" that, upon coming to a stop if you depress the brake pedal then the car goes into a "pseudo" Park mode and holds the car in place until you press the accelerator pedal.

When you let off the accelerator you are getting maximum regenerative braking. Using the brake pedal just adds additional stopping power, it doesn’t stop using regen. And generally the only way you can come to a complete stop over a reasonable distance using regen alone in a Model 3 is if you’re are going uphill, which then would require you to use the brake to prevent rolling backwards (with creep off) or creeping forwards.

 

[ulrichw]

[...]Teslas do not spin out.

Totally agree with the rest of your post, but just want to inject a note of caution here: No stability control system can overcome the laws of physics.

A Tesla will not spin out in straight-line acceleration, but there are many ways to spin out a Tesla in other situations. Drive safely!

 

[Runnergirl]

"What to look for?"

Cops!!...

 

[focher]

When you let off the accelerator you are getting maximum regenerative braking. Using the brake pedal just adds additional stopping power, it doesn’t stop using regen.

Your first sentence is true, but the second clause of your second sentence is not. Upon pressing the brake pedal on the Model 3, the car ceases to regen and applies the friction brakes to slow down and stop. Letting up off the brake pedal will reintroduce regen. This behavior is a notable difference than most other hybrids and EVs, but it is true. Important to know if you want to truly use regen effectively, you have to maximize your use of one-pedal driving with the accelerator.

 

[Runt8]

Your first sentence is true, but the second clause of your second sentence is not. Upon pressing the brake pedal on the Model 3, the car ceases to regen and applies the friction brakes to slow down and stop. Letting up off the brake pedal will reintroduce regen. This behavior is a notable difference than most other hybrids and EVs, but it is true. Important to know if you want to truly use regen effectively, you have to maximize your use of one-pedal driving with the accelerator.

Sorry, I don’t think that’s correct. My Model 3 shows full regen even with the friction brakes applied.

 

[focher]

Sorry, I don’t think that’s correct. My Model 3 shows full regen even with the friction brakes applied.

Plenty of info available on this topic. A simple Internet search.

 

[Runt8]

Plenty of info available on this topic. A simple Internet search.

I suggest you go and educate yourself then.

 

[focher]

https://teslaownersonline.com/threads/why-does-the-model-3-not-use-regen-when-using-the-brakes.7196

Got any citations? I’m happy to be proven wrong, but that’s gonna requires evidence.

 

[Brass Guy]

You've just proven yourself wrong, too funny! (Unless of course you disbelieve the monologue in the video you just posted.)

At 4:00 the driver states "... and then if you press the brake, which I'm pressing right now..." while the green regen bar continues. It is diminishing, but that's due to being below 30mph already.
He does state that when in Low regen mode, pressing the brake pedal does not increase regen; however it clearly shows pressing the brake does not cancel regen.