If you regularly visit CC or any other car community on the internet, you’re probably more in tune with the automotive industry than the average individual. And if you’re like me, you get exited when you’re able to walk right up to a brand new model. Until recently, finding a Tesla in my neck of the woods was like spotting a unicorn head banging to Metallica. In other words, they were quite rare. That is no longer the case.
If you’re in the market for a new Tesla and you live in upstate New York, you’re gonna have a heck of a time purchasing one. I’m sure Tesla takes orders online and over the phone, but I’d personally want to test drive one before pulling the trigger, as I’ve never driven an electric car before. I’d also want to make sure I liked their funky interiors.
And even if you live in NYC proper its a bit of a trek to find a location that can actually sell you one. Manhattan and Brooklyn have one store each, as does Long Island. There are two galleries, also in Long Island, but they can only show you their inventory.
That leaves two showrooms for “upstate” New York. The Mount Kisco store is one of them, and its the closest one to my house, although it would take me about 45 minutes to get there.
The bottom line is that in some areas of the country its a bit harder for people to test drive, purchase, and own a Tesla. How difficult is it? That depends. The vast majority of houses in the region are single family units with a two car garage. All they really need to do is install a home charger and they’re good to go, so the lack of Superchargers isn’t a terribly big concern.
Even if charging up your electric car simply involves plugging it in while it sits in the garage, to own such a vehicle in 2018 means you’re still a bit of a pioneer. And the Tesla design language is distinctive enough to stand out from other luxury makes by a significant margin. Our featured Model X is no exemption. With a near complete absence of sharp creases and an extremely raked windshield, the X looks much smaller than it actually is. And kudos to the owner for getting such a great color, which aside from red is the only other paint job that isn’t grey scale.
I had to do a double take when I saw these specs. The X is a little over an inch longer than a Ford Explorer and .2 inches wider. Those dimensions are much larger than I had anticipated.
Can you believe this crossover has a third row in the back? I imagine those seats are quite useless for everyone except small children and Ewoks. And that misaligned hatch isn’t exactly confidence inspiring.
ED: here’s a picture of the Model X interior and its third row seats, which are rated by users as fine for kids and shorter adults, and ok for normal-sized adults if the middle seats are moved forward a bit. In other words, as good or better than other vehicles of this type. Due to the intrinsic advantages of EV packaging, interior space in Teslas is bigger than comparable IC cars. Even the Model S sedan has optional rear-facing third row seats, as well as a small trunk (“frunk”) in the front of the car.
This particular Model X is the 75D, which is the least expensive trim level, and its 75 kwh battery delivers approximately 239 miles on a single charge. Although there is a 60 mile range deficit when compared to the 100D, its still pretty quick (4.9 seconds 0-60). And its much less expensive too: a base 75D retails for about $80,000 while a P100D starts at $140,000. Customers in the market for the most expensive Model X could instead spend the same amount on a base Model X and a roughly $60,000 Model 3.
It’s hard to say the Model X has more value than other Tesla models even with its additional cargo capacity. It’s the most expensive Tesla with the least amount of range. Unlike the Model S and the Model 3, the X is nowhere near the class leader in its segment. It was handily outsold by the Mercedes GLE and Volvo XC90 in August.
Why is that? For starters, the X is simply more expensive than the competition. And three row crossovers are primarily designed for family duty, which means road trips. The X simply cannot compete with a vehicle that can travel 400 miles without stopping for a significant amount of time to acquire more energy.
Are there other issues with the Model X? For customers wary about switching to an all-electric vehicle, dealing with other changes to the day-to-day driving experience may prove to be too much. An expansive windshield that stretches up and basically over the heads of the front passengers is certainly a potential deal-breaker. Sunlight glare was so bad that Tesla even developed and shipped sunshades to Model X owners.
Then there’s the “Falcon Wing” doors. It is true that the car is intelligent enough to raise the doors high enough where they won’t rub up against anything close by, but the setup doesn’t work all the time and owners have complained about numerous issues with them, including water leakage. In some ways, the hubris of Elon Musk is best represented in the Model X. There are extremely promising elements surrounded by inexplicably complicated features that probably should have been left on the drawing board.
Fortunately for Tesla, the Model 3 doesn’t carry the same baggage. Sure, the plant that builds the 3 struggled to reach various production milestones, but that isn’t really the fault of the car itself. And fit and finish on brand new cars is always spotty. Even companies like Honda struggle with quality when the vehicles they’re producing are all-new.
That being said, did the 3 really need to be built by trouble prone robots right out of the gate? Did the 3 really need to separate itself from the pack with its truly keyless entry system? Probably not.
