Tips for new Tesla owners.

[Borgholio]

I believe you can have both net metering and TOU. The SCE website even mentions that the TOU-d-t plan is popular with solar customers. The advantage of being on a TOU plan with solar is you are potentially being credited during the generation hours for the crazy high KWH peak rate. If you can generate more than you use during the peak hours, those credits at the peak rate go pretty far towards offsetting the non-generating hours use.

This is correct. The on-peak summer rates are something insane like 45 cents per kw/h. So if you have solar, you will essentially be generating power at that rate which will mean your payback period will be quite short. At the same time, if you charge after 10pm, you get the super-off-peak rate of 12 cents per kw/h. So best of both worlds.

 

[ModelNforNerd]

This is correct. The on-peak summer rates are something insane like 45 cents per kw/h. So if you have solar, you will essentially be generating power at that rate which will mean your payback period will be quite short. At the same time, if you charge after 10pm, you get the super-off-peak rate of 12 cents per kw/h. So best of both worlds.

wow, we're lucky here on the East Coast, then.

We switch from our winter rate of .13/kWh sometime soon, and we get the summer rate of .08/kWh.

considering my new commute will only be ~8 miles/day (car portion...i'll be stuck on the train for a while....), charging my Model 3 will cost less per day than my coffee.

 

[melindav]

You mentioned you were 22 years old, I strongly would advise you to reconsider decision. Paying ~45K for a car at your age would be a terrible decision. Avoiding school loans and saving should be your primary goal. I can appreciate the enthusiasm about Tesla and the Model 3... but, there are more affordable means of transportation especially for young people like yourself.

Having zero idea, except age, to someone's finances and situation is totally inappropriate. I know 22 year olds who made a couple really great choices and have cars paid for, house, plenty of discretionary cash, etc... And I know 55 year olds up to their eyeballs in debt without a spare dime at the end of the month who still think they need everything and get a tax refund and go out and buy something instead of pay off something... Just illustrations, everyone's situation is different, and age as nearly nothing to do with it. So unless you are Bornnacadillac's parent or spouse, you probably should keep your advise to the questions asked, and not unsolicited financial advice .

 

[ModelNforNerd]

Having zero idea, except age, to someone's finances and situation is totally inappropriate. I know 22 year olds who made a couple really great choices and have cars paid for, house, plenty of discretionary cash, etc... And I know 55 year olds up to their eyeballs in debt without a spare dime at the end of the month who still think they need everything and get a tax refund and go out and buy something instead of pay off something... Just illustrations, everyone's situation is different, and age as nearly nothing to do with it. So unless you are Bornnacadillac's parent or spouse, you probably should keep your advise to the questions asked, and not unsolicited financial advice .

to add on and agree, I know 22 year olds that attended dual-enrollment high schools and graduated college with a 4 year degree at 20, and are already semi-established in actual careers, and since the 1st 2 years of college was covered (aka free) as part of their dual enrollment, their student debt is very manageable.

everyone is different. for a generation some of us heap a whole lot of disdain on for what we perceive as a lack of work ethic, there are plenty out there doing it "the right way". don't discourage them.


To the OP 22 year old: kudos. if you're mature enough to set a goal and bust your butt achieving it, don't stop. Get your Model 3.

 

[Sharkbait]

Even with all that, payback period for solar array is long (~15 years) because Alabama Power pays you only the wholesale rate for power you push to the grid (2.8 to 4.7 cents per kWh).

I think my check from Edison after the first year worked out to about 3 cent per kWh. It's hard for me to believe the difference goes to maintain the grid. The way I see it is that my excess power goes to the nearest transformer and then is resend to the closest residence (shortest path), where it get sold at standard rates. I will certainly be calling them about adding TOU to my plan if I can charge at night for 12 cents kWh. Does TOU require a separate meter?

 

[nd4spd569]

I think my check from Edison after the first year worked out to about 3 cent per kWh. It's hard for me to believe the difference goes to maintain the grid. The way I see it is that my excess power goes to the nearest transformer and then is resend to the closest residence (shortest path), where it get sold at standard rates. I will certainly be calling them about adding TOU to my plan if I can charge at night for 12 cents kWh. Does TOU require a separate meter?

Tou does not require a separate meter but you can if you want.

