The Tesla Taxi and Miscellaneous Ramblings

[Haxster]

The Model 3 may turn out to be well suited for livery, fleet, and rental use. Even now, some comparatively expensive Model Ss are being used as Ubers.

Picture a Hertz rental agent telling you that your Model 3 local rental includes 150 miles per day and free fuel.

The economics could make a lot of sense for taxi companies, car rental companies, government and corporate fleets (maybe even police cars!)...especially when you consider that most configurations would likely have a very short option list. And a low total cost of ownership could be a compelling value proposition.

A typical configuration might include a larger battery, a quick charger, and added safety features. But no dual motor, premium upgrades (e.g. colors, wheels, interior, glass roof, sound system), air suspension, towing, glass roof, electric scissor doors, radar cloaking, et al. Tesla could eventually cater to these markets by offering special versions.

And Model 3 derivatives (SUV, station wagon, pick-up truck, panel truck, convertible, etc.) could become ubiquitous over the next decade.

Could the Model 3 platform become the Model T of the 21st century...or am I just being blinded by the hype?

 

[Bimbels]

There is a fleet of Tesla Model S taxis already at Amsterdam Schiphol airport. I see them there every time (and I go often for work.)

 

[Az_Rael]

I think electric cars are great ideas for taxis. GM penned a deal with Lyft to use the Bolt as fleet Lyft cars.


The only thing about Teslas as taxis is they will have to clarify the supercharger situation for commercial use. Right now those commercial Tesla drivers clog up supercharger stations for everyone else as they are using them several times a day. I am not so sure Tesla should be subsidizing other businesses fuel costs.

 

[Haxster]

Tesla will probably figure out how to stop abuse of their superchargers. With high volumes of Model 3s this will be essential.

My thought on rental cars is that the local rental offices would be able to charge the cars between rentals. Of course, this makes the most sense for customers who plan to drive less than a couple of hundred miles during their rental period.

 

[littlecloudy]

Saw my first Tesla Taxi today. It was one of these (photo from the internet), though it had a 'hat' on and was barely recognizable.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

I think that the Y would be more suitable as a cab. The 3 will be more aerodynamic and will sacrifice cargo space and rear passenger space to achieve if. The S is a large enough car that the form factor isn't a problem, but the 3 will be more limiting.

 

[JeffK]

Saw my first Tesla Taxi today. It was one of these (photo from the internet), though it had a 'hat' on and was barely recognizable.

I saw one of these yesterday, so far on my trip to Portland it's the only Tesla I've seen out in the wild.

 

[littlecloudy]

I saw one of these yesterday, so far on my trip to Portland it's the only Tesla I've seen out in the wild.

I do my Tesla spotting in Lake Oswego. Usually a trip there will lead to 1-3 sightings.

 

[Pescakl1]

TeoTaxi (Téo, je suis le taxi réinventé.) is a taxi company with only electric cars: with Leaf and Soul EV, but also a fleet of Tesla S.

They plan to create an all Tesla S limousine service too.

They are already several independent Tesla S taxi drivers in Quebec,