But you can’t argue with results. While the 3 does compete in the compact luxury segment, there really is nothing like it. No other automaker currently produces a vehicle that can travel 310 miles on a single charge. And the Supercharger network replenishes those batteries faster than the competition too. Crucially, sporty driving dynamics were also a priority for the company. A Model 3 that wasn’t quick and didn’t handle well would have likely spelled disaster for the brand, not only because of what the sedan competes against, but also due to the expectations set by the performance of the Model S and Model X.
This particular Model 3 is the first I’ve been able to check out at close range. And I know for certain that this one is owned by a local, because I had a chance to speak to its owner.
She told me her 3 cost about $64,000 before incentives. With Tesla keeping order combinations to a minimum, it wasn’t hard to figure out exactly what features she purchased. I had already known the car had all wheel drive and the optional alloy rims, so it was a bit of a surprise to find out that she also went for the non-existent self-driving option. Would you pay for a feature that doesn’t exist and isn’t even guaranteed?
If you want to be a part of history, then why not? In this day and age its rare to own a paradigm shifting product.
The only real issue I had with the 3 was the interior. Its quality was definitely what you’d expect for a luxury car, but at $64,000 its really pushing it. And while minimalism has its virtues, the 3 absolutely needs a heads up display, because crucial information like miles per hour are confined to its touch screen, which is obviously not ideal.
More traditional automakers will eventually enter the all electric market with products that more directly compete with Tesla. But for now the brand has an ethos and an aesthetic that captivates the public. The company isn’t going anywhere, even if its CEO lacks impulse control. Apple didn’t shut down once Samsung figured out how to build a decent smart phone. As long as Tesla continues to build products that look the part they’ll be okay. And if you have yet to see one in the flesh, it probably won’t be long until they show up in your town too.
| Make/Model | August 2018 Sales | Year to date sales as of August 2018 | % change from last year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tesla Model 3 | 17,800 (estimate) | 56,417 | n/a |
| Mercedes C Class | 4,071 | 37,571 | -28.8 % |
| BMW 3 Series | 3,751 | 31,116 | -16.3% |
| Infiniti Q50 | 2,551 | 24,105 | -2.6 % |
ED: Reliable sources are reporting that that Tesla will build 53,000 Model 3s in the third quarter, and a total of some 80,000 cars (Models S, X, 3). This represents a 187% increase over the second quarter. Actual production numbers and deliveries will be announced by Tesla today. The Model 3 is already by far the best selling EV, and outsells its EV and IC competition by significant margins.
Related Reading:
Book Report: Elon Musk; Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future – The Henry Ford Of Our Times? by Paul Niedermeyer
Curbside Classic: 2011 Tesla Roadster by JohnH875
CC of the Future: 2013 Tesla Model S – Welcome to the 21st Century, Your Jet Pack is Here by Mike Butts
Everything about Tesla certainly is…
…polarising!
»drops mic, runs«
Priceless Daniel! ;o)
I’ve only seen a Tesla on my trips to Ft Lauderdale.
Have yet to see one here in NOLA. I think we go passed up!! As a kid, NOLA was very progressive when it came to European brands and later Asian brands. Now it’s just Toyota, Nissan, or Kia SUVs with domestic pick up trucks in the mix.
Hope to see a bunch of Teslas on a future trip to LA. It would be nice to see what all the fuss is about.😎😎😎😎
Chuck,
Come to Houston. Tesla S are a common sight on the roads here. I think I have seen a couple of X and no 3.
Now I know why there are no Teslas in New Orleans.. no “stores” in the entire state of Louisiana.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/cant-buy-tesla-states-161318245.html
On my recent trip to LA & Palms Springs, I did see several Teslas, but not as many as I was expecting🤨🤨🤨
Since the Model X came out I’d thought that the “Falcon Doors” were a really complicated solution to a really dumb problem (how to have the functionality of a sliding door without the “I’m a minivan!” image of sliding doors).
There are loads of them around here. They are the new defacto Bejing Mommy Wagon.
Yup, for sure! No swinging of cats required.
The thought occurred to me I already have a car with Falcon Doors! Why do I need to spend at least $52,600 to get another one with them? (I’ll do like ‘Daniel Stern’ did in a post above >> drop my mic & run away after that issuance of humor <<) 😀
In trendy Westside Vancouver, Tesla cars are thick on the ground. They are the cool fashion accessory for the idle rich that populate this place.
I recently bought a new car, and seriously considered an electric. In the end, the charging infrastructure is just not quite there yet for me. The actual cost of a Hyundai Ioniq and a gasoline car is practically the same at our present gasoline prices.
