This week I completed a 3,100 mile family road trip in my 2020 Tesla Model S LR.
Driving at normal highway speeds +5 – 10 mph with 4 passengers and luggage, I logged an effective driving range of 300 – 320 miles vs. estimated vehicle range of 400 miles.
With free unlimited supercharging, I was able to complete the entire zero-emission trip at a total fuel cost of $0.
Based on my trip experience, I wholeheartedly recommend this vehicle for long road trips.
A more detailed trip report follows below.
RELIABILITY
I encountered no issues with the vehicle during the trip.
The only maintenance required is a tire rotation. I also had to refill the windshield washer fluid.
PAINT DAMAGE
Due to a tight schedule and rainy weather conditions, I was unable to wash the vehicle until the conclusion of the trip.
The vehicle is unwrapped with factory finish.
A thick layer of black road grime accumulated on the trunk lid, back bumper, and rear diffuser.
As expected, the front bumper was a bug magnet.
Some road grime accumulated around the wheel wells and along the bottom edge of each side of the car.
I manually washed the vehicle at the conclusion of the trip and found no paint damage.
PASSENGER COMFORT
The driver seat in a Model S is easily the most comfortable car seat I have ever encountered.
The only real downside is entry and exit from the vehicle. The vehicle sits low and requires passengers to exercise a fair amount of twisting, bending, and pushing to position themselves in each seat.
My 15 year old daughter reported that she was uncomfortable in the backseat, which apparently caused some level of back pain.
Climate control was right on the mark throughout the trip, despite outdoor temperatures that ranged into the high nineties.
Spotify, audio streaming, and Sirius XM worked well throughout the trip.
LTE connectivity was good in most cases, although there were a few dropouts in mountainous areas.
Road noise was minimal and ride quality was excellent.
CARGO CAPACITY
Cargo capacity was more than adequate for two large garment bags, a duffle bag, shoe bags, gifts, and various trip essentials.
The frunk was useful mainly for carrying umbrellas, baseball caps, hats, a large backpack, and souvenirs we accumulated along the way.
SUPERCHARGING
The entire road trip was completed using Tesla Super Chargers along my route.
Tesla’s NAV system automatically calculates Super Charger locations for vehicle stops based on your route and expected energy consumption. Navigation system recommendations were on-target, although some of the recommended stops would have left me with less than 15% charge remaining upon arrival.
I often manually selected Super Charger stops that would allow the vehicle retain at least 25% of battery capacity.
Typical driving time between Super Charger stops was between 2.5 – 3 hours, which roughly aligned with required stops for meals and bathroom breaks.
Most supercharging stops to reach 90% - 95% of battery capacity can be completed in 30 – 45 minutes.
All of the supercharger locations we visited had available bays for charging. We were able to park the vehicle and begin supercharging without any wait time.
During stops at lunchtime and dinnertime we lingered a bit longer to fully charge the vehicle. Fully charging the vehicle to 100% of battery capacity requires a supercharger visit of 60 – 75 minutes.
With a few exceptions, most of the Super Charger locations we visited were located near good restaurants, shopping, and public restrooms.
One nice feature that often escapes attention in vehicle reviews is the ability to automatically view restaurants and other facilities near each Super Charger stop in advance of arrival.
TESLA AUTOPILOT
I used Tesla Autopilot for 50% - 60% of the journey.
Autopilot performed well in clear conditions on straight roads with moderate curves. Automatic lane changes were generally performed correctly.
Autopilot struggled with tight curves, speeding drivers in the passing lane, construction zones, bad weather and unconventional highway lane markings.
I recommend against using Tesla's more advanced beta “Navigate on Autopilot” feature at this time. Auto-steer into exits was often abrupt and speed limit changes at each exit were not automatically detected. For some reason, vehicle centering in the driving lane was skewed to the left when using this feature. “Navigate on Autopilot” also produces excessive prompts and notifications while driving, which I found distracting.
Driving at normal highway speeds +5 – 10 mph with 4 passengers and luggage, I logged an effective driving range of 300 – 320 miles vs. estimated vehicle range of 400 miles.
With free unlimited supercharging, I was able to complete the entire zero-emission trip at a total fuel cost of $0.
Based on my trip experience, I wholeheartedly recommend this vehicle for long road trips.
A more detailed trip report follows below.
RELIABILITY
I encountered no issues with the vehicle during the trip.
The only maintenance required is a tire rotation. I also had to refill the windshield washer fluid.
PAINT DAMAGE
Due to a tight schedule and rainy weather conditions, I was unable to wash the vehicle until the conclusion of the trip.
The vehicle is unwrapped with factory finish.
A thick layer of black road grime accumulated on the trunk lid, back bumper, and rear diffuser.
As expected, the front bumper was a bug magnet.
Some road grime accumulated around the wheel wells and along the bottom edge of each side of the car.
I manually washed the vehicle at the conclusion of the trip and found no paint damage.
PASSENGER COMFORT
The driver seat in a Model S is easily the most comfortable car seat I have ever encountered.
The only real downside is entry and exit from the vehicle. The vehicle sits low and requires passengers to exercise a fair amount of twisting, bending, and pushing to position themselves in each seat.
My 15 year old daughter reported that she was uncomfortable in the backseat, which apparently caused some level of back pain.
Climate control was right on the mark throughout the trip, despite outdoor temperatures that ranged into the high nineties.
Spotify, audio streaming, and Sirius XM worked well throughout the trip.
LTE connectivity was good in most cases, although there were a few dropouts in mountainous areas.
Road noise was minimal and ride quality was excellent.
CARGO CAPACITY
Cargo capacity was more than adequate for two large garment bags, a duffle bag, shoe bags, gifts, and various trip essentials.
The frunk was useful mainly for carrying umbrellas, baseball caps, hats, a large backpack, and souvenirs we accumulated along the way.
SUPERCHARGING
The entire road trip was completed using Tesla Super Chargers along my route.
Tesla’s NAV system automatically calculates Super Charger locations for vehicle stops based on your route and expected energy consumption. Navigation system recommendations were on-target, although some of the recommended stops would have left me with less than 15% charge remaining upon arrival.
I often manually selected Super Charger stops that would allow the vehicle retain at least 25% of battery capacity.
Typical driving time between Super Charger stops was between 2.5 – 3 hours, which roughly aligned with required stops for meals and bathroom breaks.
Most supercharging stops to reach 90% - 95% of battery capacity can be completed in 30 – 45 minutes.
All of the supercharger locations we visited had available bays for charging. We were able to park the vehicle and begin supercharging without any wait time.
During stops at lunchtime and dinnertime we lingered a bit longer to fully charge the vehicle. Fully charging the vehicle to 100% of battery capacity requires a supercharger visit of 60 – 75 minutes.
With a few exceptions, most of the Super Charger locations we visited were located near good restaurants, shopping, and public restrooms.
One nice feature that often escapes attention in vehicle reviews is the ability to automatically view restaurants and other facilities near each Super Charger stop in advance of arrival.
TESLA AUTOPILOT
I used Tesla Autopilot for 50% - 60% of the journey.
Autopilot performed well in clear conditions on straight roads with moderate curves. Automatic lane changes were generally performed correctly.
Autopilot struggled with tight curves, speeding drivers in the passing lane, construction zones, bad weather and unconventional highway lane markings.
I recommend against using Tesla's more advanced beta “Navigate on Autopilot” feature at this time. Auto-steer into exits was often abrupt and speed limit changes at each exit were not automatically detected. For some reason, vehicle centering in the driving lane was skewed to the left when using this feature. “Navigate on Autopilot” also produces excessive prompts and notifications while driving, which I found distracting.
