Need help convincing a spouse or significant other to let you buy?

[vinnie97]

Hi Vinnie,

I suppose my statement is part conservative since we lack good data to say otherwise, and part skepticism based on the aging data we know Li-x goes through and the effect of deep discharging and/or fast charging.

I am not saying the battery will be toast on year #6 and 135k miles, but I will not be surprised to hear of cases where it is true. Heck, I won't be surprised if 10 - 20% of EV batteries fit this scenario. Personally, I would not buy a Tesla (or any EV) if I could not stomach (and pay for) that possibility.

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You are right though -- I plan to lease (my first ever) rather than purchase. I don't have a choice if I want to collect the federal tax credit, I don't have a lot of confidence in the long term viability of current Gen EVs, and I expect rapid advancement.

There are GREAT reasons to buy an EV today (or soon!,) but cheapest personal transport is not one of them.
I was thinking about this while driving my wife's Honda Fit to work today. We paid about $15k, and since I maintain my cars well, my experience is that it will be good for ~ 15 years. That works out to ~ $80 a month for the car, not including fuel, insurance, repairs etc. Currently fuel is about 4 cents a mile.

I know that is an Apples to Oranges comparo, and a Honda Fit is not a Tesla. But when OP tells us that so far as his wife is concerned the only question is lowest cost for (presumably reliable) personal transport, I ignore the intangibles.

Hi, gotcha', that was my other guess as to your reasoning...loss of range due to lower charging capacity.

The Model S is only in year 4, so there is no data nor anecdotes on which to rely concerning year #6. How are those Roadsters holding up?

Cooling (and heating in the winter to a lesser extent) is going to be the biggest difference maker in longevity. Nissan does poorly here...Tesla has engineered for this at least.

Bottom line cost will definitely not favor a $35k EV versus a $15k ICE right now. And I may be a bit shortsighted when only thinking in terms of being insulated from rising fuel costs (the cost of the EV erases this benefit for years) and the ability to harness my own energy (PV)...but the price differential for choosing an EV climbs even higher. It will all depend upon the individual's goals, but you raise valid points about frugality. For most of us, those aforementioned intangibles (i.e. ditching the gas station) are just really good excuses to splurge.

 

[GSP]

I suggest telling the significant other that getting an early Model III will be the only way to get the tax credit before it phases out for Tesla.

I have been showing my wife Tesla owner testimonials and Tesla's very nicely done videos for years. I think this really helps. She may be even more enthusiastic than I am. Check out Tesla's You Tube channel.

Installing a 14-50 outlet is all that needs to be budgeted for. It will be plenty, and doesn't cost much if your panel is close by and has capacity to add a 50 A breaker. If this is not the case, and the 14-50 is too expensive, get a quote to install a 6-20 outlet on a 20 A breaker [you will also need an adapter for the UMC]. That will be enough for anyone that doesn't have a very long commute.

Good Luck,

GSP

 

[hoang51]

Hi, gotcha', that was my other guess as to your reasoning...loss of range due to lower charging capacity.

The Model S is only in year 4, so there is no data nor anecdotes on which to rely concerning year #6. How are those Roadsters holding up?

Here's a link that has some battery statistics of both Roadster and Model S: Tesla Model S battery degradation data

 

[vinnie97]

Thank you, I think I've come across that link before. The graph is outdated, but it's based on the data in this Google spreadsheet, which is very much up to date: MaxRange Tesla Battery Survey

On average, it was determined a 6% loss after 50k miles with subsequent 1% losses after successive 30k mile increments. So at 170k miles, if this linear relationship holds, you'll still have 90% of the battery range. That's 11 years of operation with a 15k average. Depreciation based on battery degradation isn't all that concerning to me based on the early data.

 

[Spidy]

When I built it, I needed to specify the miles he would charge at home (because he commutes and works near a supercharger, he plans on taking advantage of that, so his at home charge time will be less than average. Good point though, as most people WOULDN'T do that.

You should keep in mind that Tesla already send a letter to some Model S owners. We don't know if they would be that happy if he charges almost every day a Supercharger that's not a long distance away from his home.

I also think even with a early reservation it's not likely you will get the tax credit on a budget Model 3.

$2000 in options is probably not enough. He might just pay that for Supercharger access. Does he want Autopilot?

Honestly do the math for $40000 without the $7500 tax credit anything else just sets you up for a major disappointment...

 

[ModelNforNerd]

I don't need to convince her to let me buy one.

Just look at my signature....I'll be the guinea pig to see if she wants to buy hers.

 

[ratsbew]

I've been working on my fiancee for a while now. I'll be away for 2 months of military training so it's up to her to put a deposit down for us. Yesterday she mentioned putting down two deposits so maybe she's come around!

 

[hoang51]

Thank you, I think I've come across that link before. The graph is outdated, but it's based on the data in this Google spreadsheet, which is very much up to date: MaxRange Tesla Battery Survey

On average, it was determined a 6% loss after 50k miles with subsequent 1% losses after successive 30k mile increments. So at 170k miles, if this linear relationship holds, you'll still have 90% of the battery range. That's 11 years of operation with a 15k average. Depreciation based on battery degradation isn't all that concerning to me based on the early data.

One thing one needs to realize is that the battery chemistry will be different from Model S and X, so let's hoping that the battery statistics will be just as good or better.