Yeah, I’d be curious to know if per capita is Vancouver is one of Tesla’s biggest markets. Models S, X and now 3 are all common here.
It has to be.
A coworker has an X that she regularly brings to Cars&Coffee. It’s much larger in person than the impression given in photos.
Lots of Teslas here in the Netherlands. While the Model S is a handsome car, the X is far too huge to be called handsome. It just is much too high (and wide) – even compared to other SUVs. If you are behind one on a motorway it almost is like you are driving behind a small van. An owner of one of these lives two streets away and the Model X is visible from far away – above all the cars. Horrible design.
Have yet to see the first Model 3 here.
A doctor who works at the medical building I go to was on of the first buyers of a Model S. It amazes me how many Model Ss I see, probably around 30-40. Have seen maybe 10-15 Model Xs and 1-5 Model 3s.
I love Electric Cars. The Flintsone/Jetson Electric Car TV Ad always makes me smile. I don’t own an EV, but would love to have a 1910s – 1920s Detroit Electric (I know those batteries were different). Always thought a Citroen 2CV would make a great conversion due to it’s light weight.
In Illinois EVs have different license plates (I assume it cost less to register?). I wonder if that is the case in other states.
Teslas are starting to become a daily sight in the northern suburbs of Detroit. Usually see 2 or 3 per day; mostly S and X models, although starting to see the 3 in the mix. Although I see them in traffic I have yet to have the opportunity to speak with an owner about their impressions. If I could afford one I’d buy the S, a pre-owned in light brown or green. The current color lineup is very boring.
It’s probably best I post this “CC Effect” here, rather than where I did the other day on DMAN’s “Cars of My Neighborhood” CC… but here it is again…
CC Effect: [Last] week, I saw my first Tesla 3 in the metal. Up to now, I’ve only seen them in pictures, and from looking at the pictures, I would agree with Matt about them looking jarring from certain angles. But this car was beautiful in person. The proportions were much better looking in person, but this car was black, and that can sometimes hide, or sometimes enhance good or bad angles.
What I found striking was the white leather seats, in an otherwise black interior. While I’m not normally a monochrome fan, this car was stunning.
The guy had just taken delivery of it an hour before pulling up in front of our building at work. So naturally, it was perfect. However, after a year of doing battle in the Baltimore/Washington area rush hours and ever present road construction, and our salt happy SHA*, that perfectly black front fascia may look a little rough after it’s pelted with debris. At least cars with a grille hide rock chips a little bit.
When I posted this, the car in that picture was blue. The featured Model 3 looks EXACTLY like what I saw, except (like you, Eric, I got to chat with the proud new owner) he did not go for the Autopilot Option, and then everyone started in on their opinions of such things. When I used the term “Nanny Features” in the conversation, a term I learned here at CC, BTW ;o), a few of the guys said, “Hey, I like that [term]”.
Now that you mention it has no heads up display, or even a conventional speedometer, I can now not unsee that. Minimalist (yet jarring to quote XR7Matt from the other day) indeed, but the lack of basic driving essentials makes me rethink wanting one of these.
Well, that and the cost… Not a rich guy here!
As to Teslas themselves being rare? Not in this part of the country. I see at least three or four Teslas every day. Model S(s) mostly and some Model X(s), and since last week, I’ve now seen 3 Model 3(s). In another couple of years, Teslas are going to be as common as Camrys and Accords in Howard County, Maryland!
No wonder us commoners (Baltimore County folks) can’t afford to move here! ;o)
* SHA is Maryland’s “State Highway Administration” – sorry for the acronym. They truly are a salt happy bunch though.
The whole Model 3 display thing is a red herring. Click on the image below. The speedometer display is actually closer to where the eyes normally are when driving. It takes a greater amount of eye movement to bring their focus down to a typical speedometer location. My xB’s speedometer/instruments are in almost exactly the same location, and I’ve come to appreciate it for that reason. I find it almost distracting to have to bring my eyes down into the instrument binnacle in the TSX and Promaster. I can read my speed almost without having to make any movement.
I’m a HUD convert. My SS has the feature, and I really miss it when driving our other vehicles.
Thanks Paul… That’s actually not bad at all. You’re right about less eye movement there. Reminds me of the heads up display I had in my ’97 Grand Prix GTP… I never had to bring my eyes down into the instrument binnacle* in that car, and really missed that feature when I got the Mustang.
* As always, CC is once again expanding my vocabulary. “Binnacle” is now the word of the day. ;o)
Here’s the view from my xB.
That IS just in about the same spot as the Tesla’s virtual speedometer.
The HUD in my GTP was just a little to the left of that, projected on the windshield above the steering wheel, just below my eyeline looking down the road.
