Pros and Cons of Owning a Tesla

[SoGA Fan Club]

Everyone, I am creating some material which will be used at our Tesla "show and tell" events to help teach people in South Georgia about Tesla (you'd be shocked how little people know about Tesla here). One of the docs I am creating is the Pros and Cons of owning a Tesla. I have several listed, but want to make sure my list is as complete as possible on both sides. So, if you have a moment, please chime in on the things you think should be presented to those totally unaware of Tesla vehicles (other than the stupidity they see on the internet).

 

[Ande]

Plenty of instant power.
Once you get used to it, no other IC cars won't be an alternative, everything else is just low performance with lots of noise.

 

[iqless]

I've owned a Tesla for about 2.5 years, and drove Audis and Porsches before. So:

Pros:

1. Great technology, 17 inch screen is still amazing, Autopilot (even AP1) is unrivaled and is useful for far beyond just being a gimmick
2. Instant power - even my non-P 85D felt much faster than anything else I'd had before
3. Prestige - even with Model 3s being everywhere now, it's still viewed as a super luxurious brand
4. Lack of maintenance - Apart from some issues with the car, I've had to do nothing to 'maintain' my 85D over 2 and a half years.
5. Environmetal impact
6. No gas

Cons:

1. Non-premium cabin: The cabin looks laughably inferior to a $80k-100k car from Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Porsche etc.
2. Centralization: Everything is centralized under Tesla and what they say goes, you can't just go to another dealer/shop and get a different answer.
3. Inconsistency: Even with the centralization, the company is horribly inconsistent and you'll get a different answer to a question every time.
4. Build quality: Not on par with similarly priced cars
5. Bad used car experience: They clearly don't care about the used part of their business, and there's an alarming number of people with bad experiences. Yeah yeah I know you got it used and had an amazing experience. Probably most will. The thing is though if an eBay seller has 95% good 5% bad rating, they're a bad seller.
6. Supercharging: It's possible to travel to anywhere (in the US) but supercharging takes a long time. Even if they're placed in convenient locations (... in virginia half of them are in gas stations...) and you can eat while charging etc., it still takes a longer time to reach your destination than a gas car
7. Downtown living: Not suitable for downtown living unless your garage has EV charging which can still be a pain in the ass. And if there's no EV charging, you have to exclusively supercharge, which is a way bigger pain in the ass since a.) SC could be far from where you live, b.) It's said to be bad for the battery, c.) Unless you have free supercharging, it costs more to supercharge than to pay for gas in a 30-35mpg car, which defeats a huge purpose of EVs.


So the cons list seems bigger, but the pros are BIG pros... technology and power is most of what makes a car.

 

[dk10438]

I question lack of environmental impact... Burning coal is still the predominant source of electricity so in a sense you're burning coal. Even if you have solar panels, you're consuming more electricity and that's got to come from somewhere.... Also, it seems to be unclear what the long term environmental impact of li-on batteries is, specifically disposal and mining.

 

[SoGA Fan Club]

Here are some that I have listed so far. Remember, I have to present this to people who only have knowledge of a gas car and what driving and maintaining a gas car is like.

Safest Cars in the World – The Model 3, Model S, and Model X were tested by the NHTSA. All received the highest safety ratings possible (5 stars for every category). In fact, the 3 highest ranked cars in terms of least chance of sustaining an injury in a crash were all Tesla cars (Model 3, Model S, Model X in that order).

Never have to Stop for Gas During Daily Drives – For most people, who park in their garage or driveway, charging is done each night while you sleep. Everyday you wake up with a “full tank”. Depending on the model you drive, this means anywhere from 200 to 370 miles to drive each day. Each day when you return home, you simply plug the charge cable in. No hassles of stopping for gas at the absolute worst time (who likes to stop for gas?).

No Oil Changes – Or spark plugs, or timing belts, or almost anything else for that matter. Imagine how much time you spend (and money) getting an oil change and other regular maintenance on your car. This is never a factor in a Tesla car since it does not have an engine of any type. Typically, the only maintenance you will do will be tires. Even brakes last practically forever due to regenerative braking (uses momentum of car when you “let up” on the throttle to generate electricity which is returned to the battery. This effectively slows the car with no need for applying the brakes in most situations).

Gas Savings – The EPA tests vehicles to determine the MPG fuel rating for a particular vehicle. This rating is somewhat difficult for electric cars since there is no “gallon”. So, the EPA uses MPGe – which basically means the equivalent number of miles an electric car can go for the charging cost of one gallon of gasoline. The Model 3, Model S, and Model X have a MPGe rating of 134, 102, and 85 respectively. No matter what kind of gas vehicle you currently drive, you will save money in a Tesla.

