ProphetM
Member
$1000+. I take a lot of road trips and I plan to keep the car a long time. I imagine I will be taking even more trips than I have in the past, due to the gas savings.
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dgpcolorado
high altitude member
That seems to be a common view. Those of us who are road warriors are clearly in the minority when it comes to intended Model 3 use.
However, I would caution the many who hold your view that any trip over a few hundred miles is better done by air: driving a Tesla is so much fun that it makes road trips a lot more enjoyable! You might, or might not, find this to be the case. I'll be interested to see what people have to say about this in a couple of years.
ProphetM
Member
The best road trips are a good time all along the way; the destination is just the exclamation point on the sentence.
HankLloydRight
No Roads
I'd pay $1000. I take a couple long road trips each year and dozens of shorter ones to visit friends/family (between 200 and 300 miles each way). To me, that's worth not dealing with the $/kWh billing hassles.
Skotty
2014 S P85 | 2023 F-150L
I use superchargers often, but honestly, I don't see any need to pay for free supercharging. As long as the electricity cost is fair, I'm happy paying for my energy as I use it.
WileyTheMan
Peanut Gallery Member
Why is it when people do the math they base the cost on the price that is paid for electricity. What about the cost for putting the SC in place as well as the costs to maintain the SC and all the other costs that go into designing and keeping the system running? Perhaps we should also add in a cost for expanding the network or even to build in for inflation.
I can't stand long road trips. Did a bus tour from LA that went all the way to South Dakota and Yellowstone. Never again. Road tripped from LA -> Vancouver BC to visit family (only 1 way). Never again.
I like being in airplanes than being in a car. I can read, play games on my tablet/laptop, and watch movies while in a plane. Attempting to do that in a car leads to motion sickness and regret. Even as the person behind the controls, flying is a better experience than driving.
I believe most future M3 owners don't get the SCN priced into the car, so it is relevant in this M3-subforum.
israndy
Supercharger Hunter
I think I would pay a lot only because I envision a time when the car is able to charge itself and go where I want it to by itself. Other than tires that would be a pretty free car. Even if it was just so that it was free from then on to drive, it would encourage road trips. While paying DURING the trip, instead of when you have a bunch saved for a new car, will discourage traveling...
-Randy
-Randy
TaoJones
Beyond Driven
Funny you should mention LACA to SD. That’s an annual pilgrimage right there for the Sound of Silence Black Hills Tesla Rally every 3rd week of May in Custer, South Dakota.
You can make it in one long day to Grand Junction and a short day into Custer. Entire trip including Thurs night through Sunday morning there can be done in a week.
For bonus points there’s all kinds of fun looping through Yellowstone and BC.
In this way, you get both the journey *and* the destination! And some of the most stellar scenery on the continent. And it’s an inexpensive trip on top of all of that.
Hey, I appreciate jetBlue as much as the next guy - especially their Mint service for transcontinental travel. But given a choice, I’d drive an AP(1, preferably)-enabled Tesla every time. I would flat out refuse if I had to drive an ICE. The Tesla road tripping experience, especially once you get into a rhythm/cadence after the first day, is that different and that much mo’ bettah.
But an ICE for a 7,000-12,000-mile or similar trip? Been there, done that. Nooooooo thanks.
What hassle? Tesla has the users credit card number on file.
I am against Free or Unlimited supercharging except for the current S/X vehicles. When I go on my one or two trips a year I do not want to wait because someone is charging a mile away from their house. I would even be fine with dynamic pricing for busy times with a cap of 2.5x. Think of it as free during non busy times and you have to pay when they are busy. I am sure this model would cause all kinds of legal issues in certain states.
You will notice there are lots of SC’s popping up close to huge cities, some the lower power urban chargers but also the higher power units. Be aware if you plan to use these chargers you’d better be prepared to wait. For example a new SC is being built just off the I-17 in far North Phoenix. Travelers coming from Flagstaff will jump all over this one but so will dwellers in North Phoenix. So if I was going South I would plan to be able to reach the Casa Grande location in case N Phoenix is busy.
It's the primary differentiator for me. Why I'd buy a Tesla rather than wait around for what the other car companies do with their EVs. But that's based on my driving pattern, which is different than the "typical" hypothetical EV driver.
The ability or option to be able to use a Supercharger (the SC network, basically) is more valuable than the cost of electricity itself to me.
The ability or option to be able to use a Supercharger (the SC network, basically) is more valuable than the cost of electricity itself to me.
Around $10,000 USD.
Cost for free charging for the life of the car assuming one always charges at the supercharging stations and does 12K miles a year for 15 or so years will be $10K assuming electricity is $0.20 per kWh. Yes this is a lot of assumption but this is the price tesla should use for their quarterly cost if they want to be realistic.
Hence this should be the cost people should be expecting to pay for unlimited free supercharging.
Otherwise pay per use is the best way to look at it.
Below is the math for it.
310 miles for 70KWh of usable energy:
225Wh/mile
Assuming 90% efficiency charging, you have 250wh/miles of range.
12K miles per year for 15 years: 180K miles total
180K miles * 250 wh/ mile = 45MWh.
At $0.20 per KWh, you have to pay $9,000.
Factor in A.C. uses and other inefficiencies like vampire drain, leaving cable plugged in, etc. You are going to be pretty close $10K USD.
Cost for free charging for the life of the car assuming one always charges at the supercharging stations and does 12K miles a year for 15 or so years will be $10K assuming electricity is $0.20 per kWh. Yes this is a lot of assumption but this is the price tesla should use for their quarterly cost if they want to be realistic.
Hence this should be the cost people should be expecting to pay for unlimited free supercharging.
Otherwise pay per use is the best way to look at it.
Below is the math for it.
310 miles for 70KWh of usable energy:
225Wh/mile
Assuming 90% efficiency charging, you have 250wh/miles of range.
12K miles per year for 15 years: 180K miles total
180K miles * 250 wh/ mile = 45MWh.
At $0.20 per KWh, you have to pay $9,000.
Factor in A.C. uses and other inefficiencies like vampire drain, leaving cable plugged in, etc. You are going to be pretty close $10K USD.
T34ME
Active Member
I have no need for free SuC. i fill up every night in my garage for free from my Solar City panels.
Alphacrux
Member
Funny, I feel the exact opposite. Austin to San Diego business trip 4x/year and I drive the tesla every time. Listen to music or audiobooks, browse the internet on my tablet while my wife is driving (I have no motion sickness in the car). Take turns driving, stop whenever we want for food or refreshment. Even the dog is great: she mostly sleeps the entire time even on 10 hr drives.. she loves having the entire back seat for herself. Plenty of space in the trunk and frunk for extended stay luggage. The model s is pretty much a perfect highway cruiser.
But to each his or her own..
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