When I sat in the 3, I thought the speedometer on the screen was too far to the right. But I have a feeling my mind could change if I bought one. After all, I hated the integrated blind spot mirrors on my Focus during the first week of ownership but now I swear by them.
I felt that way about the right side mirror camera and backup camera in my Civic… but now, I too swear by these, and am now almost uncomfortable backing up my 2007 Mustang (which does not have them).
I’d buy a Tesla 3 at $45K if it had the dash where it’s supposed to be. I passed on the old Mini for the same reason (can get it in the right place with GPS). I can’t imagine that they couldn’t add another display for $250 a car, including the hardware and additional software for the extra screen, and charge $450 for the option. I’d pay it, and plunk down a deposit right now if asked. My neighbors have both an S and a 3, and they love both cars. No more trips to the gas station..
Since they’re selling so well and have a backlog, Tesla does not have to add this option now while sales are hot, but hopefully this will be an upgrade to get people like me in the boat…
I’m utterly convinced you’d get used to this location very quickly. it’s not like the original Mini’s speedometer, which was well below the top of the dash, which was already low in that car (see image attached). The location of the Model 3’s speed readout (and other vital info) requires less (or the same) amount of eye movement than a traditional readout in the dash.
They’re not going to add it because it’s simply not necessary. You get used to it. Folks complain about other cars with central-high instruments, yet millions of cars with those have been sold over the decades. It’s a logical location.
It’s not just the speedometer location that’s the problem with that screen though. It’s pretty clear to me the main reason for it is that it’s a heck of a lot less expensive to do some programming on a generic ready-made screen than to engineer and manufacture each button and gauge. So I wouldn’t call it a red herring. It’s a cheap way out Tesla markets as a desirable feature on a not cheap car.
There is no reason other manufacturers couldn’t have done the same thing for the past 10 years. They don’t because a do-everything touchscreen is terrible ergonomics and aesthetics.
I’ve written about Tesla’s, and even posted a picture of the first Model 3 that I saw curbside (or is that Curbside TM?). They are very common here near Silicon Valley, and of course near their factory. It seems odd that they are still uncommon in parts of the US: my wife recently went on a bike tour in Romania, and in the background of one of her snapshots of Bucharest, there was a Model X cruising by.
I have several acquaintances that own Model S’es but I’ve only ridden in one, an early Model S airport “shuttle”, with 275K miles on it. It was roomy, quiet and seemed to be holding up well, with nicer condition interior surfaces than I’ve seen on similar mileage Prius, Crown Vic or Lincoln TC in similar service. I’m also starting to see Tesla’s pretty far from home, in Death Valley, Yosemite in winter (with those fabric “chains” on) and other remote places.
When I lived in Fremont, California in the late seventies, the local PD used Pontiac Colonnade patrol cars, the only ones I ever saw around here … no doubt because they were assembled in town at the then-GM plant. Neighboring Milpitas, which had a Ford factory, used Ford patrol cars (though not the Pinto/Mustang II or F150 built there). Now that that plant is turning out Tesla’s, I expect to see Tesla police cars in Fremont soon. Then we’ll know they’re finally established (Luxembourg https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-model-s-police-cruisers-luxembourg/ doesn’t count).
Model 3s are multiplying like rabbits here. I see a new one almost every day in my part of town. It’s the new Prius. As well as the new BMW. Covers both bases highly effectively.
Agreed. I saw plenty of Model 3s in Cali too.
And the Model S, at least in this area, is sort of like the new S Class Mercedes as well as the new GT (6 Series BMW, Porsche 928). It’s the combination of types that seems to be so attractive to significant market.
In fact I think that’s part of the reason for the Model X doors, it becomes a cross of an X6 BMW (coupe-style sub), a Tahoe (3 rows) and a showpiece exotic car like a Gullwing/Lamborghini/Delorean.
As I’m typing, I realize that the names invoke the cars that the Teslas replace (S class MB, 3 series BMW, X series BMW).
I spend all my working day on the road and even in Aotearoa Teslas and other EVs are becoming a common sight at well over 100k asking price I’ll stick with my diesel but with petrol now hovering around $2.50 per litre a lot of people are choosing electric, Ive had a drive of a MK1 Leaf and it was fine, went ok ride is a bit average nearly as quiet at highway speeds as my Citroen, I’d have one why not the running costs are quite low but far from free @ 30c per KWH.
