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Rented 85kw for 3 days during Super Bowl.. Opting NOT to buy

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I didn't know you could buy an extra battery to keep at home. Can you expand on that as a factor to added cost?

The amazing thing about the added acceleration is it comes as little to no hit on efficiency. If you drive it like a sports car sure it will have less range.
 
I normally charge my 85 to 235 miles each day. That is the 90%. If I Range Charge, I get around 265 +or- a little. But, I very rarely range charge, and only when I need to do so - once every 4 - 5 weeks. If you drive more than 260 a day or so, then a Tesla is not for you. But, I find that I rarely need a full charge, and as others have said, I wake up every morning to a fully charged car. The convenience of charge at home at 1:00 am is great!
 
I didn't know you could rent a Tesla.

More people should try before they buy, and like OP decide not for them, instead of getting stuck with a car you had bigger wishes for.

Who is renting them, and how much?
 
First of all just want to say I don't care if you buy the vehicle and I'm really not trying to change your mind. But I do think you have some facts wrong.

0-60 in 3 seconds SHOULD NOT be a priority over extending range..

That's why the S85D exists. You give up that performance and get more range.

1. Limiting the battery charging to 80% to extend the life of the battery makes 265 miles really be 220 miles. Why? Because any driver would not let the battery get past 20 miles or less before having anxiety of it dying. And to me the emergency reserves should not be counted or factored in, because its " Emergency. "

Battery isn't limited to 80%. Max recommended daily charge is 90%. Not idea what you're saying about emergency reserves not being counted in. From what I understand empty means empty on this vehicle. Not charging to 100% isn't about having an emergency reserve, it's about not being overly hard on the battery. If you need 100% on a regular basis then you shouldn't buy this car.

Given that you're saying 265, the 0-60 in 3 seconds comment is really strange. Only the P85D has that sort of acceleration and it doesn't have 265 rated range but rather 253. Sounds to me like you rented a S85 or P85.

2. I find the charging hub unit for my home seems to be feasible but really, it wouldn't compare to using the super charger as the ability to charge the vehicle at the supercharger to 265 miles in 1.5 hours.

I think you're thinking too much in the mindset of how you deal with an ICE vehicle. When you deal with an ICE vehicle you stand there and wait while you fuel. In my experience with a Tesla I park it and go do other things. Most of my charging happens at home. I usually don't even have to think about when the car will be ready, it just always is. So it's less of an issue that the charging takes more time and it's less of an issue that the range isn't as much.

3. I have a Nissan Altima that gives me 400 miles to the gallon. So a true 220 miles of the model S, simply would be illogical to do there.

How often do you actually need to go 400 miles on one tank?
 
I think OP isn't giving the full picture here about his driving habits, that's where the key is.

I was hesitant for quite a bit, before I pulled the trigger and bought the car and I'm one of those people that drive 100 miles or more per day (30k+ a year) and have the range anxiety issue all the time with my driving above speed limits and living in the North-East with temperatures dropping regularly to 5-10F and affecting range quite a bit.

That being said, I'll never buy ICE vehicle when I'm given the choice to drive a super fast and fun EV that I don't have the need to maintain, spend time at the pump at freezing temperature, change oil, buy filters and all other little things associated with driving a car with an engine.

One of the best features of the car is actually it's having so much power when you need it and at the same time keep the range, no other ICE vehicle can do that, either you have power but sacrifice the MPG or you get the MPG and loose the power, it's either or while in Tesla you get both.

This is brand new company that took the world by surprise and the only one offering 200+ miles per charge and constantly expanding charging infrastructure on every level and each month adding several 120+kW Superchargers on the map to allow traveling at long distances without having to worry about the range anxiety.
As battery technology advances, weight of the car comes down and battery-inverter-motor efficiency improve you'll be looking at even better numbers for wh/m.

As others have pointed out, there is no better feeling waking up to full charge each day, let alone HWPC allows the car to charge in about 3 hours at home, so even if you need to drive shortly after you've reached 20-30 miles of charge, by the time you change clothes, grab some food or do whatever, you can add easily 40-60 miles within an hour.
Dual chargers are no-brainer and add $1500 to the cost of the car and when you're spending $80k+ on it, it's not a significant amount.
 
...however, for this vehicle to truly be livable and tolerable there needs to be much more of a initiative to make the battery range greater and expanding supercharging network to the inner cities.

0-60 in 3 seconds SHOULD NOT be a priority over extending range..

For this car to be $100,000 the battery should be the #1 priority and buying a dual charger, getting a 2nd battery, and/or charging hub seems to make the cost of owning the car skyrocket..

I've decided to pass on this and just get a Porsche, BMW or Lexus...

I bet if there were internet forums 100 years ago we'd see posts like this one except...

"My horse can go all day with food and water available anywhere. Yes, these new engines are fast but they run out of gas and my horse doesn't just die. I've decided to pass and get one of those really refined buggies with the nice spoke wheels and polished wood."

