Tesla as only car (poll)

[wdolson]

I bought the Model S to be the household road car. We tried taking my SO's Impreza on a long trip last year and my tailbone hurt for a month. I just couldn't get the seats back far enough. I'm trying to sell my 24 year old Buick, but not getting much interest even though it's in great condition. My SO still drives her Impreza herself, but we always take the Tesla when we're going anywhere together.

She thinks the Model S and even the 3 are too big for her tastes, but she wouldn't consider an EV from anyone else. Especially not GM. She hates GM and insists their cars are unreliable junk, even though I got 24 years out of my Buick and Buick is rated higher than Subaru in the nameplate reliability ratings (both Consumer Reports and JD Power). She's basically waiting for Tesla to come out with something smaller than the Model 3.

 

[OBX John]

I'm actually really interested to see what cars I drive after the Model S arrives.

My "harem":

Mercedes 2005 CLK 500 convertible, should still make it out on nice days. Not worth selling for only 5-7K for such a nice car.
Porsche 1990 944s2 convertible for when I feel like shifting and cornering on super nice days. Might be twice a year. I just like looking at it I guess.
Toyota 2004 Sienna is still a workhorse, my current daily driver - not worth much with 195K miles, so will hang on to it for hauling big stuff. Maybe it will last until the 8 year old turns 16 and needs something to drive?

Or maybe I should just clear out everything if I never drive them. Who knows.

 

[Merrill]

At the moment I have two Tesla's and a Ford F-150 I use for dump runs and hauling. I would love to dump the Ford and buy a dump trailer that I would tow with the Model X. My problem is the truck is not worth anything and it would be a pain to have to maneuver the trailer every time I want to use it. Now I just jump in the truck and go, having said this I would love to not have any ICE vehicles.

 

[Topher]

There are places today that a pure EV cannot go. No place to recharge it.

Such as? No place in the continental US is further than 20 miles from electricity.

Thank you kindly.

 

[Saghost]

Such as? No place in the continental US is further than 20 miles from electricity.

Thank you kindly.

That's an interesting statistic. It's certainly true that there are electric sources in most places people live these days, but I'm curious where you came up with that number.

I would have thought that there are a number of areas with minimal population where the gap is larger than that in Alaska, North Dakota, and Montana, for instance.

 

[roblab]

At the moment I have two Tesla's and a Ford F-150 I use for dump runs and hauling. I would love to dump the Ford and buy a dump trailer that I would tow with the Model X. My problem is the truck is not worth anything and it would be a pain to have to maneuver the trailer every time I want to use it. Now I just jump in the truck and go, having said this I would love to not have any ICE vehicles.

I vote for the trailer. The Torqlift tow hitch slips on easily, the trailer is light. I drive Model S and it's only a pickup when I need one. Since you're only in Sonoma (I drive by there about twice a week) let me know and I'll bring my pick up over (the trailer) and I'll haul your stuff to the dump next time. Such a deal!

 

[McRat]

Such as? No place in the continental US is further than 20 miles from electricity.

Thank you kindly.

I go to those places all the time. You should visit west of the Mississippi someday.

 

[Merrill]

I vote for the trailer. The Torqlift tow hitch slips on easily, the trailer is light. I drive Model S and it's only a pickup when I need one. Since you're only in Sonoma (I drive by there about twice a week) let me know and I'll bring my pick up over (the trailer) and I'll haul your stuff to the dump next time. Such a deal!

Thanks roblab, I have the tow package on the X just cannot get myself to the trailer yet. I probably put all of 1500 miles on the truck in a year, but it is a work horse.

 

[jerry33]

The point was never that an EV cannot be used for a road trip. The point was that there are roads that EV's cannot reach today.

But not very many, and most of those could be driven with proper planning. I traveled quite a bit before there were Superchargers closer than 2000 km and fellow member Purplewait has traveled to almost every state without using Superchargers. Yes, Superchargers are a big convenience, but lack of them does not mean that you can't go places in a Tesla.

 

[Topher]

That's an interesting statistic. It's certainly true that there are electric sources in most places people live these days, but I'm curious where you came up with that number..

Read it somewhere. As I recall it was one of the National Parks that made top numbers (Yosemite?)

Thank you kindly.

 

[wdolson]

Read it somewhere. As I recall it was one of the National Parks that made top numbers (Yosemite?)

Thank you kindly.

There are much bigger national parks than Yosemite and the valley floor has a fair bit of civilization with lots of electricity.

Alaska has a lot of uninhabited territory and I'm sure there are vast swaths with no electricity. The northern end of the Hawaiian Islands are also pretty remote and many are uninhabited. Midway Island is the most remote spot of American territory 1100 miles from the nearest settlement. The military abandoned the island and it was turned into a bird sanctuary.

Here are the most remote places in the lower 48:
Top 10 Remote Areas in the Contiguous United States - Listosaur | Hungry for Knowledge

Back to your original point, electric outlets may be easily found in most places roads go in the US, but in a lot of those places you aren't going to get any more than a 120V outlet where you will be charging at about 5 mph. If you need 100 miles of range you're stuck there for more than a day. For all practical purposes, there are places in the US where you wouldn't want to go with an EV. Even if you could find power there, it's going to take a painfully long time to charge which doesn't make it practical except in an extreme emergency.

