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

[SteveW25561]

Actually, I think renting a Tesla is probably a poor reflection of what it's like to own one, with either an HPWC or 40 amp outlet charging set up at home.

When renting I imagine you end up continually thinking about where to charge (even most hotel and even Chargepoint chargers only do 30 amps) and the hassle of trying to charge at the hotel or routing to the supercharger definitely sours the experience. There is no practical way for a rental Tesla to give you the flavour of actually living with one.

Thus, I'm not surprised at the OP's stance. It's only when you have your own home based charging that you realize how different and liberating it is.

 

[richkae]

Actually, I think renting a Tesla is probably a poor reflection of what it's like to own one, with either an HPWC or 40 amp outlet charging set up at home.

That was the point I was trying to make - that it is a bad way to inform your decision on whether to buy one and instead "get a Porsche, BMW or Lexus". The OP said that the driving range was insufficient and "illogical", would cause anxiety and he wanted to be able to charge it in 1.5 hours at home instead of with "charging hub unit".
Not that it did or did not happen - just that I don't think he really went into the experience with an open mind, or at least understanding the difference between renting and using at a hotel for 3 days and owning and charging at home.

 

[jomo25]

If you rent a Tesla for 3 days and didn't stay at hotel (or friend's house) where you could plug it in each night, then you aren't really simulating the ownership experience. And yes, things here in the PHX area are spread out, so trying to get by on a full charge even and still enjoy all the SB-related activities here this weekend would have challenged the range. The premise of such an experiment is flawed.

Now, that said, if you do have a normal 240V outlet at home, then even 220 mi of range is plenty of range daily. I tell people that I'd bet that the total amount of time I spend "waiting" for my car to refuel is less than they do on their ICEs. Because when I plug it in each night (which takes about 10 seconds, if that), I'm not "waiting", I'm living (or sleeping). The only time I'm actually waiting might be when I'm using a Supercharger, which is only when I do take the longer trips. But if I add up that waiting time, its less than the cumulative time I would spend at gas stations waiting to fill'er up...

 

[Skyhawk]

Road experience vs. theory

All around this is an interesting thread. I think it is great that KDIceBergSlim was able to try out a Model S for a few days, but it is hard to become a seasoned EV driver is such a short time. Without the road experience, it is easy to get caught up in informed theory.

So far my longest Model S day was ~650 miles from the Oakland to Portland. Google says the road trip is 10 hours of continuous driving. It took me 14, including the Grants Pass SC, where I stopped for a meal way longer than the necessary charge time. I’ve always found leaving in the morning charged at 90% or so, plus 30-40 minutes stops at SCs allows me to do any trip I want when I stay at hotels with nearby charging capability.

To be fair, KDIceBergSlim doesn’t have a lot of over the road experience in a Model S nor is aware of how easy it is to keep both the range rated miles and the predicted range less than the distance to destination.

I didn’t have much road experience either, when I suffered my only range anxiety attack. There was only ~600 miles on my car when I left town with plenty of range rated miles to go to destination and return home. But I didn’t expect a 25mph head wind on the 70 mile return segment. I made it with 15 miles to spare, but I had to slow down to 60mph for the last hour of the trip. Since then, I have learned how to drive monitoring the battery usage and nav panels on the display. Range anxiety goes away with real road trip experience.

 

[Archer]

You haven't fully thought this out @KDice. Unless you need to drive more than 240 miles a day, then you don't need to charge up again in under 2 hours. But then again, (thanks to @Plan B), you'll probably need to make more than $70K and have a better than 550 fico score to get a loan necessary to afford a $100K Model S. But then again, you may still not be able to afford that Porsche, BMW, or Lexus.

 

[morbot]

OP is clearly a troll... or incredibly stupid. Not sure I care which one.

