The new cheap Tesla car

[DonTom]

The new cheaper version of the Model Y.

Specs look good for a cheap EV.

"The car's battery has a range of 357 miles and an acceleration from 0 to 60 in 5.4 seconds."

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Oldgator73]

No thanks.

 

[Derby6]

And nobody cares.

 

[Lou Schneider]

The new cheaper version of the Model Y.

Specs look good for a cheap EV.

"The car's battery has a range of 357 miles and an acceleration from 0 to 60 in 5.4 seconds."

-Don- Reno, NV

It's range is the same as my Mirage. The Tesla does get to 60 MPH twice as fast as the Mirage, which has enough acceleration and power for me. And with an average 40 MPG (a conservative estimate so far) even if you can charge the Tesla for free I can drive 100,000 miles at $8 per gallon before the fuel cost + purchase price favors the Tesla. Or 200,000 miles at $4 a gallon.

 

[Rene T]

No thanks.

Ditto

 

[old RV guy]

The new cheaper version of the Model Y.

Specs look good for a cheap EV.

"The car's battery has a range of 357 miles and an acceleration from 0 to 60 in 5.4 seconds."

-Don- Reno, NV

Range of 357 miles at what speed? EV's get worse hwy mileage than urban street mileage. ICE vehicles are the opposite. I'd want to know how far I can travel out of town before I have to find a charging station by a scenic river.

 

[RV Driver]

Yawn…

Face it, DonTom, the bloom is off the EV rose, and nobody cares.

 

[DonTom]

Yawn…

Face it, DonTom, the bloom is off the EV rose, and nobody cares.

Probably a good thing as the EV prices will drop fast, as I predicted many years ago.

But we will have to wait to see how well the cheap Tesla sells.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[DonTom]

Range of 357 miles at what speed? EV's get worse hwy mileage than urban street mileage. I

Here is the long version, which will cover all of that, including the expected BS factors.

I can tell you from experience that it is not possible to be accurate, but it works in both directions.

I don't waste my time looking at EV range specs. Same with charge times.

For the average EV car, I expect 3.5 miles per KWH of the battery capacity on the freeway, more if off the freeway. IOW, expect a 100 KWH battery to normally get you 350 miles and that will be realistic in most reasonable cases. Range will be better 50% and worse 50% of the time.

For charge times, I only want to know the charging rates in KW as well as battery KWH capacity. Because of this, it makes more sense to look at charge times as miles added per KWH of charge.


On an electric motorcycle, I expect 7 miles per KWH and for the range to about double every time going half the speed. Or half the range every time the speed is doubled. Cars are more aerodynamic than are motorcycles, so with cars it isn't as extreme.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[DonTom]

It's range is the same as my Mirage.

With my Chevy Bolt, now here in Reno, the difference is that I can leave my garage with a full "tank" every time and no other stops required. No stops required to charge anywhere I go other than at my two homes.

The only time I changed my Bolt on the road was just one time just to make sure it worked with a DCFC. All was as expected.

If we can consider a 55KW max charge rate as a "DC fast charge" is another question. But I have no need for any charges on the road ever, except with my electric motorcycles.

I find home charging to be very convenient. But I enjoy the charge breaks on the bikes. Those I plan. I normally ride electrics when riding solo but ICE when I go with a buddy as I did today.

But I do need to get gas once in a while to remind me what a hassle it is. I had two gas stops today. I rode my 1,000 lbs Harley up and around Lake Almanor today.

Mt. Lessen across the lake. Not my photo, but today I was at this exact spot where it was taken (The lookout on CA Hwy 147, SE side of lake):

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[old RV guy]

Here is the long version, which will cover all of that, including the expected BS factors.

I can tell you from experience that it is not possible to be accurate, but it works in both directions.

I don't waste my time looking at EV range specs. Same with charge times.

For the average EV car, I expect 3.5 miles per KWH of the battery capacity on the freeway, more if off the freeway. IOW, expect a 100 KWH battery to normally get you 350 miles and that will be realistic in most reasonable cases. Range will be better 50% and worse 50% of the time.