 

[mspohr]

There may be places in the US more than 20 miles from electricity. If you want a scenic drive, take US 50 (Loneliest road in America) across Nevada. However, even that road has towns and inhabited ranches that have electricity and I doubt that there are more than 40 miles between electrical plugs (worst case 20 miles from electricity)

 

[Topher]

The original claim was:

There are places today that a pure EV cannot go. No place to recharge it.

Has that claim been retracted? If not, I repeat my question. "Such as?"

Uninhabited islands etc., qualify as places you can't get ANY car.

Thank you kindly.

 

[david_42]

We have a Sprinter van, cargo model, which we will keep for road trips. It can hold a queen-sized bed, and is both leak proof and bear resistant. We have often pulled over into a rest stop (where allowed) or truck stop and sacked out. At 26.18 mpg, it has over a 650 mile range, which is nice. Assuming the Model Y is a hatchback/CUV, it will be our around town/wife's commuter vehicle.

 

[McRat]

The original claim was:


Has that claim been retracted? If not, I repeat my question. "Such as?"

Uninhabited islands etc., qualify as places you can't get ANY car.

Thank you kindly.

Anywhere there is not a Starbucks? Uh... Out West?

So... 20 miles in the Continental USA with no public 120v, 14-50, L2, CHAdeMO, SC, CCS, etc? Not Canada or Mexico, Hawaii or Alaska.

Too easy. Morgan, Montana took about 15 seconds to find.

242 miles to the nearest public 120v.
255 miles to the nearest 14-50 RV park.
261 miles to the nearest L2 or Supercharger.

There are areas out West that if Maine accidently fell out of your pocket, you'd have to wait until sunrise to find it, and pray you had a brightly colored fob on it.

 

[Topher]

Anywhere there is not a Starbucks? Uh... Out West?

So... 20 miles in the Continental USA with no public 120v, 14-50, L2, CHAdeMO, SC, CCS, etc? Not Canada or Mexico, Hawaii or Alaska.

Too easy. Morgan, Montana took about 15 seconds to find.

242 miles to the nearest public 120v.
255 miles to the nearest 14-50 RV park.
261 miles to the nearest L2 or Supercharger.

There are areas out West that if Maine accidently fell out of your pocket, you'd have to wait until sunrise to find it, and pray you had a brightly colored fob on it.

NO. Anywhere without electricity, as you claimed.

Thank you kindly.

 

[Pollux]

Ignoring the Toyota Corolla I'm renting until my replacement S arrives in two more days, like so many others in this thread we're a 2-vehicle family.

One S.

One Prius. Prius is on Death Row -- will not survive its encounter with a Model 3 next fall. Prius sits increasingly idle, full of junk my wife intends to take somewhere for some reason but hasn't gotten around to yet.

Alan

 

[McRat]

NO. Anywhere without electricity, as you claimed.

Thank you kindly.

Let me guess, nobody told you why they put generators on motorhomes? Hint. There isn't electricity everywhere.

 

[Pollux]

I think the assertion that there are roads that an EV cannot reach is a little misleading. I would say there are roads that an EV cannot conveniently reach is more accurate. We travelled all over the mountain west this summer and my rule of thumb was, if the road has a power line, we can go there.

Yes. An EV can go anywhere you can find electricity. The primary issue is the time required for slower charges and the secondary issue is the amount of advance planning you might be required to do. And these issues are in flux.

2014: just got my S in August, 2013. Road-tripped from Massachusetts through the Canadian Maritimes for two weeks... in our Prius. :-( You could have done this trip in your EV and laughed at it. For us, the planning and time required would have been too painful.

2016: next Canadian Maritimes trip (as far north as Ile de la Madeleine via ferry, starting this time in Maryland) will be with the S. Not just further deployment of Superchargers (although that's a biggie) but also in Canada much wider deployment of charging options. Plus a bit of advance planning to wind up at destinations that allow overnight charging.

Here's my disclaimer. I carry every adapter imaginable along with a host of 50-amp circuit breakers and 40ft of 50-amp extension cord. I know not everyone is interested in this level of avidness (insanity?) but it gets me everywhere I could ever want to go. I've charged at the most unlikely places, and I'm not above asking folks for access to their electrical panel. The heart-warming thing is, even though I offer to pay for the electricity I use, people are so surprised to see an EV "in these here parts" that no one has ever asked for money.

How much does that extension cord weigh?!?!

And why do you need the 50-amp circuit breakers?

And why do you need access to someone's electrical panel?

Thanks,
Alan

 

[Pollux]

I vote for the trailer. The Torqlift tow hitch slips on easily, the trailer is light. I drive Model S and it's only a pickup when I need one. Since you're only in Sonoma (I drive by there about twice a week) let me know and I'll bring my pick up over (the trailer) and I'll haul your stuff to the dump next time. Such a deal!

Hi, @roblab,

Could you please share a picture of your trailer?

How long does it take to attach/detach the thing to your S?

What changes do you have to make in your driving style to accommodate the presence of the trailer?

Thanks!

Alan