I have range anxiety turning into range fear

[sp4rk]

All the reading I have done makes me feel that the 300 miles of range should really be 200 miles (even less...177 according to some posts) . At this point I would not be able to make the 220 mile trip to Orlando or Key West without some great anxiety snip

When I drove Miami to Key West last year (was on my bucket list) ... I was compelled to slow down ... to read, and mentally digest all the lovely billboards along the way.

Sorry, but that drive, aside from the last 50? or so east of Key West was a horrible visual experience to me. And as another poster mentions, average speed was 55 (probably lower) due to slow moving vehicles, trucks, etc.

Key West? Lovely.

 

[Doug_G]

I don't think that the 177 mile number is 100% correct. I bet the range could be lower in Canada in the winter, for example.

Perhaps, but I have done 200 mile legs many times now, in pretty extreme Canadian conditions. I think the conditions would have to be VERY extreme for 177 to get you into trouble.

 

[Kaivball]

It's not a weak argument, it is absolutely true. I put it out there simply because there are complaints about the Model S not meeting its EPA range numbers, yet they don't think about how that type of driving affects their gasoline consumption. I had a Chevy Impala that got 20 mpg at average speeds with a 16 gallon tank. That's 320 miles. Drive it at 80 mph everywhere, you'll cut it to 250 miles. Sound pretty close? Thought so.

Who still drives a Chevy Impala???



In my BMW 650 the mileage difference between 65 and 80 is smaller than in a Tesla.
In other words, there is a greater range "penalty" for driving fast in the Model S.

 

[strider]

How quickly do you think the battery's going to degrade?

Well, this is where Roadster owners come in. I have driven for 2.25 years and 26k miles and my capacity has dropped 4%. As Roadsters get older we'll get more data but I'm thrilled with my experience so far.

 

[FlasherZ]

Who still drives a Chevy Impala???

How do you think I managed to afford a Model S? My wife drove it until it died.

 

[jerry33]

there are complaints about the Model S not meeting its EPA range numbers,

Every car gets complaints about not meeting the EPA numbers. Those cars that have a lot of instrumentation get far more complaints than those without (surprise, eh). The problem is in the EPA number, not the car. By using MPG or eMPG rather than an index the EPA effectively says that this car will get that number--even thought it's obviously not true as one number can't cover the range of usage. Unless the number so low that even the worst case will be hard to get less--which isn't very useful. (Of course, that was the solution they came up with a couple of years ago).

 

[kendallpb]

yes, I agree they should build the calculator to at 75mph minimum. With a 70mph speed limit on I-5 most people are driving about 75mph.

I don't get limiting it to 65--not only is the limit 70 in 18 or so states, but 16 or so states have some 75 MPH areas. Heck, Texas has 80 and 85 in spots, and Utah has 80 in some spots, it looks like! Crazy, Tesla.

 

[Kaivball]

How do you think I managed to afford a Model S? My wife drove it until it died.

nice move.

 

[aronth5]

I need the one that shows speeds above 65. I keep finding myself driving faster, it is so hard not to in this car!

It is legal on I5, at least!

And the capability to select temperatures lower than 32F.

 

[Larry Chanin]

I have to configure in 1 week and I am getting cold feet. I fell in love with the car. My feeling is the P85KW is the only way to go . Am I spending too much money on a product that may become extinct?

Igor,

You have received a lot of good advice that I don't want to rehash too much.

However, I do want to reiterate a point that another fellow club member stated and that is we are early adopters. The Supercharger network has not yet been built out in Florida. Therefore, it may not be feasible to dash around the state at 80 mph for a while. If this is important to you perhaps you should defer your purchase.

On the other hand if you wish to pursue your purchase now, let me remind you that as a Florida Tesla Motors Club member you have the option of joining our club charging network. We have members spread across the state of Florida who are willing to share their charging source with other participating club members. This club network continues to grow as our club ranks grow and it serves as a useful interim to the Supercharger network. No, you won't be able to charge at 300 mph, but you will be able to enjoy the company and hospitality of fellow club members while reducing or eliminating range anxiety.

With regard to the viability of Tesla, nothing is certain. Who would have believed that GM and Chrysler would have gone bankrupt?

Utimately only you can make the value judgement of whether this expensive car is for you. All I can say is many of us have made the plunge, and spent more than we are accustomed to, yet we do not regret it. As I have stated in another thread, I look at the extra money I spent on my Model S as a contribution to a worth cause, and the indulgence of a guilty pleasure.

If you have any questions or are interested in joining the club charging network, please contact me directly at [email protected].

Regards,

Larry Chanin
Founder, Florida Tesla Motors Club