 

[wdolson]

I think your numbers are a bit off. Using the SoCal best gas prices (from Costco) at $2.65 per gallon, a Prius costs 5.3 cents per mile to operate (assuming 50mpg). Using an electric car average of 3.5 miles per kw/h and 12 cents per kw/h (it works out to 3.4 cents per mile, or about 36% more efficient (close to my original estimate of 40%).

I used the EPA numbers for EV efficiency. The Model S 90D and 70D are rated at 330 WH/Mi. In the spreadsheet I created I calculated using gas prices in $0.50 increments from $2.00 to around $4, I forget how far up I went now. In any case, EVs are cheaper per mile than even the most efficient hybrids unless gas gets very cheap or electricity is expensive.

 

[wdolson]

Having zero idea, except age, to someone's finances and situation is totally inappropriate. I know 22 year olds who made a couple really great choices and have cars paid for, house, plenty of discretionary cash, etc... And I know 55 year olds up to their eyeballs in debt without a spare dime at the end of the month who still think they need everything and get a tax refund and go out and buy something instead of pay off something... Just illustrations, everyone's situation is different, and age as nearly nothing to do with it. So unless you are Bornnacadillac's parent or spouse, you probably should keep your advise to the questions asked, and not unsolicited financial advice .

I didn't buy my first new car until I was 26, but I bought my first house at 22. My coworkers the same age thought I was nuts, but some of them came to me later and said I made the right choice when they tried to buy a house and found prices had doubled since I bought.

I also graduated college with no debt. I lived at home (which sucked especially since my parents hated one another and refused to divorce) and went Cal Poly, which is a state school in California and was very cheap then.

My SO's law partner started college at 14 on a hockey scholarship and graduated by 18. He worked a few years before going back to law school, but if he had gone straight through he could have had a law degree before he was old enough to drink. His daughter is planning just that.

 

[Jayc]

Hmm logged in to check latest updates on tips for new owners but we seem to have gone off topic. Don't mean to be rude or anything but this thread is quite important to some of us with zero EV experience so would be good to stay on course.

 

[Canuck]

Having zero idea, except age, to someone's finances and situation is totally inappropriate. I know 22 year olds who made a couple really great choices and have cars paid for, house, plenty of discretionary cash, etc...

I disagree. In my opinion, bornnacadillac provided excellent advice. Of course, there's exceptions to every rule, but in the vast majority of cases, a 22 year old spending what it will cost to buy a Model 3 is not a wise decision (to say the least), and that was simply the point he made. If it doesn't apply to the OP he can disregard the advice. Even if it does apply, he can disregard it, of course. However, if it does apply, and if he neglects to heed the sage advice, it most likely will be something he comes to regret later. And older people have a moral and ethical obligation to at least impart their knowledge to the young, in my opinion. I wouldn't be in the financial position I'm in today if I had bought an expensive car that young. I paid off all my debts, made investments, and had more than enough money in the bank before it ever even crossed my mind to buy a new car. I'm glad sound financial advice was stressed to me from a young age even though I never asked for it. It has bought me financial freedom. That's huge.

This is one of the best posts I've read on this site and calisnow says it much better than me. Of course, it may not apply to the OP, and it was directed to the medical profession, but it's along the same lines, and it may help others:

Guidance aimed at those in the medical field, when financing while in Res/Fellowship.

 

[dgpcolorado]

...
1. Charging: Should I plug in often, or run the battery down some? Is it better for a modern battery to be recharged often? Does Tesla explain all this when you purchase the car? I have about 6 miles to drive to work. Is it a good idea to charge every day, or drive the battery down half way before charging, or it doesn't really matter?
...
8. Charging Cables: I have a 110 outlet outside my office at work. Anything wrong with charging this way with a regular extension cord? Remember, I only have a short drive to work. At home I have a 220 plug. Is it necessary to purchase a Tesla wall charger, or can I just plug into that?
...

The questions have been well covered by others but I'll add my 2¢:

1. Keep the car plugged-in at home with the maximum charge set at 50-60%, unless you plan to take a long trip the next day and you need to raise it. Set the timer to start after your off-peak rate begins, if you have Time of Use (TOU) electric rates.

As for "OCD" and keeping the battery full, do NOT do that. Lithium batteries are happier in the middle range of charge (20-80%). Leaving the battery at "100%" (the car won't actually allow true 100%) or 0% for days is bad for it. So, just leave it in the happy middle unless you need more range for that day. You might want to charge to 95% or so every once in a while because that will let the battery management system balance the cells. But if you do, arrange it so that you drive soon after it gets to that charge, to reduce the charge level by driving.

