So, today, I did my first road trip with the Tesla. Everything you read about it is true. Silent, roller coaster like acceleration, beautiful, yet some slightly sub-optimal build quality. Overall, just fantastic!
I received the car charged at 85%, ran around a bit in town and later tested normal commercial charging at a charger in my street. No problem at all. Today I went on a road trip of about 200 km, stopping at a Tesla supercharger for 20 minutes to double the range I would need. I arrived back home at a charger with still 200 km of range left and topped up a bit to go again tomorrow. Yes, I am a newbie and so I put a lot of margin.
I consumed about 200 Wh per kilometre to move the car at the low speeds of Dutch highways (130 kmh max). Moving this 2150 kg monster needs the same energy your hair dryer uses in 12 minutes for every kilometre is goes. At the commercial chargers in my street this boils down to 6€ of electricity per 100 km. My BMW would need 9 litres at 1.5€ or almost 15€ per 100 km (Dutch prices). Most of the juice I got for free at the Tesla supercharger as this is included in the price if you bought a Tesla before the beginning of this year, 2017.
My personal feelings: Standing at a red light, everyone around me is burning money, not me. I hear engine noise around, not me. If I tried, I would leave everyone behind when the light turns green. I use almost no breaks as the motor charges the battery to slow down the car. I would never change the distribution chain, the exhaust pipe, the oil, the brake pads. It is truly another world. The feeling on the road is very similar to what I feel with my BMW. Steady, solid, safe.
Charging in the Netherlands is easy, range anxiety is inexistent.
When is your turn?