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Just test drove a Model Y

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First post on this forum.

I scheduled a test drive for the Model Y through the Tesa website and made the appointment for this morning.

I do have GM Bolt that I bought last year but need more reliable charging network and flexibility for traveling longer distances without the "pucker" factor.

I am impressed with the drive and function of the Model Y. So much so I'm pretty sure I'm going to get one. I'm just waiting to see if Texas will renew the state $2500 incentive this September.

Also was told by the Tesla rep that anyone who owns a Tesla can give me a link for a referral and I can get another $500 off.
Unless things have changed, I don't believe Teslas qualify for the Texas incentive. Sadly, that seems to be a handout to the dealers.

You can still probably sneak an order through before September 1st and avoid the increased registration fees! I bought an inventory car a few weeks ago and there was an additional $500 off on it. Some were $1000 off and higher. No issues with mine, made in Austin in July with HW4. A very nice upgrade from my 2018 M3.
 
Sorry OP for taking your thread so off-topic... but @Occhis - I've known people who moved out of state but kept their registration in the state that it was *previously* in... I think it was somehow beneficial for traffic tickets.

Do people in VA register out of state to avoid this? Seems like that would become a common practice at that price.
I don’t see many out of state plates in my immediate area, but I’m sure it’s done. Likely more difficult if you don’t have the address of a friend or relative for DMV. I’m sure insurance companies would frown and maybe deny coverage in certain situations. I’m always amazed when I see 3 or 4 late model vehicles in a driveway and mentally calculate their personal property taxes.
 
“NEXSTAR) — Texas drivers looking to drive cleaner will have to fork out more money to do it, starting Sept. 1. Earlier this week, Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 505 into law, which will establish a $400 fee to register an electric vehicle in Texas — in addition to a $200 annual fee.

That’s in addition to annual Texas vehicle registration fees, which cost $50.75 for most passenger vehicles/trucks. In total, a new EV owner could pay over $650 the first year.”


I just renewed my Model 3 registration that is due in Sept and they did not add this $200. Even though I did get a letter telling me it is due. Maybe it will catch up to me.

BTW, the state tax on a gallon of gas in Texas is 20 cents. So $200 is 1,000 gallons of gas tax. My last ICE car averaged around 24-30 mpg city/hwy and I put about 7,000 miles on my car in a year. At 27 mpg that is ~260 gallons of gas or $52/year in gas tax. The average TX driver drives 16,172 miles according to Google. If I drove that in my old car it would have been ~600 gallons or $120/year in gas tax. So Texas took the opportunity to pad this new fee quite a bit.

Again, I’d love to pay only $650 for my annual Tesla registration lol

It is not the registration fee, it is in addition to the registration fee. I'm sure every state will eventually see this new way to increase tax revenues. I'm not opposed to paying something close to what I was paying in the past, or even what the average driver is paying, this is more of a money grab and a chance to get some additional revenue from those they perceive as wealthy.
 
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I just renewed my Model 3 registration that is due in Sept and they did not add this $200. Even though I did get a letter telling me it is due. Maybe it will catch up to me.

BTW, the state tax on a gallon of gas in Texas is 20 cents. So $200 is 1,000 gallons of gas tax. My last ICE car averaged around 24-30 mpg city/hwy and I put about 7,000 miles on my car in a year. At 27 mpg that is ~260 gallons of gas or $52/year in gas tax. The average TX driver drives 16,172 miles according to Google. If I drove that in my old car it would have been ~600 gallons or $120/year in gas tax. So Texas took the opportunity to pad this new fee quite a bit.



It is not the registration fee, it is in addition to the registration fee. I'm sure every state will eventually see this new way to increase tax revenues. I'm not opposed to paying something close to what I was paying in the past, or even what the average driver is paying, this is more of a money grab and a chance to get some additional revenue from those they perceive as wealthy.
Yes. Definitely massively overcharging on the EV tax since it is meant to only cover the state gas tax. It appears to start on September 1.

I pay 140 in MI for the EV tax portion.
 
I just renewed my Model 3 registration that is due in Sept and they did not add this $200. Even though I did get a letter telling me it is due. Maybe it will catch up to me.

Since you renewed before September 1st, you escaped it this year. That'll bring your average fee down to $160 for the next 5 years. W00t!

Hopefully by then they'll implement a better system that charges by the mile and vehicle weight.
 
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The only partial negative I see with buying a Tesla is by opening the Supercharging network to all EV's will it become much more difficult to find an open supercharging spot on long trips?

When I bought my GM Bolt last year and heard of the adaptation of Tesla superchargers to other EV's I was excited. Now that I'm considering a Tesla I'm not so excited. 😆

Also I charge at 24A at home but I don't see this being an issue as I rarely am below 40% when driving locally.
 
The only partial negative I see with buying a Tesla is by opening the Supercharging network to all EV's will it become much more difficult to find an open supercharging spot on long trips?

When I bought my GM Bolt last year and heard of the adaptation of Tesla superchargers to other EV's I was excited. Now that I'm considering a Tesla I'm not so excited. 😆

Also I charge at 24A at home but I don't see this being an issue as I rarely am below 40% when driving locally.
Tesla is adding locations very fast (about one every 12 hours) and are outselling the competition. The biggest squeeze on the supercharger network is from Tesla itself.
 
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Of course I was "fishing". The Tesla rep told me that was the easiest way to get another $500 off. ;)

That wasn't a knock on you, just seemed like the right word to use. 😄


The only partial negative I see with buying a Tesla is by opening the Supercharging network to all EV's will it become much more difficult to find an open supercharging spot on long trips?
@SO16 is right - Tesla is selling EVs *way* faster than everyone else, so they'll be your major competitor at the charging station... but Tesla is expanding the charging network very quickly.

I've never had to wait at a SuperCharger, but certainly some locations are very busy... especially certain areas in California.
 
By mile, yes. If they go by weight, they will realize that EVs are really heavy and will probably increase the fee even more.

In reality, the weight and torque of EVs probably cause more damage to the road compared to a similar sized ICE.
2023 Toyota Camry weight: 3,300 to 3600 lbs.

2023 model 3 weight: 3,800 to 4,000 lbs.

2023 Ford Escape weight: 3,300 to 3,900.

2023 Model Y: 4,400 to 4,500

There is a difference but not enough to cause more much damage to the roads. Semis are far worse.
 
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2023 Toyota Camry weight: 3,300 to 3600 lbs.

2023 model 3 weight: 3,800 to 4,000 lbs.

2023 Ford Escape weight: 3,300 to 3,900.

2023 Model Y: 4,400 to 4,500

There is a difference but not enough to cause more much damage to the roads. Semis are far worse.
Semis are definitely worse but I assume they have to pay a different usage fee compared to normal cars. I know they pay higher on toll roads.
 
2023 Toyota Camry weight: 3,300 to 3600 lbs.

2023 model 3 weight: 3,800 to 4,000 lbs.

2023 Ford Escape weight: 3,300 to 3,900.

2023 Model Y: 4,400 to 4,500

There is a difference but not enough to cause more much damage to the roads. Semis are far worse.

As a Texan let me add the weight of two more popular vehicles:
F150: 4,100 - 5,700 lbs
F250: 5,700 - 7,600 lbs.
 
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