8. The car will (likely) come with a portable EVSE called a "UMC" that plugs into a 14-50 outlet (240 volts 50 amps). If your 240V circuit is different you can have it changed or just use an adapter. With a Tesla you can set the charge rate, in amps, which is very handy for different kinds of outlets and circuits. The maximum rate for a 14-50 is 40 Amps (80% of the circuit breaker maximum). I use 32 amps, figuring that it is a bit less stress on the UMC, since that's plenty fast enough (~26 miles per hour) for my home charging purposes.

I would suggest not bothering to plug-in to 120V at work. It is very slow and definitely not worth the hassle of packing up the UMC, pulling it out, plugging it in, and so forth. If you try to charge at work that way you will find that the process gets really tedious. So, leave the UMC plugged-in at home unless you are going to go on a road trip and might actually need it. That also means a lot less wear-and-tear on the expensive UMC and its plug.

You will have at 100+ miles of range when you leave home each day. Why worry about charging? Now, if your employer puts in actual charge stations, then feel free to use them (unless others with short range EVs have a greater need). But plugging-in with your own EVSE every day when you don't need to? No way, don't go there.

If you're coming from an automatic ICE car, consider using full regen braking with creep mode. Makes it feel more like an automatic ICE car without giving up too much of the regen braking. Many have felt initial nausea with regen and no creep. Stops very abruptly without creep. Also makes reversing easier.

I disagree. I came from a LEAF with creep and found that I preferred the no creep setting on my Tesla. I was concerned about parking but found that the accelerator is very easy to "feather" at slow speeds, so it wasn't a problem with either forward or reverse parking. I also found that single pedal driving with full regen ("standard") was very intuitive and even people who test drive my car rapidly become accustomed to it and really like it. So, I stick with full regen and no creep.

 

[Unbeliever]

I believe you can have both net metering and TOU. The SCE website even mentions that the TOU-d-t plan is popular with solar customers.

Yes, I'm on SCE with solar and a TOU-D-T rate, which is 1 peak period 1 off-peak period. No super-off-peak. Peak is Noon-6pm non-holiday MTWTF, non-peak is all other times.

Below are the current rates:

This is after SCE reduced the on-peak period a couple years ago. It used to be from 10am to 4pm or so, now shifted to Noon-6pm. So you lose a couple hours of prime generation.

 

[Fallenone]

Wow this thread is very valuable. I can't contribute anything yet but will definitely save it for future reference.

 

[nd4spd569]

Yes, I'm on SCE with solar and a TOU-D-T rate, which is 1 peak period 1 off-peak period. No super-off-peak. Peak is Noon-6pm non-holiday MTWTF, non-peak is all other times.

Below are the current rates:
View attachment 176065
This is after SCE reduced the on-peak period a couple years ago. It used to be from 10am to 4pm or so, now shifted to Noon-6pm. So you lose a couple hours of prime generation.

That's nice. Here's SDG&E's from their website. Minimum we get is $0.18... not as great savings here, but still saving. Now to get out of the condo so I can get solar.

EV Rates | San Diego Gas & Electric

 

[Borgholio]

Yes, I'm on SCE with solar and a TOU-D-T rate, which is 1 peak period 1 off-peak period. No super-off-peak. Peak is Noon-6pm non-holiday MTWTF, non-peak is all other times.

Below are the current rates:
View attachment 176065
This is after SCE reduced the on-peak period a couple years ago. It used to be from 10am to 4pm or so, now shifted to Noon-6pm. So you lose a couple hours of prime generation.

Have you considered the TOU-D-B plan? It does have super off peak and no worry about tiers if you charge your car often enough. With my commute I'll be blowing through almost 900 kw/h per months just charging the Tesla, so using the TOU-D-T plan I'd be in Tier 2 rates all the time.

 

[mzairboy]

Thanks for all the info. It really gives me a lot to think about regarding different options that the M3 might have. I appreciate all the input given, but I will say I have zero debt and work a full time job as an operations manager. I paid attention to the Dave Ramsey financial class my senior year and learned a lot from it.

My current vehicle (09 Jeep Wrangler on 37" tires) only gets about 200 miles per tank. I fill up every week. It would be much easier for me to plug in at work, and my employer is not against plugging in. I work in a secure fenced in area, and I have no fear of anyone walking off with charging cables. I have permission to put a 14-50 outlet where I park. We will see what the scenario is like in 2-3 years. It sounds like I could charge to 75% and drive a few days and plug in when my battery is around 50% and the Tesla would be fine with that. Battery technology could certainly change until my vehicle arrives. I look forward to not having to constantly visit the gas station, and the savings that will come with that.