For charge times, I only want to know the charging rates in KW as well as battery KWH capacity. Because of this, it makes more sense to look at charge times as miles added per KWH of charge.


On an electric motorcycle, I expect 7 miles per KWH and for the range to about double every time going half the speed. Or half the range every time the speed is doubled. Cars are more aerodynamic than are motorcycles, so with cars it isn't as extreme.

-Don- Reno, NV

The link says the hwy range is established for a top speed of 60 mph. which is what I suspected, the rural speed limit on Texas interstates is 75 , in most other States it's 70. So at normal hwy driving speeds the range is no where near any 357 miles.

 

[old RV guy]

But I do need to get gas once in a while to remind me what a hassle it is. I had two gas stops today. I rode my 1,000 lbs Harley up and around Lake Almanor today.


View attachment 1303877

-Don- Reno, NV

Here it's not a hassle like it must be out there. You pull in, open the gas cap, stick the nozzle in, set the lever. When it clicks, you hang the nozzle back on the pump, screw the cap on and go. Wait 'til you guys get those modern gas pumps out your way, it will take all the hassle out of it.

 

[old RV guy]

Probably a good thing as the EV prices will drop fast, as I predicted many years ago.

But we will have to wait to see how well the cheap Tesla sells.

-Don- Reno, NV

Check the value of yours today, as you predicted it's value has dropped fast. Fortunately you're not in Europe, they'd use Teslas to make artificial reefs but it costs more to drive them to a salvage yard than they're worth.
Meantime, the value of Tesla's hasn't plummeted for the reasons you predicted EV prices would go down, but mainly because the owner of the company arrogantly thought mixing politics with business would go down well.

 

[DonTom]

Check the value of yours today

Why? I couldn't care less about its value to others.

No doubt my EV values to others has not dropped anything like my 165K$ Class A. And I couldn't care less there either.

I have no idea what any of my vehicles are worth on the used marker--and I do not care.


-Don- Reno, NV

 

[DonTom]

he link says the hwy range is established for a top speed of 60 mph. which is what I suspected, the rural speed limit o

Here is range vs speed for my Tesla M3LR (the red line below):

 

[DonTom]

Wait 'til you guys get those modern gas pumps out your way, it will take all the hassle out of it.

That is what makes it worse for older motorcycles. The older pumps are much easier to use on older motorcycles.

It takes two hands the entire time pumping in CA. No gas flow until the rubber thingy is pushed in with some pressure:

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[DonTom]

California, unfortunately or fortunately depending on one's perspective, suffers from runaway regulation.

And still isn't quite good enough for the most populated state.

 

[Arch Hoagland]

I've always wondered where you can take a Tesla for service if you don't have a Tesla dealer nearby.

I've asked my local repair shop if they work on EV's and they said no, not at all.

 

[DonTom]

I've always wondered where you can take a Tesla for service if you don't have a Tesla dealer nearby.

Nope, usually not, but the need is rare.

Besides that, in most cases, they can come to you. Request on your Tesla car Screen or Tesla App as long as there is an OTA connection (rare to not have it, but it can happen). The other option, when possible, is to drive it to the nearest Tesla dealer. They will give you a spare Tesla to go home with.

My 2018 Tesla Model 3 has never been anywhere for any type of service since it was new.

But I have:

Changed the 12 V battery.
Changed the Cabin Air Filter.
Replaced a window switch.
Added a little battery coolant.

Modify it for CCS adapter support (not sure why I did that, because I never charge on the road).

Stuff I did myself.

I doubt if most non-Tesla shops would even know the correct procedure to replace the 12V battery. If it is only replaced, you will have an error and warning that will never go away.

But the Tesla forum is where to start when you have Tesla questions and to learn the best ways to deal with it.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[SuwanneeDave1]

I will never consider buying a Tesla unless Musk writes a memoir and admits that Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning designed the original car, started the company and Musk basically stole it from them.