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arcus
Active Member
To rehabilitate myself, here's the story from our recent trip. We have pulled in front of the hotel to unload some of our luggage. I had popped the trunk open and before you know it I hear someone screaming from behind: "Holy... this is the Tesla, isn't it? How did you get hold of it? Isn't that you need to wait like 2 years to get one? I have never seen one in person! Can I touch it?".
I talked to this lovely lady for a while, showing her some of the features of the car. She congratulated me on being "on the forefront of the revolution" as she has put it. She's admitted to be a retired science teacher who always took pride in educating children about sutainability and protecting our planet for future generations. Needless to say, I walaked away from this with a big smile and so did my (shocked at first) family.
I talked to this lovely lady for a while, showing her some of the features of the car. She congratulated me on being "on the forefront of the revolution" as she has put it. She's admitted to be a retired science teacher who always took pride in educating children about sutainability and protecting our planet for future generations. Needless to say, I walaked away from this with a big smile and so did my (shocked at first) family.
Today I had a rare experience seeing a black S on the highway, out of state plates and bikes on the roof = tourist. Ten minutes later I was at a body shop (no worries, it wasn’t about my car); the shop owner sees the FWD open, doesn’t say a thing, walks around back to look at the brand and badging, then admits to knowing about Tesla but never having seen one in person. Tesla time ensued.
futurem3owner
2017 90D
Thanks for guiding this thread to the appropriate topic. I was starting to wonder how “Tesla Moments” was related to electric mowers. 
As much as I like having my car get constant attention, I’m getting the sense that it also comes with its share of minor annoyances from the misconceptions that people have about it. For instance, when I was explaining to someone about the batteries being lithium ion, their first thought was that they’ll explode. And while she’s not wrong, that’s not the first thing that I thought would come to someone.
I had a lady come up to my car the other day and ask me how much maintenance costs come out to since the couple owned a BMW and Mercedes. Again, there are costs associated with maintening a Tesla, but you’d think a car running on electric drivetrain and battery would make someone think the maintenance is lower compared to a ICE car.
I don’t mind clarifying things but I got me thinking what the first thing that non EV drivers wonder about when they see a Tesla and don’t know much about BEV cars.
As much as I like having my car get constant attention, I’m getting the sense that it also comes with its share of minor annoyances from the misconceptions that people have about it. For instance, when I was explaining to someone about the batteries being lithium ion, their first thought was that they’ll explode. And while she’s not wrong, that’s not the first thing that I thought would come to someone.
I had a lady come up to my car the other day and ask me how much maintenance costs come out to since the couple owned a BMW and Mercedes. Again, there are costs associated with maintening a Tesla, but you’d think a car running on electric drivetrain and battery would make someone think the maintenance is lower compared to a ICE car.
I don’t mind clarifying things but I got me thinking what the first thing that non EV drivers wonder about when they see a Tesla and don’t know much about BEV cars.
navguy12
Active Member
It's the Lowes house brand (I'm on holiday right now, can't remember the exact name). It came with a charger and two batteries. I always have juice left in battery one when I'm done mowing.
navguy12
Active Member
I took a work buddy for a ride around the parking lot today. He was totally unprepared for the acceleration of my model S 100D. I told him the model S P100D is almost twice as fast. His comment: I had a BMW: it was nothing like that. I had a BMW Z4, and I agreed with him.
futurem3owner
2017 90D
On the day that I went to pick up my Model S, the delivery specialist asked me how long it's been since I test drove the car and I replied, 'the week prior'. He had a puzzled look. Since I was so confident in my purchase, I actually placed a reservation down on the inventory model first and then booked the test drive later that week. Not because I was having second thoughts but just to become familiar with the car. As more people get to ride in their relative or co-worker's Tesla either as a driver or even as a passenger, I'm sure those folks will start heading to the showrooms soon after purchasing their car to "test drive" it too... not just for the joyride but to help bide the time until the delivery. Come to think of it, that'll make a great commercial for Tesla!
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Thanks for guiding this thread to the appropriate topic. I was starting to wonder how “Tesla Moments” was related to electric mowers.
Coming soon, the Tesla Lawnmower (Model L). Mows the entire lawn in 4.2s. "You didn't need that hedge did you?"
The safe way to charge another cars battery is use an inverter of at least 400 watts then plug in a 10 amp 12 volt battery charger which you hook up to the dead battery then about 10 minutes charge should be enough for him to start his car. Won't blow the 50 amp battery fuse nor have a high load put on the battery. Keep the MS powered up to supply power to the 12 volt battery.
OBX John
Autonomous Driving Enthusiast
I carry a small lithium ion jump starter in case someone needs a jump. They are only $70 bucks or so, and come in handy for keeping cell phones and computers going too.
I took my 14 year old on a short road trip. She likes the door handles, the seats (comfy), the acceleration, and maybe mostly the voice command music. I asked her if the car made me any more cool. She said, “Actually, yea”. She then told me my car is ‘plus’. I assume that is a good thing.
Just curious if seeing as the car can't stay connected to the Internet I would hope it still connects to your wifi service at home so you can receive updates without going to a service center.
Take heart more superchargers are coming and eventually you owners should be able to get continuous internet connectivity.
Hint any time your near a politicians office stop in and ask it they have ever seen a Tesla MS and would they like a demo ride in one? The more info they have the easier it will be to get the Internet access turned on in the cars.
Simply food for thought.
Cheers Mates!
Take heart more superchargers are coming and eventually you owners should be able to get continuous internet connectivity.
Hint any time your near a politicians office stop in and ask it they have ever seen a Tesla MS and would they like a demo ride in one? The more info they have the easier it will be to get the Internet access turned on in the cars.