- He talks about settings, such as the 80% charge, which he clearly does not understand.
- He talks about his "home charger"... I thought he rented a Tesla???
- He has no idea how range works. For example: My Tesla gets 92,960,000 "miles per gallon" as long as I keep charging it before it ever gets empty. Much better than his Altima which gets 400 "miles per gallon" as long as he tops off the tank every 30 miles.
- He talks about range anxiety, yet references experience. Wanna know about "range anxiety"? I rented an ICE to drive from Vegas to Phoenix during the bowl games... driving though the desert with no idea of my car's range, and no idea where the nearest gas station was. If you are ignorant regarding your vehicle and the local facilities, you will be anxious. If you know your vehicle, and know your "refill" options... there is no anxiety.
- He talks about charging "adapter" as if they have anything to do with range, and mentions how Tesla doesn't provide them. Except, they do provide adapters.. and it's nothing at all like a cellphone.

 

[KDIceBergSlim]

Wow.. Sparks fly when you give an honest review.. My credit score will be at 720 in another 3 months.. No need to really show my progress their.. And i will easily up my income to $100,000..not really worried there either..

Y'all on here trying to clown me but it is what it is.. Not even tripping.. Brushes dirt off shoulder..



but.. Anyway..

why would I lie about renting a Tesla? Jesus.. $299 a day, had it 8AM Friday morning until 9AM Sunday morning.. Rented from Enterprise Rent-a-car Exotics in a Scottsdale.. $697.00 total.. Plus $500 deposit I got back..

Again I'm in love with the car.. I'm just being a reviewer after having had the chance to be in it a few days.. And driving it around town (Scottsdale/Glendale/Laveen/Phoenix) and to the super charger.. Etc.. Etc..

Who said I bought a charging hub for 3 days? Again.. Sparks fly..lol..

Im a Phoenix local..

I drove the car quite a bit for 48 hours w/ my lovely fiancé.. Mall trips.. Dinner dates.. Lunch dates.. Down town.. To Buckeye.. So even if I'm not taking it to work to and from home.. Still.. The battery was running low.. Considerably fast.. But again.. We are talking about cruising around casually and jumping on off freeways.. Like the 101, 10, and the 51..

My take on the battery is just.. Saying I wasn't impressed and I only talked " range anxiety " because it is somewhat true after experiencing it that's all...

Ahh welll back to the money.. :love:

 

[Panu]

I agree with OP, most of us want more range. Currently Tesla is by far the range leader and that's one reason it's the EV choice for us who want range. Range and number of charging stations will of course increase in the future and I understand fully that not everyone want an EV yet.

 

[cmaster]

Honestly, I driven small compact cars that could get at most 200 miles range. Or about 240 miles range per tank. I'm not concerned with range. So, when I get the Model X, it won't be a problem for me since superchargers will be available nearby.

 

[Ride Long]

Honestly, I driven small compact cars that could get at most 200 miles range. Or about 240 miles range per tank. I'm not concerned with range. So, when I get the Model X, it won't be a problem for me since superchargers will be available nearby.

Interesting thread. I think it comes down to most people here have chosen to vote their hopes, but some decide to vote their fears. That's their privilege. Nothing else to see here.

 

[sandpiper]

OP is clearly a troll... or incredibly stupid. Not sure I care which one.

- He talks about settings, such as the 80% charge, which he clearly does not understand.
- He talks about his "home charger"... I thought he rented a Tesla???
- He has no idea how range works. For example: My Tesla gets 92,960,000 "miles per gallon" as long as I keep charging it before it ever gets empty. Much better than his Altima which gets 400 "miles per gallon" as long as he tops off the tank every 30 miles.
- He talks about range anxiety, yet references experience. Wanna know about "range anxiety"? I rented an ICE to drive from Vegas to Phoenix during the bowl games... driving though the desert with no idea of my car's range, and no idea where the nearest gas station was. If you are ignorant regarding your vehicle and the local facilities, you will be anxious. If you know your vehicle, and know your "refill" options... there is no anxiety.
- He talks about charging "adapter" as if they have anything to do with range, and mentions how Tesla doesn't provide them. Except, they do provide adapters.. and it's nothing at all like a cellphone.

I've owned a P85D now for a few weeks, and I don't really disagree with the OP. It's disappointing to see how people respond so aggressively.

Much as I love the car, I think that (unless you're in an area with a lot of superchargers) many many folks can't own them as their only vehicle. It can be their primary vehicle, but not their only vehicle. We have to remember that a lot of current owners are techies and eager early adopters who don't mind planning trips around SCs and watching graphs to moderate energy consumption. A lot of us revel in the technical detail. But let's not imagine that this is typical. Most people simply want to load their families in and drive to wherever they want - worry free. The car and charger network, as they are, are on the edge of becoming viable alternatives to a primary ICE vehicle & gas station network. But they're not quite there for most folks.

