My family knows I am an Electric Vehicle enthusiast. I was caught by surprise by my son’s comment that he was not considering a Tesla (Model Y) in his future due to his concerns about running out of electricity on the road and the long recharge stops he would need to take for road trips. The “running out of electricity” is a common concern that is called range anxiety. I had it before I owned a Tesla. This is no longer a concern of mine.
Because of my son’s comments, I thought I would write this quick blog about owning and driving a Tesla in case anyone else out there is considering a Tesla and has these typical anxieties.
First some quick background: My wife and I have owned a Tesla Model 3 in Wisconsin for about 10 months. We purchased the Tesla rather than another Electric Vehicle (EV) because we wanted to take this car on road trips. It is by far the nicest and most expensive car we have ever owned. The Model 3 is Tesla’s more affordable sedan. The Model Y is Tesla’s more affordable mid-sized SUV that may be available late next year. The Model S (sedan) and X (SUV) are Tesla’s top-of-the-line flagship models. And then of course there is the Roadster for those who need a really fast and expensive car.
Range Anxiety:
This is a natural fear. There are not charging stations every few miles everywhere you go. If I did not own a Tesla I would possibly still have range anxiety as I believe that charging on other networks may not be as reliable (and certainly not as fast) as charging on the Tesla supercharger network. (If non-Tesla EV owners want to challenge this last statement and comment, that would be great). If you can charge at home, then this should only apply to road trips. Teslas have a supercharging network and an onboard computer that will plan your trip for you. You can see the recommended stops, and how much you should charge at each stop. And most importantly, you can see how many of the superchargers are open and available for you to hook up to as soon as you arrive. In the midwest, most superchargers are empty most of the time, so you should never run out of electricity. You have plenty of options, and the car will even tell you how much to slow down if you are cutting it too close before your next charge. The car works hard to make sure you don’t run out of electricity before making it to the next supercharger.
Road Trip Planning:
This is different in an Electric Vehicle. Charge stops need to be planned, but there are typically numerous options. The most important fact is that if the stops generally occur when you were going to stop anyway (for bathroom breaks or food), they do not seem all that time consuming. We can get over 150 miles of range in about 30 minutes of supercharging, or about 200 miles in 45 minutes. Faster supercharging is becoming more available in urban areas. If you can stay somewhere and charge your battery overnight, then you can go 500 miles/day with one stop. Many places (such as hotels) offer free charging at slower rates. There are phone/computer apps that will show you your other options.
Teslas come with adapters to fit the usual midrange charging speed chargers that non-Tesla owners use.
Most superchargers are near restaurants or stores so you do not need to stay in your car and watch the battery charge. However, because the car can stay warm or cool with climate control, you can also use these stops to check emails, do other work or take a nap in your car. Running the heater or A/C during charging does not noticeably increase the time to charge.
Overall there is just a different flow to road tripping in a Tesla. Not really difficult or anxiety provoking, just different. And if you travel with kids, that may add an added layer of complexity if the kids need to be entertained while supercharging.
Other notes:
For those who may be considering buying a Tesla in the future:
1. Use someone’s referral code. Currently both you and that someone will get 1000 free supercharger miles.
2. For a variety of reasons, batteries do not operate as well in really cold weather. Range can start to decrease below 50 degrees (Fahrenheit) or so, and will be 40-50% around 0 degrees (Fahrenheit).
3. Opt for the larger battery (more miles) if you are going to be using your car for road trips. You will not regret it.
4. Teslas are fun to drive and they are always improving with updates.