Performance – (haven't written description here yet since I need to present this to the common person who could care less or even comprehend what a 0-60 mph time is. I need to make them understand the instant and steady acceleration in words that relate to everyday driving)

The only con I have so far is charge time and route restrictions when traveling. If we're being honest, this is definitely a con. I think people will respect the pros more if they see honesty about this topic. However, I will for sure explain that this con is completely offset by the time saved not stopping for gas on daily drives, as well as the money saved in gas. Plus, I'll explain how the superchargers allow you to eat, take a restroom break, etc in the minutes needed to charge (plus the rest/recovery time). But, I want to be upfront with people that if your goal is to get to your destination as quickly as possible, a Tesla (or EV in general) will be at a disadvantage to a gas car. Additionally I will explain that this disadvantage is being minimized every time Tesla increases the range of their cars. At 370 miles, most destinations will be within reach with only one charge (how often do people really drive over 600 miles a day?).

 

[SoGA Fan Club]

Adding OTA updates as a pro, and loss of range in cold weather as a con.

 

[boonedocks]

Not necessarily "Tesla"

- most power providers have some kind of EV rate for an even greater cost saving advantage. (Mine for example is .067kWh which make my 90+ mile a day commute work out to $1.74)
-If any of those South Georgians come to Atlanta often using PeachPass is free which can be $15+ each way some days on I85

 

[SoGA Fan Club]

I question lack of environmental impact... Burning coal is still the predominant source of electricity so in a sense you're burning coal. Even if you have solar panels, you're consuming more electricity and that's got to come from somewhere.... Also, it seems to be unclear what the long term environmental impact of li-on batteries is, specifically disposal and mining.

Remember...my audience will be folks living in South Georgia. In Georgia, what you just posted is a big pro - mining coal would put people in West Virginia and Ohio back to work.

But honestly, I'm not going to bring the environmental aspect of Tesla into this because it touches on a political issue - I want people to simply compare Tesla (and EVs in general) to a gas car. Straight up, with no other factors than simply being a car, how does a Tesla compare to a gas car - advantages and disadvantages.

I honestly get tired of people coming up to me and asking if I REALLY think I'm saving the planet by driving a Tesla. It takes me 10 minutes to explain to them why my Tesla is better than any car ever built. Though, the conversation is at least fruitful in the end.

 

[dk10438]

Remember...my audience will be folks living in South Georgia. In Georgia, what you just posted is a big pro - mining coal would put people in West Virginia and Ohio back to work.

But honestly, I'm not going to bring the environmental aspect of Tesla into this because it touches on a political issue - I want people to simply compare Tesla (and EVs in general) to a gas car. Straight up, with no other factors than simply being a car, how does a Tesla compare to a gas car - advantages and disadvantages.

I honestly get tired of people coming up to me and asking if I REALLY think I'm saving the planet by driving a Tesla. It takes me 10 minutes to explain to them why my Tesla is better than any car ever built. Though, the conversation is at least fruitful in the end.

agreed, Tesla is an awesome car and I don't regret it one bit. I have just about every luxury brand (MB, BMW, Porsche, Lexus) and the MS is the best car I've ever had, despite the shortcomings.

 

[iqless]

I question lack of environmental impact... Burning coal is still the predominant source of electricity

That is not Tesla's fault. This is a superbly efficient car that makes use of almost all the energy you put into it. If you put coal energy into it, it'll use that. If you put solar, it'll use that.

 

[dk10438]

That is not Tesla's fault. This is a superbly efficient car that makes use of almost all the energy you put into it. If you put coal energy into it, it'll use that. If you put solar, it'll use that.

you said that a pro of a Tesla is "environmental impact" and I question if it's actually any better. Burning FF's the primary source of electricity in the USA so just because you drive an electric car, it doesn't mean that you're not "burning" FF. that's not even taking into account increased production cost and time to make an EV, mining for rare earth elements and what that does to the environment, or long term disposal problem of li-on batteries.

I'm not saying the EV impact on the environment is worse, I'm just saying it not as simple as saying I drive an EV so it's better for the environment because it's zero emission. It's a lot more complex than that and the reality is, most people don't have solar and even if they do, solar doesn't produce all of the electricity that a household needs. I have solar and my net usage of electricity from SCE is about 100 KW/month. Now that I have a MS, I'll probably consume another 600 KW per month so I'm "burning" more FF's....

 

[OrbiterTI4]

My off-the-cuff additions.

Pros:
Off-the-line acceleration. Switching between our Model S and Chevy Silverado is tough.
Main display. I still get looks of awe from passengers and drive-thru workers, although not as many as in 2015.
Owner camaraderie. I've spoken with many owners while charging, shopping at the same spot, living nearby. Never had that urge to go up and talk with a fellow Silverado/Jeep/Toyota owner.
Scheduled charging (leading to possible reduced rates). This may not apply in GA, but in TX we can choose our retail electric provider. My current plan allows for all electric use to be free between 2000 and 0600. Schedule my car for overnight charging and voila, free fuel.

Cons:
Service center limited locations/availability. I'm lucky to live in a city with two service centers within 50 miles. That would not be considered lucky to an ICE owner.
Repair timeline/cost. My vehicle was in a collision and the length of time from collision to return was four months.
Road trip travel times. I've successfully made a half-dozen road trips over 1000 miles, but this required extra time for charging and HVAC management to save range that an ICE would have avoided.

