Anecdotal I suppose. Ours has been flawless. But then again, it’s only been a year. Ask me in 5 more.
Anyone we know with a Tesla has been pretty happy with their cars. But different people have different experiences.
Would you buy this vehicle to be towed?
- Thread starter penman39
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Anecdotal I suppose. Ours has been flawless. But then again, it’s only been a year. Ask me in 5 more.
Anyone we know with a Tesla has been pretty happy with their cars. But different people have different experiences.
stripit
Well-known member
My Tesal Model X is by far the best car I've ever purchased, love it and really wished it could be towed foru down. I'm playing with the purchase of a trailer to be able to take it with me. I now tow a Cadillac SRX, and we call that the TANK comparing it to the Tesla.
OP
OP
penman39
Well-known member
Thanks Joe for getting to point of my question. I see this as a future point to aim for. As for a towed EV not legally allowed now OK , but in the future when people envision self driving tractor trailers with no one at the wheel, so laws will change. As it stands with an EV all the things I am envisioning can be done with simple software programming. A communication app between your smartphone an the toad could keep you updated and enable you to disengaged all braking and propulsion assist. I.E., An electronic breakaway switch that would disabled all functions in the toad.
All it takes is vehicle software programming and the manufacturers to feel consumer interest to make it happen.
I agree with you that it is a software issue. But I don’t think there are any legal issues. It’s just a car. And as I mentioned, at least two manufacturers that you will be able to buy this year or next are going to be towable four down. Rivian and Lordstown.
With a Tesla it comes down to software for sure. Tesla’s don’t have keys or on switches. Your butt is the on switch. If there is nobody in the drivers seat the car is in park...PERIOD. Braking or hacking that code will be a trick.
With a leaf its easy, but it needs to be on a dolly. We may go that route.
DonTom
Well-known member
Still an issue on electric motorcycles, even here in CA, when far away from the major cities.
Even I-80 through Nevada, cannot get far on an electric motorcycle. Not on any of them. Especially if keeping up with the traffic speeds out there (80 MPH / 130 KM speed limit).
There are plenty of charging stations all grouped together where we could get by with one third of them just fine. Almost every exit on I-80 between here and Reno which is 99 miles/160 KM. But what if I want to go to Salt Lake City? Or even Susanville, CA or Bridgeport, CA? Then I must take an ICE M/C. Or ICE Car. Or my Tesla M3 LR.
-Don- Auburn, CA
DonTom
Well-known member
yah I have noticed that bunching up as well. That kind of happens here as well but the province got involved to help spread it out a bit. They are doing a good job but there are still a few significanT holes up north. Looking at the “coming soon” map that may get resolved this summer. I think the Alaska connection is still going to be a 2022 or 2023.
Don for a motorcycle what is your preferred spacing between DCFC. I get the impression they (the province) are using 100 km as a guide up here just from looking at spacing on maps. I think the gas stations that are putting in DCFC like Petrocan are using double that as a guide though for the time being. What works for motorcycles?
Cheers.
DonTom
Well-known member
50 miles/80 KM. Between here and San Francisco or between here and Reno, it's more like an average of every ten miles if not less, on I-80, for a charge station. Get to Fernley, NV on I-80 and after that it is more than a hundred miles (160KM) for the next CCS fast charge or even a J-1772, which will be at Winnemucca, NV.
LoveLock, NV is listed as a "coming soon" for CCS at a Safeway grocery store. For quite a while. But I was recently there (on my Harley), there is no trace of any construction at that Safeway for such. That is not uncommon for the "coming soon". OTOH, places that are NOT mentioned, just popup sometimes, such as Cisco Grove CCS. No mention on Plugshare that it was coming, they are just there one day non-activated, a few months later they are activated. I added those to Plugshare myself here on Oct 15, 2020. That is a perfect location for my Energica or Zero SR to go between here and Reno. Right at 50 miles / 80 KM half way point, and I have my choice of taking more scenic but slower CA Hwy 20, or the faster I-80.
-Don- Auburn, CA
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Ex-Calif
Well-known member
In regards to electric bikes are there any bikes anyone wants to ride 100 miles in one direction at present?
I still view them like golf carts in terms of RV usage - Maybe run to the grocery store on them.
I still view them like golf carts in terms of RV usage - Maybe run to the grocery store on them.
DonTom
Well-known member
Yes, many, including two of mine. Even the Zero DS if less than 20 MPH. So it can even be all three of mine. That is IF I go slow enough. But that's a big "if". In fact, my Zero SR will do better than 200 miles at around 35 MPH or less. The problem with electric motorcycles are freeways. Every time you double the speed, the range is cut in half or worse. And also, regen is useless on a freeway. Electric motorcycles are great in stop and go city traffic. Max regen and range, quite the opposite of ICE vehicles. Also, wind, hills, and temperature effect range. I avoid the situations where I might be able to make the range. Too many variables to guess. Max range changes almost every day at freeway speeds. Sometimes the range is so good I feel like I have a double battery. Other times, it it so poor, on the same road, but a different day, that it seems my battery is half the size it really is.
The very best range is on slow unpaved roads. Will beat even the city spec every time. I then could probably go 300 miles and that is a very long ways on an unpaved road. Usually, that is a few days worth of riding.
But in NV, just to stay with the traffic on I-80, I will be lucky to get 50 miles. At 80 MPH, I won't even get 50 unless the wind is in the same direction I am going.
It is very difficult to guestimate range on an electric motorcycle. Teslas are MUCH more accurate because the aerodynamics are very poor with motorcycles when compared to cars at higher speeds.
On my electric motorcycles, I normally prefer the slow route when there is such.
On electric motorcycles, if you're going far enough to need a charge, ride very slow when in a big hurry. You can never make up for the charge times with speed on an electric motorcycle. Not even with my Energica which charges very fast on the road (25KW charging). Still will take a half hour to fully charge when near empty, as the battery is 11.7 KW.
Electric motorcycles are only good for around 90% of my riding. For that other ten percent, I take an ICE bike.
With my Tesla, it's the opposite. I am more likely to take the Tesla than an ICE car if the distance is far.
-Don- Auburn, CA
Ex-Calif
Well-known member
Note I didn't ask if it was possible.
I asked if anyone wanted to ride a current generation bike 100+ miles. I don't even like to ride my v-star 100 miles without a break and I think my range is about 150 miles with reserve.
I asked if anyone wanted to ride a current generation bike 100+ miles. I don't even like to ride my v-star 100 miles without a break and I think my range is about 150 miles with reserve.
Utclmjmpr
Well-known member
I was in the motorcycle business for 21 years and accumulated over 1 million miles on HDs from 1962 to 1983 when my 19 year old son was killed on one....WALKED away and never looked back.>>>Dan