I can never see going backwards. Partly because driving this car is such a pleasure and so much better than an ICE. Range is also no issue for me for my daily driving, and for weekends I drive 300km over two mountain passes to get to my cabin and still have about 100km left -- then just recently Tesla opened a Supercharger in Hope, BC -- about the midway point to my cabin. More importantly, because I have three daughters and will eventually have grandchildren and I believe every little bit helps but I am not that naive to believe I am changing the world.

Eventually, the OP will come around. As will the rest of the world. The car met a lot of opposition from the horse and buggy enthusiasts. History has a way of repeating itself.

Go Seahawks!!!
 
Only a very specific type of driver can factually argue against a Model S vs. its same-class competition. Are you a frequent long-distance driver outside supercharger coverage area? Because in all other cases the Model S wins by every important metric. It's not considered the best ever for no reason.
 
I think not. There is no car in the world that gets anywhere close to 400 miles to the gallon, let alone a production Nissan Altima.
Well... not a production, street car. Supermileage contestants have passed 1000, 2000, and even 3000 mpg:scared:. Of course, you wouldn't want to drive one anywhere but on the SAE track - they're not real comfortable, don't go fast at all, and have no room for anything but, well... a driver.:tongue:
 
Well... not a production, street car. Supermileage contestants have passed 1000, 2000, and even 3000 mpg:scared:. Of course, you wouldn't want to drive one anywhere but on the SAE track - they're not real comfortable, don't go fast at all, and have no room for anything but, well... a driver.:tongue:

Huh. I actually hadn't seen that before. I was thinking VW's "one liter" cars were about the limit - which still may be true if you include crash requirements and the ability to reach 50 or 60 mph.
 
Think different. Perhaps you need to rent the car for a few weeks instead.

If you typically drive less than about 230 miles a day as the overwhelming majority of the population does (like, what--99%?), then your comments are not applicable.

If you typically drive 400-450 miles a day, then you can Supercharge once during your day and charge the rest at night while sleeping. I assume during that time you pee, eat, or stop to stretch your legs. Supercharge. For just a few extra minutes beyond a typical rest stop, you're getting a tank of gas FOR FREE. That has value. That saves you $50 right there.

If you typically drive greater than 450 miles a day, then you might need to supercharge twice in a day. Maybe a little more inconvenient, but it would save you a lot of money compared to buying gas.

But, meh. Sounds to me like you're not ready for the change in mindset, and that's fine. Some folks need a little more time to come around :).
 
Interesting analogy on why one would want a ICE over EV. It was the Volt that got me into the P85D, loved the way it drove, far better then any ICE, but use to tic me off when the engine would start for the next 300 miles. With this car it drives wonderful way better then any ICE and goes like stink. Performance sells, I know, I could not afford it but bought it anyway. So the battery only holds the equivalent energy of 2.5 gallons of gas and only goes 100 mpg equivalent. That will be no problem at all when charge station become more prevalent, most motorcycles have no more then a 200 mile range, and they don't start from home full.
Interesting thing about a stinky polluting ICE is that Tesla can go farther on the electricity it takes to make one gallon of gas, then most ICE's can go on that gallon of gas. On top of that when the big oil companies get done bankrupting the wildcatters and gas is $6.00 + a gallon the Tesla will look cheap.
 
I am dubious about the OP's story about renting a Tesla.
What hotel did you stay at? Did it have dedicated charging for you? How far did you drive each day?

The experience of renting a Tesla is not the same as owning a Tesla.
If you are on a vacation and you rent a car, you are at the mercy of the hotel you are at having charging available.
You are learning a new kind of car, in an unfamiliar environment and not driving your normal driving distances and habits.
If the hotel doesn't have a dedicated charger, the 265 mile range could easily be constraining over 3 days.

In the future, more hotels will have charging, and more destination charging will be available. Until then, don't rent an EV when you don't know EVs.
 
First off, I just want to say I've been a huge Model S fan and have dreamed enthusiastically about owning it. My renting experience was awesome however, for this vehicle to truly be livable and tolerable there needs to be much more of a initiative to make the battery range greater and expanding supercharging network to the inner cities.

0-60 in 3 seconds SHOULD NOT be a priority over extending range..

For this car to be $100,000 the battery should be the #1 priority and buying a dual charger, getting a 2nd battery, and/or charging hub seems to make the cost of owning the car skyrocket..

I've decided to pass on this and just get a Porsche, BMW or Lexus.

Here a few thoughts..

1. Limiting the battery charging to 80% to extend the life of the battery makes 265 miles really be 220 miles. Why? Because any driver would not let the battery get past 20 miles or less before having anxiety of it dying. And to me the emergency reserves should not be counted or factored in, because its " Emergency. "

2. I find the charging hub unit for my home seems to be feasible but really, it wouldn't compare to using the super charger as the ability to charge the vehicle at the supercharger to 265 miles in 1.5 hours.

3. I have a Nissan Altima that gives me 400 miles to the gallon. So a true 220 miles of the model S, simply would be illogical to do there.