I had the opportunity to crawl all over a Model X at a gallery in Peachtree Plaza Mall in Atlanta back in the Spring. It is indeed a very large vehicle, which its styling hides quite effectively. The exterior styling I could take or leave, but I was absolutely smitten by that interior. The one I sat in had white leather seats set into a charcoal and black cabin, and the effect was gorgeous. Those seats are incredibly comfortable too, at least for as long as I was able to inhabit them. The day will likely never come when I consider a Tesla to suit my budget, but spending a few minutes in one left a very favorable impression.
In Vegas, I think I see more Teslas than S-class M-B or big BMWs. They’re the new status symbols. With our abundant sunshine, I’m guessing a lot of owners spend another $20k putting solar panels on their roofs, and drive for (almost) free.
I also see plenty with CA plates. There are several supercharger stops on I-15 between Vegas and LA, so taking your Tesla to Vegas for the weekend isn’t a difficult proposition.
I saw a Model S at the supercharger station in Tonopah, Nevada, a couple of years ago. It was quite a sight in that, er, rustic, community.
Several Teslas here in Pittsburgh, but I’ve only seen 1-2 Model 3s.
Chevy guy that I am, I’d be disposed toward the Bolt, BUT the 6-second 0-60 time and overall driving experience with that range seal the deal. And although they didn’t drop the “F” bomb – fun – in this review, it had popped up in a couple others. That would be consistent with what I’ve read about the current Cruze/Sonic and even Malibu…not quite the fun of a Mazda but a much better riding car.
They are showing up (though not yet common) in the northern suburbs of Indianapolis too. We even had one of the accidents that resulted in a really spectacular fire.
The cars really fascinate me but a car of that size and expense that cannot be used for long distance travel (like 600+ miles in a day) would still be an issue for me.
A sister in law put down a deposit on a Model 3 when the company started taking them, I have not heard when she expects to get her car.
but a car of that size and expense that cannot be used for long distance travel (like 600+ miles in a day) would still be an issue for me.
You do realize that these can be given a fast charge at a Supercharger in some 30 minutes? And that Tesla is adding eating facilities to many of them, so as to make it convenient to stop for a meal break and recharge at the same time.
It is obviously not as convenient for long distance trips yet, but “cannot” is not technically correct.
Cannot was a poorly chosen word. I suspect that there are many more Superchargers available in your part of the country than for mine. I just looked at Tesla’s trip planner. On the trip from Indianapolis to Winston-Salem NC I took twice earlier this year in connection with a kid’s internship, there was precisely one such place on the route we took. By changing our route to a longer one we would pick up two more. So it could be done at a cost of configuring our route to accommodate charger location/time. I am sure that some day charger location and charge time will cater to me and my route/schedule and not the other way around – but we are not there yet.
If every gas station would get on it and use some of their space for a couple of fast charging stations range anxiety would be eliminated. The cities have slightly more of a space issue but the gas stations off I-70 outside of towns certainly don’t have that problem. Once there is a critical mass of electrics this makes perfect sense to get another revenue stream to replace that gasoline one. Driving the Corolla from STL to DEN a couple of weeks ago I was thinking about that – it would have sucked to have to stop 3x (with a Tesla or Bolt) to fill up at half an hour each or 4-5x with a Leaf but if the range was 300 miles and the fillup was down to 20 minutes, then that would be doable/realistic/unpainful…
I would suspect that if it were profitable for stations to offer Supercharger service, they would already do so.
300 miles/20 minutes would make it a lot more attractive, assuming the chargers were as ubiquitous as gas stations. But that will never happen so long as they remain proprietary to Tesla.
The first big stand of supercharging stations on the east coast was at the Delaware rest stop on I-95, halfway between New York and DC. It takes 1/2 hour just to get through the morning lines at Starbucks there (so much so that they added a stand-alone outside Starbucks building to the kiosk inside the foodcourt)
Interesting to contemplate another “range” issue, and one that may well end up being more commonly experienced than a road trip scenario.
Think of how many folks drive ICE cars now with low fuel warnings blazing away. There are folks who will not let a car get under 1/4 of a tankful, and there are others who only add gas when they absolutely have to. Some, by choice, as they are broke, yet others because…well, because they are lazy or cantankerous or just hate filling up. That second group is the group that should never even think about going EV. One has to plan a bit to use an EV, but an ICE can get refilled within a few miles of anywhere.
As Paul said, it is not a matter of cannot using a car like this for a road trip, it just requires a bit of planning and perhaps using the downtime from recharging for eating and other bio-breaks that one takes on a road trip. Those who plan accordingly will have minimal issues, those who just do things on the fly, not so much.