 

[jcarp09]

I question lack of environmental impact... Burning coal is still the predominant source of electricity so in a sense you're burning coal. Even if you have solar panels, you're consuming more electricity and that's got to come from somewhere.... Also, it seems to be unclear what the long term environmental impact of li-on batteries is, specifically disposal and mining.

I actually looked up how much CO2 is put into the environment per kWh vs the amount of fuel burned by an ICE. I believe it was around 35%. This also takes into account that your energy provider burns 100% coal, which is becoming less the case as time goes on.

 

[gavine]

But honestly, I'm not going to bring the environmental aspect of Tesla into this because it touches on a political issue - I want people to simply compare Tesla (and EVs in general) to a gas car. Straight up, with no other factors than simply being a car, how does a Tesla compare to a gas car - advantages and disadvantages.

I used to mention environmental impact when discussing Tesla. I stopped doing that and just talk about the merits of the car. Once you mention the environmental stuff, the other person either stops listening or argues with you. Leaving that out of the equation makes for a much better discussion. If someone pushes the environmental thing, I just say: "I bought it for the performance" and that mitigates the chance of an argument.

 

[Jashev]

I am in agreement with most of the pros mentioned above. I don't however think that charging is a con. I have made several trips from Central PA to TX with my car and never had to stop to charge for more than 15-20 minutes. Anyone who takes long trips (especially at my age) finds that stopping every three hours for a 15-20 minute break allows me to travel further without fatigue. Especially when AP is factored in. The Tesla Supercharger network is a HUGE plus.

 

[tinman]

While charging on long distance drives can be a bit of a nuisance, the cost-benefit is every-increasing every time you need to 'fill up'. While you may have to wait 15-20min, it costs a fraction of what a gas fill-up would cost when you Supercharge.

The biggest potential con for me would be the social interest. It's an almost certainty that, when someone finds out that I drive a Tesla, all conversation immediately pivots that direction. I've had countless little conversations with random people at the register or walking into a store that notice the car and start asking questions. I personally enjoy the little bit of attention, and really like fixing incorrect presumptions or answering supposed 'stupid questions' that people have. (I had a woman this weekend mention to me how much she loved the cars and the environmental mission, but can't reasonably own a car that can't get wet... The look on my face caused her to explain her logic of electricity and water being a recipe for a short circuit.)

But yeah, a lot of the above comments are all spot on IMO. The one thing that may not work with some people is the small spotlight that they'll have at times.


L8

 

[P100D_Me]

I question lack of environmental impact... Burning coal is still the predominant source of electricity so in a sense you're burning coal. Even if you have solar panels, you're consuming more electricity and that's got to come from somewhere

Unless the oil refinery runs on 100% renewable energy then getting your petrol to the pump is a dirty process as well, that never seems to be factored in.
If people want to compare ICE to EV emissions and they use the 'electricity comes from coal' argument then the process from crude oil to the pump must be factored in to the overall emissions from an ICE vehicle as well.

 

[sixela]

I question lack of environmental impact... Burning coal is still the predominant source of electricity so in a sense you're burning coal.

I am not -- I get electricity from a company that uses my money to build yet more windmills (and I'm also a shareholder).

But even if I were "burning coal", burning coal in a power plant and then getting it to an EV is a lot more efficient than refining petrol, transporting it and then burning fuel in an ICE engine. And cleaner too (at least for modern power plants).

There's a reason why even hydrogen advocates try to develop fuel cell vehicles with an electric drive train rather than ICEs burning hydrogen...

 

[whitex]

Adding OTA updates as a pro, and loss of range in cold weather as a con.

I would add OTA to the con column for the following reasons:

1. Allows Tesla to ship unfinished product, then wither never deliver or deliver something super underwhelming, basically if you knew what it was going to be and when, you'd have never paid for it
2. Adds bugs, sometimes dangerous ones, sometimes causing damage. In 6 years of owning Teslas, had one very close call, and one actual broken mirror ($600) due to an OTA update
3. As Tesla improves their hardware, the old hardware is forced to run software written for the new hardware, so it runs slow, and if form factor changes the new UI is forced and not designed for best user experience. Also, new bugs take months to fix on old hardware, if ever (e.g. browser was broken on v9 for MCU1 for many months) - if it doesn't affect new car sales, it's low on Tesla priority list.
4. Because Tesla doesn't test their stuff exhaustively, they've been known to neuter their existing products post sale via OTA, for example cutting max range, power, and/or charging speeds as they learned over time that things break
5. Gives Tesla the excuse of "OTA update will fix it", which they try for everything, even the yellowing screens.

 

[Alysashley79]

Forgive me if this has been said. And buy price aside the savings of driving EV vs ICE. I have a Prius c that averages about 45mpg on a nice warm day. It gets driven about 2000 miles per month. Which estimated out at about $156.00 per month. My Tesla gets driven closer to 3000 miles per month and we spend roughly $80 in electricity (no solar).

Apples to apples if you were looking at that same 3000 miles being driven in a bmw or merc it would be close to $500 per month.