Question for Model S owners of 1+ years (Bought in March 2014 or earlier)

[ChadS]

If you are only interested in the Model S, you will have to wait a couple of more years to get 5-year data. But several of us here have had a Tesla Roadster for over 5 years already; not to mention other EVs before that.

I will readily consider EVs from companies other than Tesla (though it seems likely for the next several years that at least one of our cars will be a Tesla given what the offerings are), but I will never consider an ICE unless I need a vehicle from a category where no EV is offered (like, say, pickup truck).

EVs just have way too many advantages (enumerated in other threads so I won't bother here) to want to go back. The ONLY disadvantage to an EV is that it takes longer to refuel on a road trip. In my case my wife and I make stops every couple of hours anyway, so for us even that is no disadvantage at all; and it's offset by not having to pay extra for Superchargers. When the EV density gets high enough, swap stations could make sense and even that minor disadvantage could disappear. Long-term, it seems clear EVs are going to take over; although the transition could take a long time because perceptions change slowly, the fleet turns over slowly, and it will take a long time for the automakers to produce enough. Heck, most automakers still have to decide that they WANT to produce enough.

 

[nwdiver]

Would be interesting to see who would have picked options 1 or 3 if this WASN'T a public poll.... :wink:

 

[caps04]

Thanks for the great feedback everyone. The responses confirm a few things:

1) EV is just not a fad and owners have not soured over any EV specific issues (charging, range or battery degradation)
2) Tesla is doing a good job keeping their customers happy. Just over half of the responders have pledged to buy Tesla-only (as things stand today).
3) Once you go EV you never go back to ICE for your primary car (some exceptions apply).

My plan is to replace my second next car (ICE) in a year or two. This really helps me confidently plan my next purchase. I think I am leaning more towards X or 3 rather than Leaf or i3, etc. My one month of ownership shows that Superchargers are the biggest reason I am not concerned with the practicality of the car. Living in N-E US, I can pretty much get up and drive anywhere and have Supercharger access. Other car companies are not taking this as seriously as they should. Maybe the second electric car just needs to be a city driver and 80-90 miles range may be enough. But if my budget allows, I want to support the company that is making the right long term moves. Which also helps with my Model S ownership.