I think the range issue is not as controlling a factor as we think. There are plenty of cars that people won’t drive more than 300 miles a day. For example leases: a lot of people, me included, lease cars and choose to drive their other household car on roadtrips or rent a car for work trips when they are controlling the mileage on their leased car. A lot of people would say, that’s why I buy cars, I want to drive my car when I want. But from a market perspective, there are lots of new cars that people won’t take on long road trips, even though they are fully capable.
Also, the US is essentially 1:1 for drivers:cars. A household buying its first Tesla probably has a perfectly good gas car that’s suitable for the one long trip per year that the household takes instead of flying.
However, my sister is in the Tesla market band. It’s a problem for her that a Tesla would be her household’s only trip car (other car is a Z4). She occasionally does 600 miles in a day to visit family–a Tesla would complicate that trip.
Yes, being a two car family is the only reason I would consider an electric. No way would I want an electric as an only car. It’s just not the right tool for the job regardless of how many superchargers are out there. Will it work for road trips? Sure, about as well as a long bed crew cab F-350 will work as a daily driver in NYC.
For overall convenience, widespread availability of Superchargers would make a big, big difference. With a car that fully charges overnight, you never, ever have to stop in a filthy gas station (as my sister has noted) unless you do more than the maximum distance in a day. If someone uses a Supercharger five times a year, they get all that time back and more by not stopping for gas at least once a week. It’s just that a significant amount of time is added to a significantly long trip. How many of those trips does someone actually take?
It will work much better for long trips than an F350 crew cab works as a commuter vehicle. Recharging an electric car just adds downtime to the trip. An F350 would be infuriating every second to drive.
Meh, metro markets have been seeing fairly high acceptance, and having superchargers available really helps the process. In the greater Tampa Bay area, there are tons of all three models on the roads, so seeing multiples of any model is not a unique experience. However, being home to a fairly well-to-do demographic, we also see our fair share of exotics and low volume imports (Maserati has 3 stores within a hour of each other, a couple Ferrari dealers, for example). I don’t think that there are any specific physical impediments to owning a Tesla in non-metro markets, but I just think the ingrained aversion to anything not conservative and known works against them in the midwest. Imports did not take well or easily to those markets, either, but with a combination of foreign OEMs putting plants in the midwest and people getting more aware of them, the imports have become mainstream there as well.
Can’t swing a dead cat without hitting a Tesla around these parts. Just posted in the Cohort a Model 3 that was literally parked outside my front door.
Teslas have been getting more common around here, seems I see one every few days.
I live on Long Island in NY and I very rarely see a Tesla. Occasionally I’ll spot what I think is one, but when I get nearer, I see a Jaguar on the trunk lid.
A few months ago I visited the tiny and remote township of Omeo, pop 450, in the Victorian high country. To my surprise there was a Tesla Model X in the carpark of the Golden Age hotel. Considering that Omeo is an hour and 45 from the nearest decent town and a further 3 hours to the nearest capital city it did seem like an unusual and expensive choice for a resident of the town, the hotel owner as it worked out. Ironically, the fact it hadn’t been washed in months and had a huge scrape down the left hand side meant it fitted in well with all the other vehicles in the town.
Houston has a ton of all three models. I have friends with them who absolutely love them.
Portland’s naturally got plenty of all three Tesla models. Model 3s are getting common. I almost always see a couple a day. Lots of prosperous greenies live around here, and our power’s pretty cheap, around $0.10/kWh.
At the technology company where I work, out of maybe 400 employees at least five have Model 3s already. Most of them don’t bother to use the eight Level 2 charging stations provided. Usually they are populated by Leafs, Volts, Bolts, i3s, eGolfs, and my Fiat. In other words, if you have lots of range and can charge at home then street and parking lot charging becomes irrelevant.
About 2 years ago I went and did a presentation at the Kirkland Google Campus and about 1/3 of the spaces had chargers and the non charger spots were less subscribed. At that time it was mostly Leafs, Volts and S but a few Mitsus and Foci and 500E. It would be interesting to see how many 3s are there now.
My friend who has a rex-less i3 and doesn’t have a charger at home since he has free level 2 charging at work. He doesn’t charge it every day though. Just makes sure to leave work Fri with a full battery and he is good for the weekend. If it is a long weekend he may give it a bump with the convenience cord to ensure he has enough range to get to work.
Parked next to one of these recently and looked inside. A wave of sickness rolled over me as I looked at the dashboard. No levers. No buttons. Just a giant soulless screen. Everything looked so… perfect. Those door handles are one the stupidest (in my opinion) things I’ve ever seen on a car. What happened to a handle that you just… pull? No motors or fancy such things to worry about. Just a hunk of metal you tug on. I vow to never drive an electric car, if I can help it. I’ll stick with my Plymouth.