Turn the car into a P150D, or even a P130D and you've got a completely different animal.

In my case, my wife has an A6 that I can use and I also have an F150 waiting at the ready. So the Tesla works wonderfully for me - 95% of the time.

 

[SeminoleFSU]

What struck me as odd was that he rented it for Superbowl weekend yet made the post during the time that the Superbowl was on.

This. Wondered the same thing

 

[svp6]

I've owned a P85D now for a few weeks, and I don't really disagree with the OP. It's disappointing to see how people respond so aggressively.

Much as I love the car, I think that (unless you're in an area with a lot of superchargers) you can't own one as your only vehicle. It can be your primary vehicle, but not your only vehicle. We have to remember that a lot of current owners are techies and eager early adopters who don't mind planning trips around SCs and watching graphs to moderate energy consumption. A lot of us revel in the technical detail. But let's not imagine that this is typical. Most people simply want to load their families in and drive to wherever they want - worry free. The car and charger network, as they are, are on the edge of becoming viable alternatives to a primary ICE vehicle & gas station network. But they're not quite there for most folks.

Same here. Had to take a trip, did not feel comfortable with the range to leave the car at the airport in Minnesota winter (~170 miles return trip) - used my wife's G37. However, once superchargers become more available, this is not going to be a problem. Also, the torque-sleep software cannot come soon enough for the P85D.

 

[dsm363]

I've owned a P85D now for a few weeks, and I don't really disagree with the OP. It's disappointing to see how people respond so aggressively.

Much as I love the car, I think that (unless you're in an area with a lot of superchargers) you can't own one as your only vehicle. It can be your primary vehicle, but not your only vehicle. We have to remember that a lot of current owners are techies and eager early adopters who don't mind planning trips around SCs and watching graphs to moderate energy consumption. A lot of us revel in the technical detail. But let's not imagine that this is typical. Most people simply want to load their families in and drive to wherever they want - worry free. The car and charger network, as they are, are on the edge of becoming viable alternatives to a primary ICE vehicle & gas station network. But they're not quite there for most folks.

Turn the car into a P150D, or even a P130D and you've got a completely different animal.

In my case, my wife has an A6 that I can use and I also have an F150 waiting at the ready. So the Tesla works wonderfully for me - 95% of the time.

I think a lot of it has to do with your driving profile and especially where you live. In Canada with the cold I can easily see why it wouldn't work as your only vehicle. In other parts of the country it could work as someone's only vehicle. I've driven electric only for 4 years in three different states and really haven't run into too many instances where it was even a small problem. Not everyone is the same though.

 

[sandpiper]

I think a lot of it has to do with your driving profile and especially where you live. In Canada with the cold I can easily see why it wouldn't work as your only vehicle. In other parts of the country it could work as someone's only vehicle. I've driving electric only for 4 years in three different states and really haven't run into too many instances where it was even a small problem. Not everyone is the same though.

Sure... and that was my point. For some folks it will work fine. But for the average guy/gal who doesn't want to plan and who just wants to hop in and go on a family or business trip, it's not quite there. With the Tesla, you always have to plan ahead and think about your next stop point. You can't just look for the next station when you start to drop below 1/8 tank. It's a bit of an added stress that a lot of folks would just not be interested in. Until battery capacity goes up at least 50% to 100%, or until there are SCs every 50km, it will remain an issue.

And of course, my main point was that it's rather childish to shoot the messenger (the OP), who raised a good point, simply because we don't like to hear it. This is the feedback that Tesla needs. On a number of occasions Elon has mentioned that cost is a bigger priority than range. I tend to disagree. I think they're pretty equal in terms of what's required to make these cars into mass market products.

- - - Updated - - -

Same here. Had to take a trip, did not feel comfortable with the range to leave the car at the airport in Minnesota winter (~170 miles return trip) - used my wife's G37. However, once superchargers become more available, this is not going to be a problem. Also, the torque-sleep software cannot come soon enough for the P85D.