Simply food for thought.
Cheers Mates!
Ok, not "really" a Tesla moment in the expected sense (someone else commenting or noticing).
The other day my commute took me up a 6% grade for around 3 miles (Highway).
I was zipping along with the other traffic (we were all doing the... ahem... speed limit) when suddenly I had to start passing everyone. I had forgotten about the grade (I usually don't do this commute), and realized that I was effortlessly climbing the grade while all the other ICE had easily lost 10-20 mph trying to climb the grade. The only car that was keeping up with me was a Corvette, and barely at that.
Love my S70D.
The other day my commute took me up a 6% grade for around 3 miles (Highway).
I was zipping along with the other traffic (we were all doing the... ahem... speed limit) when suddenly I had to start passing everyone. I had forgotten about the grade (I usually don't do this commute), and realized that I was effortlessly climbing the grade while all the other ICE had easily lost 10-20 mph trying to climb the grade. The only car that was keeping up with me was a Corvette, and barely at that.
Love my S70D.
futurem3owner
2017 90D
While I've had quite a few Tesla moments already in the short time of owning a Tesla, I've also had a couple of annoyances that comes with owning any BEV... all of them owing to the fact that people still find EV's to be foreign and are clueless about them. Soon after driving my car off the lot, I was looking to get state inspection done on it. I called a few places such as PepBoys and a tire shop nearby my place and they said that they can't do an inspection test on it since they don't have Tesla "show up in their computer system"!
Also, I'm lucky to live in an apartment complex that already has a charging station installed as a complimentary service. I've asked the manager to install a sign saying that the parking spot is reserved for EV's only since people may not realize that it's a charging station or may take up the spot when the lot is full. I got resistance from the staff saying that it's too drastic of a measure and that an email alert instead will suffice.
Even though more automakers are starting to manufacture EV's in the next few years, I find that many people still have yet to embrace them and need to have misconceptions dispelled so that life of EV drivers can become a little less cumbersome.
Also, I'm lucky to live in an apartment complex that already has a charging station installed as a complimentary service. I've asked the manager to install a sign saying that the parking spot is reserved for EV's only since people may not realize that it's a charging station or may take up the spot when the lot is full. I got resistance from the staff saying that it's too drastic of a measure and that an email alert instead will suffice.
Even though more automakers are starting to manufacture EV's in the next few years, I find that many people still have yet to embrace them and need to have misconceptions dispelled so that life of EV drivers can become a little less cumbersome.
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Oh man, your family just "richard-blocked" on your retired teacher game.
I ex[experience that all the time on I-70, west of Denver. To add to the ICE's sluggishness is being at 6000+ ft ASL where the ICEs are starved for oxygen for combustion.
Ok, not "really" a Tesla moment in the expected sense (someone else commenting or noticing).
The other day my commute took me up a 6% grade for around 3 miles (Highway).
I was zipping along with the other traffic (we were all doing the... ahem... speed limit) when suddenly I had to start passing everyone. I had forgotten about the grade (I usually don't do this commute), and realized that I was effortlessly climbing the grade while all the other ICE had easily lost 10-20 mph trying to climb the grade. The only car that was keeping up with me was a Corvette, and barely at that.
Love my S70D.
This is one of the surreal aspects of silent electric power. I do most of my distance driving in AP, and I've had exactly the same experience - "hey, why are all these cars slowing down - especially the ones that just passed me? Wait, I'm using 50kW to maintain speed? A mountain must have snuck up on me."
Some grades are obvious, of course. For others, I genuinely don't notice they are there until I see the consumption spike or the cars slowing down. It's a wonderful thing.
When I went to update my Delaware EZ-Pass after I bought my X, I couldn't do it online, because Tesla wasn't on their list of manufacturers. I ended up having to call customer service and have a twenty minute conversation with them while they overrode the system and entered the make/model manually.
Finally took some time to browse through this thread. Reminded me of one of my own Tesla moments... back when I was doing some stuff with the car at the local AAA. The guy behind the counter was so excited that I had a Tesla, and word quickly spread throughout the AAA office. I had to go do a demo outside, and the reaction when I opened the frunk was... well, you know how it goes. Then, when it came time to set up everything in his computer, he discovered that the web form insisted on specifying the number of cylinders in the engine. I was sitting in the waiting area but saw him reach for the phone and call someone. His side of the conversation then went something like this:
"Hi this is so-and-so at the AAA in New Mexico, I have a question."
...
"Well, I'm encountering a problem I have never ever seen before. I am trying to enter a Tesla into the system."
...
"Yes, Tesla. T E S L A. And your screen is requesting number of cylinders, and the car has none."
...
"No really. It's an electric car. I'm getting this error message saying "number of cylinders must be numeric."
...
"Right, I tried that."
...
"But it's a Tesla."
...
"Could we use zero? Let me try zero."
...
"No, it's giving me another error message that number of cylinders must be 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 12, or 16."
...
"No, it wouldn't take the zero."
...
"No. Do you have some other code? Some sort of universal code to bypass?"
...
"Right. No, it wouldn't do that..."
...
"Number 4? Ok that would equal the horsepower? Match the horsepower of the vehicle? I don't know..."
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"Ok so we wanna go ahead and use that. Let me see if they'll let me do that..."
...
"What's that? Ok, we're gonna go ahead and use the 4 then...."
...
"Yep it did! Thank you very much. Ok. Bye."
[ Who knew? Tesla Model S has four cylinders.
It actually has at least 4 cylinders, in the brake calipers so technically he was right and wrong at the same time.
Wonder if AAA fixed their software yet?
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