With all that said, what if I drive my battery down to 30%? What is a "danger zone" I should stay away from? I'm sure dropping the battery down low won't hurt once in a while, but I shouldn't make it a habit.

I live on a no winter maintenance dirt road. In the winter, 4wd is almost a necessity. I am saving for an AWD performance model. Insane mode at minimum. My plan is to blow the doors off of my friend's vehicles when they mock my "battery car". Because I live on a dirt road, and the roads in PA are terrible at best, I think I will go with the standard size wheel. A larger wheel might handle better, but be more prone to damage on the bumpy roads.

I am leaning towards a silver model because my vehicle is either dusty or sloppy. Silver will not show the dirt as much when I am unable to give it a good cleaning. Do the sensors for Autopilot get picky if a light film of dirt is covering them? My fear is dirt build up could affect the readings of the sensors.

What is a go to app or software to plan trips for EV's?

I highly doubt I will ever use a public charger because of my driving habits, but others will. What is some good charging etiquette you would like new owners to be aware of?

I mentioned previously that I drive a Jeep Wrangler. All Wrangler's wave to each other on the road. It's called the Jeep wave and is part of the fun Jeep community. Do Tesla's have their own "wave"? We might have to come up with something as more Tesla's will be flooding the road!

 

[mzairboy]

Then I guess this is for you

Meet the Plugless Level 2 wireless EV charging station

Does anyone have experience with this type of charger? My Lumia 920 had wireless charging and I said I would never go back to plugging in. My Lumia 1020 and current Lumia 950 has wireless charging. It is slower than USB type c fast charging, but very convenient. The lack of wireless charging is the main reason I won't even consider the current iPhone. It will be interesting to see what the price will be like and if there is support for M3.

 

[Az_Rael]

I highly doubt I will ever use a public charger because of my driving habits, but others will. What is some good charging etiquette you would like new owners to be aware of?

A few good etiquette public charger tips:
- Never treat a charging spot like a parking spot. When your car is done charging, return and move it to a regular parking space
- Never unplug another person's car unless there is a note stating you can. Doesn't matter if you think you deserve the charge more than they do because they are a Plug-in-Prius or a Volt, they got there first. (I use this rule even if they don't appear to be charging - all EV's use different lighting systems to indicate charging status, so unless you are 100% sure they are NOT charging anymore, don't assume and unplug)
- If an EV is parked next to you while you are using a charger and leaves their charge door open, that is generally accepted to be an invitation to plug their vehicle in when you are done. Assuming the charger is free, and you are comfortable with it, you may plug them in.

And, if you accidentally throw the breaker trying to plug your EV in at a poorly wired hotel charging station that a Tesla is also charging at, report it to the manager so they can get the breaker reset for the poor soul you who's charging you just killed (I have NO personal experience with this at all, nope, none )

 

[mzairboy]

A few good etiquette public charger tips:
- Never treat a charging spot like a parking spot. When your car is done charging, return and move it to a regular parking space
- Never unplug another person's car unless there is a note stating you can. Doesn't matter if you think you deserve the charge more than they do because they are a Plug-in-Prius or a Volt, they got there first. (I use this rule even if they don't appear to be charging - all EV's use different lighting systems to indicate charging status, so unless you are 100% sure they are NOT charging anymore, don't assume and unplug)
- If an EV is parked next to you while you are using a charger and leaves their charge door open, that is generally accepted to be an invitation to plug their vehicle in when you are done. Assuming the charger is free, and you are comfortable with it, you may plug them in.

And, if you accidentally throw the breaker trying to plug your EV in at a poorly wired hotel charging station that a Tesla is also charging at, report it to the manager so they can get the breaker reset for the poor soul you who's charging you just killed (I have NO personal experience with this at all, nope, none )

Are Tesla Superchargers exclusive for Tesla's, or can other EV's feel free to use them?

 

[Az_Rael]

Are Tesla Superchargers exclusive for Tesla's, or can other EV's feel free to use them?

Right now they are exclusive. Tesla has stated they are open to other manufacturers buying into the system, but as of now that hasn't happened. So I don't really consider Superchargers as "public" charging stations yet.