I 100% agree with the bit about torque sleep. At -temps we've been getting in the last few weeks, the range is abysmal. I've got a trip to Toronto this weekend, and it's 300km to the Barrie SC. I'm seriously thinking about leaving the Tesla at home.

 

[joer00]

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.

HAHAHA ! I am at 431 wh/mile with the D, was at 351 livetime with the P. ONCE AGAIN Tesla failed with the promised update to fix the range and I am not very confident that it will be fixed to what was promised. The info said the update will result in 10% better range, me and all others I have seen so far have at least 20 % WORSE range.

 

[Rheazombi]

I've owned a P85D now for a few weeks, and I don't really disagree with the OP. It's disappointing to see how people respond so aggressively.

Much as I love the car, I think that (unless you're in an area with a lot of superchargers) you can't own one as your only vehicle. It can be your primary vehicle, but not your only vehicle. We have to remember that a lot of current owners are techies and eager early adopters who don't mind planning trips around SCs and watching graphs to moderate energy consumption. A lot of us revel in the technical detail. But let's not imagine that this is typical. Most people simply want to load their families in and drive to wherever they want - worry free. The car and charger network, as they are, are on the edge of becoming viable alternatives to a primary ICE vehicle & gas station network. But they're not quite there for most folks.

Turn the car into a P150D, or even a P130D and you've got a completely different animal.

In my case, my wife has an A6 that I can use and I also have an F150 waiting at the ready. So the Tesla works wonderfully for me - 95% of the time.

Disagree COMPLETELY. even driving up to rural Maine I opted not to take the ICE car, and in fact have not driven the ICE once since early August (except to drive it around for 15 minutes every week so the battery doesn't die. It's like a horrible chore now as the car has zero purpose for me anymore.)

I don't even have home charging and I still make the Tesla work for me 100% of the time. I've never owned a pickup truck so I can't speak to that but that has nothing to do with EVs being convenient. When I'm on a film set and we need vans to carry equipment we rent them!!

 

[AMPd]

OP is clearly a troll... or incredibly stupid. Not sure I care which one.

- He talks about settings, such as the 80% charge, which he clearly does not understand.
- He talks about his "home charger"... I thought he rented a Tesla???
- He has no idea how range works. For example: My Tesla gets 92,960,000 "miles per gallon" as long as I keep charging it before it ever gets empty. Much better than his Altima which gets 400 "miles per gallon" as long as he tops off the tank every 30 miles.
- He talks about range anxiety, yet references experience. Wanna know about "range anxiety"? I rented an ICE to drive from Vegas to Phoenix during the bowl games... driving though the desert with no idea of my car's range, and no idea where the nearest gas station was. If you are ignorant regarding your vehicle and the local facilities, you will be anxious. If you know your vehicle, and know your "refill" options... there is no anxiety.
- He talks about charging "adapter" as if they have anything to do with range, and mentions how Tesla doesn't provide them. Except, they do provide adapters.. and it's nothing at all like a cellphone.

Lol, I had the exact same thoughts!

Op was not making much sense at all, sure it's great to test drive the car but researching how things work would have done op more good.

 

[sandpiper]

Disagree COMPLETELY. even driving up to rural Maine I opted not to take the ICE car, and in fact have not driven the ICE once since early August (except to drive it around for 15 minutes every week so the battery doesn't die. It's like a horrible chore now as the car has zero purpose for me anymore.)

I don't even have home charging and I still make the Tesla work for me 100% of the time. I've never owned a pickup truck so I can't speak to that but that has nothing to do with EVs being convenient. When I'm on a film set and we need vans to carry equipment we rent them!!

Good for you. This doesn't work for everybody - and they shouldn't be shot because of it.

 

[Zythryn]

...
Much as I love the car, I think that (unless you're in an area with a lot of superchargers) you can't own one as your only vehicle.
...

Sure... and that was my point. For some folks it will work fine...

But that wasn't your point. The first quote is what you wrote, which indicates that the Tesla won't work as the only car for the reader, which in my case, is me.
And I am telling you that not only does it work, it works very well.

I agree it won't work for everyone. I suspect it works for a lot more people than you think it does.