Love both of them. Finally sat in a 3 the other day at the Santa Monica Tesla store and the interior quality is pretty good.
It’s hard to understate just how desirable these are to people. I was at a car show/marketplace the other month and there were swarms of people around a Model X Tesla was showing… and virtually nobody looking at a BMW i3 nearby. People love the technology and the style of these. And for all the criticism Elon Musk gets from enthusiasts, can’t we all just agree that these are technologically advanced cars beloved around the world and proudly American-made?
Eh, love him or hate him, Musk is the most exciting guy in the US auto biz since JZD himself.
The cars and what Tesla has been able to accomplish are indeed impressive and they deserve credit for that. But not nearly as much credit as what Wall Street has given them. And their sales and service model is a dealbreaker for me.
I find it very disturbing how modern companies are valued as much for their hype as their substance, and the sheer level of fanboyism driving their growth. Volunteering to do their deliveries for them? That’s insane. Their billionaire owner could have paid people to do that if he cared as much as his supporters do.
„Finally sat in a 3 the other day at the Santa Monica Tesla store and the interior quality is pretty good“ … eeeer …. WHAT?!
I probably sat in the very same car in the very same store last week. And I must say the quality is atrocious. Like … a -KIA-from-the-early-nineties-was-better atrocious. Brittle plastics everywhere, awful to touch. Weird holes and not-at-all fitting plastic inserts in the console, as if the designers just stopped to work at some point and said „ah, this will do somehow!“ The sunshade almost fell off when pulled, with the cover of the mirror being made of some flimsy material with fabric glued onto it that already peeled off … all this on a new car that‘s supposed to compete with Audis and Mercs and their beautiful, superbly crafted interiors!?
Overall this thing really felt like it will fall apart within a year. With a sticker of over 60K, I felt it nothing short of ridiculous. While I really do appreciate TESLAs efforts, including the overall design (minus the Model X) and even the dash, TESLA really need to step up their game on quality if they want to be more than just a flash in the pan. They‘ll need to, or otherwise Ze Germans will eat their lunch big time once they got their EVs going. And that is already happening.
Beside the quality issue: has anyone tried the backseat of a Model 3? That is not a place I’d want to spend more than 5 minutes in … the bench far too low to the ground, the backrest steep. Punitive to any grown-up person for sure.
S’s are everywhere around here. x’s and 3’s are very rare, though I did see a couple of truckloads of them in or last week.
I did see one pull up in the parkig lot at my FLAPS when returning caliper cores. The owner’s young daughter had come with him and apparently he was there to purchase stuff to wash it. I found it funny that he kept walking back in front of the front doors/windows to check on it.
It looks worse in person that it does in pictures.
So if I glue an IPad to my Studebaker’s dashboard, it’ll resemble the Tesla’s… sorta.
The completely open, flat top of the Tesla dash reminded me of the Stude’s, it would make the view out more expansive seeming, rather than looking “over” the top of instruments. A HUD would be even better, but I’m guessing those hadn’t been invented yet in ‘53…
Hello! Always nice to find another Studephile in the comments. I have always admired the 1953 models as they were the ones that grandfathered Studebaker’s automotive business into insolvency. My 1962 GT Hawk is one of the products of that glorious bodyshell and I couldn’t be happier!
I live in Santa Monica, one and one-half blocks from the Tesla showroom William visited. Teslas are as common here as Chevy Impalas were in my neighborhood in the 1960’s. I just went for a one-mile walk and stopped counting after seeing three new Model 3s and three new Model Xs on the curb.
I personally find the Model X to be one of the homeliest automobiles of my lifetime. Perhaps it reminds me too much of the 1950 Nash Ambassador (bathtub) we had when I was around 4-5 years old. But the X really makes the Nash look sleek by comparison. YMMV.
I’m not impressed with the exterior construction quality of the Model 3s I’ve looked at closely. And my former next-door neighbor had one of the early Model Ss that was not reliable. Probably better to get one of the later production cars.
There’s a Los Angeles sales and service center near me, so the street is lousy with them. People are taking test drives, bringing their cars in for service, or driving off with their new purchase. Tesla employees are always buzzing around the area, too. Even the occasional flatbed can be seen bringing a deceased Tesla in for a visit. Transporters are always parked in the median on the street because there’s no place else for them to offload the new arrivals from Fremont. The first high-speed police pursuit of a stolen Tesla originated there, too. That ended with a multi-vehicle crash, the Tesla split in half, and the thief transported to the hospital in critical condition.
We see quite a few in our necks (CO and KC) of the woods, but not to the extent of some areas. A year ago we were in Palo Alto for a wedding… you couldn’t swing a dead cat without hitting a Tesla.
