Model 3 base range concerns.

[Shock-On-T]

"As I type this I’m in Surfers Paradise after a very easy drive (autopilot all the way) with the car plugged into the hotels charger."

Aha! Then it's obvious, you have a very, very long extension cord

Yes, and apparently someone is knocked down every 30 minutes here. He’s getting really sick of it

 

[Vostok]

The base range of around 350 KM seems unsuitably lean for Australian conditions. For a car that may cost $55,000 on the road it also seems very poor value for money.

My response to the “poor value for money” comment is that the car is fully electric - therefore it is great value for money, because BEVs are so much more pleasant, enjoyable and better to drive compared to ICEs in just about every respect. And not just more enjoyable by a little bit but by a huge, huge margin. It’s like comparing LED lights with kerosene lamps. One is 21st century, the other is 19th century.

It’s like saying a $70k Audi is poor value for money compared to a $50k BMW. The Audi driver would say their car is so much nicer to drive, better looking, with more performance or whatever, and that’s what you’re paying for. Same with Tesla. You are paying for a car that has much, much better performance than an ICE, looks amazing, and gives you incredible pleasure behind the wheel unlike any ICE car will ever give you.

Having dealt with that, if you regularly do day trips that are about the same distance as or longer than the fully charged range of a BEV then maybe a BEV is not right for you yet. I have a Nissan LEAF and never attempt day drives longer than its fully charged range - which is not much (about 110 km) because having to charge during the trip makes it unviable. For all other trips I use my ICE.

However I have a Model 3 reservation and will go fully electric when I get it next year, dumping my ICE. By then I expect the Tesla Supercharger network to be even better, the NRMA fast charger network to be well progressed, and third party charging options to have expanded. In short, I’m not worried.

In the unlikely event that I need to take a trip that is not feasible in my Model 3, I will hire a car for that trip. I don’t expect that to happen more than once every 3-4 years. In fact in the past 5 years, I cannot recall a single trip I have taken in my ICE that would have been unviable in a LR Model 3 given current charging infrastructure, so that percentage will only reduce over time.

 

[tobygriffin]

when I get it next year

Ha, good one

 

[raynewman]

Ha, good one

9th December 2019

 

[Vostok]

Ha, good one

Assuming you are being serious, why the skepticism? The original estimate of RHD Model 3 production was mid this year, then revised to early 2019, then revised again to mid 2019. You are being unduly pessimistic

But now that Tesla appears to be exiting production hell, has already delivered 20,000 Model 3s, is pumping out 2500 Model 3s per week and should ramp up to 5000 per week by July, then theoretically all 115k pre-reveal reservations could be filled by September. Of course it’s not a sequential process and RHD is at the end of the queue, but it won’t take until 2020.

Remember how it seemed like Model X release in Australia was delayed, and delayed, and delayed again? Well on 16 August this year, Model 3 will overtake Model X in terms of waiting time between first reservations and first delivery here. If Tesla needs 17 months on top of the Model X wait to deliver their first Model 3 in Australia it would be a truly appalling performance.

 

[houdini]

Well I hope they put a supercharger in Bendigo which is a major destination and a regular destination for me. The round trip is a modest 280Km, so that leaves me very little charge in reserve for driving around town in a base Model 3. For a car that is supposed to shine on the open road it’s not good enough.

Well stick with the ICE then. Or just plan your trip. If you’re going to do the Bendigo run then you do the Bendigo run, back home, stick it on your home charger before you go out again. The short range 3 will do the return trip and if you’re seriosuly then needing to get back in the car for another 100kms maybe the 3 isn’t for you. I have the shortest range EV in the Leaf and have just rocked over 78,000 kms in 2.5 years. Way more than all my friends in their 700kms plus ICE vehicles. I can do 150 kms a day in the Leaf, but it needs a couple of breaks to top up. If I couldn’t do it I’d have to go ICE or buy a Tesla .

That’s the reality of living in this Country without the support for EVs. In Europe you can’t go a block without running into charging stations and the same in the UK. You can drive all the short range EVs everywhere. In Oz we need a Tesla for the longer stuff, or charge at home.

Remember also that the 3 you’ll be paying to charge so maybe with all your trips you need a second hand Model S that will give you 400kms + and free supercharging.

 

[houdini]

Assuming you are being serious, why the skepticism? The original estimate of RHD Model 3 production was mid this year, then revised to early 2019, then revised again to mid 2019. You are being unduly pessimistic

Agreed. We will get cars mid-2019 as expected. How many people have to be reminded that because of the huge number of reservation they moved the dates a full year forward! A year forward. So any cars getting delivered now are gifts.

 

[garyjac]

I was a sever sufferer from range anxiety when I bought my S. Looking back through the emails I can't believe it! The 3 will easily cope with anything you are likely to want to do by 2020, even with a 320 km range.

 

[raynewman]

When I first got my car, the closest SuperCharger was Sydney; there were ZERO destination chargers and I had no UMC.
Only ran out once...

 

[Blu Angel]

Chooflaki,

Tesla will quickly up its game in Australia with its own Supercharger network
There are currently 20 Superchargers & 16 Superchargers coming soon

Tesla Superchargers in Australia | Tesla Canada

My advise is to purchase the LR Tesla 3. Probably cost $70,000 AU
It may seem really expensive but your petrol savings will be huge

The only negative I see is that your federal government is in bed with Big Oil, Big Coal & Big Utilities
Thus, they are collectively colluding against the EV adoption in Australia

 

[Chooflaki]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions and advice. Since it’s a long way off still, I will aim for the long range version but now I also feel more comfortable with the base version. Things can only get better with time. Also considering options like Enhanced Autopilot and premium interior.