4. The interior space, tech package, and driving was absolutely flawless..

5. Even the most avid trip planner will still from time to time have range anxiety. It's like owning a cell phone. Because you buy 2 or 3 extra AC Adapters you'll never even think twice of running out of range. Tesla doesn't give you that at all.


Whatever dude...
 
Oh dear, caught red handed!

I also smell some serious BS in the OP's post. I'm also keen to know who rents them?

No idea who he rented from, but there are many different rental companies (mostly boutique) that rent Tesla Roadsters and Model S - and then one large rental company:

Tesla Model S | Hertz Dream Cars

Screen Shot 2015-02-01 at 9.07.52 PM.png
 
There are at least 2-3 companies that rent them in CA and there is also a site that owners can post their cars for rent (forgot it's name) for about $2-300 per day.

Just because it's Superbowl weekend, doesn't mean everyone watches it, so you shouldn't judge the OP based on that alone. I'm waiting for his reply if he does at all and gives more information on his driving habits.
 
0-60 in 3 seconds SHOULD NOT be a priority over extending range..

P85D does not inhibit Tesla's ability to make the 270 EPA range 85D.


For this car to be $100,000 the battery should be the #1 priority and buying a dual charger, getting a 2nd battery, and/or charging hub seems to make the cost of owning the car skyrocket..

I've decided to pass on this and just get a Porsche, BMW or Lexus.



The total cost of ownership for a $100k Porsche,BMW or Lexus will be higher.

It is a free country. Everyone is entitled to make a stupid decision.


1. Limiting the battery charging to 80% to extend the life of the battery makes 265 miles really be 220 miles. Why? Because any driver would not let the battery get past 20 miles or less before having anxiety of it dying. And to me the emergency reserves should not be counted or factored in, because its " Emergency. "


In an ICEv you can not use the last gallon. The last 3-4 gallons act as a heat sink and it is inadvisable for the long term soundness of the ICE to keep running your ICEv to E.


You are not limited to 80%. It is not recommended you use all the capacity on a regular basis. If your daily commute is over 250 miles then the S is not for you. If you occasionally need over 220 miles of range it is perfectly ok to use the range charge.
2. I find the charging hub unit for my home seems to be feasible but really, it wouldn't compare to using the super charger as the ability to charge the vehicle at the supercharger to 265 miles in 1.5 hours.

Assuming you sleep at least 4.5 hrs per day irrelevant. $2k of an S85's purchase price is allocated to the Supercharger network on the assumption the SC will only be used for long range trips not daily commutes.
3. I have a Nissan Altima that gives me 400 miles to the gallon. So a true 220 miles of the model S, simply would be illogical to do there.


I guarantee you the Altima does not get 400 miles to the gallon. You may get 400 miles per 18 gallons of gas in a full Altima gas tank.

If your commute is less than 200 miles paying $2-$4.50 per gallon while you refuel at home overnight at national average rate equivalent of $1 is illogical.

5. Even the most avid trip planner will still from time to time have range anxiety. It's like owning a cell phone. Because you buy 2 or 3 extra AC Adapters you'll never even think twice of running out of range. Tesla doesn't give you that at all.

It depends on where your live, the local charging options available and how neurotic you happen to be.

I live in Los Angeles. My car trip life is between Santa Barbara to the North, Las Vegas to the East, and Tijuana to the South. No range anxiety ever.
 
I guess another way of looking at the OP's complaint is to consider that the P85D has AWD yet it's really not an appropriate vehicle to take on the Rubicon.

I have no disdain for ICEs. I still have two of them...one is a VW Rabbit, the other a Ford F150. Each vehicle has its place in my life. I use the Rabbit on short trips, like to the market, where having a small vehicle is useful, especially since I don't care if that one gets dinged. The truck is used to go offroad when I'm hunting or I use it to haul stuff to the dump, help out friends, etc. The P85D is the fun car that I use for longer trips.

It's a pretty rare trip that I drive more than 200 or so miles. I go up the coast a lot and the P85D gets me there without a need to recharge en route. The longer trips I take are not trips for the Tesla...I drive to Wyoming from the Bay Area for hunting trips, and my F150 with the 36 gallon tank will get me 700 miles per tank.

I really enjoy the P85D's performance. It gets a bit worse range than the P85 it replaced, but it's not significant enough to be a deal killer. I don't care what anyone else says, electric car tech is still in its infancy and there is no EV that is a replacement for an ICE on long trips. There are some, like the P85, that are workable, but I wouldn't choose either the old P85 or the new P85D for a long trip, say, from SF to Boise.

Until such time comes that battery and charging tech allow for longer range and quicker charging, long trips are still the ICE's territory.

BUT, long trips for most people are pretty rare. For daily use and for typical weekend getaway type trips, the P85/D works great. I'm not sure who drive 400 miles a day, but that person shouldn't be spending his/her money on a P85D.
 
IIRC, for Superbowl XLII back in 2008, Tesla was there in Glendale over by Gordon Biersch offering Roadster demos in the days leading up to the game. Maybe this time they offered extended MS test drives?