As frequent long road trippers, none of the Tesla cars have much appeal to us, but I can see why they’re attractive to some folks. The Model X would be a disaster in the CO mountains; cannot imagine where to mount a ski rack, and would have to clear snow off the roof every time the rear doors had to open.
There are as many Tesla dealers in Missouri as there are Oregon, but there is one each in Kansas City and St. Louis, unlike having two in Portland. But it obviously makes business sense for Tesla to have it this way.
I’m seeing more Teslas all the time; I followed two running side-by-side (as S and a 3) on my way to the CC Gathering two weeks ago and Jim Klein and I saw an auto carrier full of them on I-270 in St. Louis.
There are eleven charging stations in Missouri (which is the same as New York state and one more than in Illinois), all in places that I frequent meaning 90% of my trips are within easy reach of a station. There are three within 60 miles of me with one of those within 30 miles. For comparison there are 15 charging stations in Oregon and 6 in Indiana.
If one googles their charging locations by state it’s quickly obvious they aren’t in rural areas as none are north of I-70 in Missouri.
Tesla is here to stay; Musk’s eccentricities are only tangentially related.
No pun intended, but more power to them.
I literally parked next to a Model S when I arrived at work this morning. All the Tesla models have become a daily sight in California. If I went outside and looked at the office park’s charging station I’m almost certain I’d see one plugged in there. They really need to get more charging stations here — there are way more EV owners than chargers here.
Hope that “X” has good A/C! I still remember stories about my father in law’s Mercury Sun Valley.
I see them around once in a while. Probably OK for a local runabout but kind of expensive for that task since a $2000 used car overall has a higher level of utility.
No electric car for me though, too many issues to put up with. I’m frequently on the road all day for business, for one thing, and no way can I sit around twiddling my thumbs waiting for a 30 minute “fast” charge to complete. For me it’s going to take something a whole lot better than lithium-ion batteries. (I don’t care about the alleged environmental benefits.)
A $2000 used car probably would make your life miserable if you drive enough that a Tesla’s recharge range is an issue.
They are borderline common around here (Northern Colorado), and the 3 is becoming quite common now. It’s interesting that “sedans” are so undesirable but a Model 3 doesn’t have that issue. I wonder what will happen when the “Y” smaller crossover comes out, will the 3 become undesirable all of a sudden as there will be a more popular format at the lower price point?
My son and I checked out all three models in Dallas last month and I was somewhat surprised that all three seem to have different door handles / means of entry/exit. It was a little odd but I’m unlikely to have two of them in my driveway anytime soon so fairly irrelevant.
I don’t personally like the styling of the X (too blobby for me), but there is one I see at my daughter’s school regularly in a very fetching darkish red that really works on it. The white ones look like a huge ostrich egg though.
What’ll be interesting to see if how the regular luxury automakers end up doing over the next couple of years as they are starting to come online with theirs now (Jaguar/Audi/Mercedes/Porsche) in fairly conventional formats as opposed to either “mainstream” makers such as Nissan/Chevy/Hyundai and somewhat “exotic/different” vehicles such as BMW’s offerings to date (i3/i8)
Michigan has no Tesla stores (by Michigan law), but I regularly see Model S, X and 3s around here (Grand Rapids area). Model S are becoming a regular sight, X and 3s a little less so. I guess the closest dealerships are in Indiana and Ohio, but we have Supercharger stations in the southeast suburbs of GR, closes to Interstate 96.
I really like the Tesla vehicles at least the ones I’ve seen so far. Franz von Holzhausen has done a fantastic job styling the vehicles, you recognize one immediately. They’re one of the few US vehicles that are desirable worldwide due to their unique combination of capabilities and utility. Love or hate Elon, the company produces a vehicle like no other. I know this sounds contradictory, but if I had unlimited funds, I would have a Hellcat Challenger and a Model S would be in my garage. The Model S would be my daily…
I have one gripe with the Model X panoramic windshield:
European cars like que Opel Astra ande the Citroen C4 Picasso had panoramic windshields way back in 2005 and these cars has very clever sliding sun visors. The Tesla people should had take one minute to research this instead make that impractical solution to reduce glare
https://youtu.be/htN1YC-Y_7I
What’s up with that ’84 (?) Corvette next to the Model3? Don’t see those everyday anymore either, the back half at least seems to be in good shape, nice to see one that isn’t red or black as well.
I’ve seen a few links today to this Tesla story regarding the display, but no one’s mentioned it here. The title tells all.
https://jalopnik.com/cop-pulls-tesla-model-3-driver-over-for-computer-mounte-1829437075/amp