TESLA MODEL 3

[darrude]

A bit bored at work today, so read some info on the Tesla Model 3.  Since most on here have a Hybrid that is a similar size wondering what peoples thoughts are, anyone thinking of getting one?

Personally wouldn't work for me (as I tend to do infrequent but long journeys), but with a potential range of up to 310miles could be an interesting proposition for a lot of people?

Regarding the range I did a quick search, the model S with a 285mile range, is reported by uses as getting around 220miles at prolonged M'Way speeds, so maybe the model 3 might get 250miles on a long journey, if you're brave... 

Interior looks a bit like a child designed it as well, the lack of dials behind the steering is enough to put me off, looks like a cheap Citroen with an aftermarket ipad installed....!

[markgray]

I've driven the Model S and that is an amazing machine (with a lovely looking interior), if the Model 3 can perform like the S then it will be a very capable machine, but the interior on the 3 is a major let down.....i think the hope (from consumers) is that on the facelift it will get an interior more closer to the Model S 🙂

 

[200h]

i'm not a fan of the absence of clocks behind the steering wheel,and if you ever have an issue with the display you've had it.

[The-Acre]

Interestingly I saw lots of Tesla's on my recent Austrian road trip, far more than here, in fact I'd go as far as saying they were a common sight.

[doog442]

It would need to be Lexus quality for me to make the jump. 

 

[Linas.P]

5 hours ago, darrude said:

Interior looks a bit like a child designed it as well, the lack of dials behind the steering is enough to put me off, looks like a cheap Citroen with an aftermarket ipad installed....!

They call it "minimalism", but I found it to be just "simple" not in good way. Had very short look around Tesla Model S and interior quality is appalling. I cannot critique the build quality but materials felt cheap, sort of Dacia level plastics, the leather very hard and feels like "PU leather" you would find on £100 sofa, lack of leather grain just increases the feeling of it being synthetic. In fact they use some sort of real leather, but definitely not the best quality. Seats lacks support and bloody slippery, back seat are literally like a bench. I like the tablet like controls, but I agree it looks a bit out of place.

One thing for sure, I cannot have Tesla because I cannot charge it anywhere, the electrical installation in my parking cannot support pure electric cars be that Tesla, Leaf or BMW i3. Unless government is planning to upgrade entire infrastructure I see electric cars more like right people toy, rather then viable alternative.

[Mr Vlad]

I'd love a model S but fact is I wouldn't have any plug in hybrid/electric car simply because for me there's no charging points. And after reading a long term test on the Golf GTE where the tester got a call from his electric suppliers notifying him of his unusual excessive electric use and there by doubling his bill or was it trebling but none the less not viable for me.

[Chris Skelton]

Hey, less of the 'cheap Citroen' digs! I've had about 20 Cits of various sizes and NEVER had a problem!

 

 

Agree re Tesla interior. When you read the levels Toyota went to with the LS launch - cows from barbed wire free fields; man with 3 sets of nails to check the buttons; paint sprayers teseted every 3 months......Yamaha wood, etc..Tesla IS amurrican, they are used to cheap cars and basic fittings.

[doog442]

1 hour ago, Linas.P said:

One thing for sure, I cannot have Tesla because I cannot charge it anywhere, the electrical installation in my parking cannot support pure electric cars be that Tesla, Leaf or BMW i3. Unless government is planning to upgrade entire infrastructure I see electric cars more like right people toy, rather then viable alternative.

and you've nailed it.  

We can bang on about it for an eternity but the cost of these cars and the sheer impracticality of charging the things for a massive percentage of the population is a complete no go.

Calling @ganzoom

 

[HarryM]

How hard would it be to have removable power packs? Drive in, car wash style, battery's drop out, moves along, new ones in.

i know all manufactures would have to make a common size and fittings but it can't be impossible.  That's the only way I could have all electric, we drive down to the Alps and although it's all down hill till we get there! I don't think a four day there four back would be much of a holiday.  

[NemesisUK]

This is a good read regarding batteries

https://electrek.co/2016/11/01/breakdown-raw-materials-tesla-batteries-possible-bottleneck/

 

[Tel]

The bottom line is with Tesla the price you pay is twice the cost of cars in that segment as you pay for the technology.

So the current car is ok with poor build values when compared to all other 40 K cars & has significant range issues

Two tales from Tuscany

Befriended 2 Owners in 2012 & 2017 comparing my ISF with an M3 & last year  my IS with an i8 which looked stunning.

We all agreed Lexus Build Quality was the best, the M3 was 40% thirstier &  cost a fortune to service whist the i8s consumption was nearly half the value of mine despite claims to be @ least twice.

Technology must deliver for me but fails miserably unless you are a Dedicated Eco Warrior.

I drove a Prius Plug-in; as most daily commutes are" in traffic " & it was no better than my IS mpg on the same commute but the Eco Owners better 75mpg.

Bottom line is Technology is in its infancy

Tel

 

 

[Rabbers]

Prospective Tesla customers might want to follow the enquiry currently underway in Switzerland into the causes of an accident a few days ago   

when a Model S burst into flames killing its owner after hitting a motorway guard-rail.   Local firefighters initially suggested the fire may have been

due to rapid overheating of the lithium-ion batteries (a phenomenon known as "thermal runaway") resulting from the violence of the impact, but 

have withheld further comment pending more detailed investigation into, for example, whether the car was on autopilot. 

[NemesisUK]

There have been numerous cases in Sweden and Norway of cars bursting into flames whilst charging. Fire fighters have been unable to put out.

[Mr Vlad]

And what about that electric super car Richard Hammond crashed whilst at a hill climb race. It stayed alight quite a while.

As for exchanging an old Battery for a new one at a stop and go centre. Try that with a model S. Not an effing chance as it's basically the cars chassis. 

[malcolmw]

Battery exchange is not going to happen as it's really the car and Battery maker's key IP. Nobody will want to share their technology across the market.

Lithium iron phosphate batteries are typically used in EVs and these will continue to burn in the absence of oxygen as they are self-sustaining. The only way to easily extinguish them is to drench rapidly in huge volumes of water to cool the Battery down. The problem that all car manufacturers have is that they need cells which can discharge at high power for rapid acceleration but these are thus inherently capable of starting a fire if shorted in an accident.

Fires while charging can occur if there is a charger failure or a breakdown of the separator in a cell due to a fault in its manufacture. The electrolyte typically has a flash point of 250degC so if there is a hot spot it will go up in flames with the fire spreading rapidly.

Tesla are running out of time. They were first into the market with a quality EV but all the big manufacturers are rapidly catching up and then Tesla's problem will be persuading buyers to take their car over one from a tried and respected name. 

I too will not be going electric yet due to the dearth of charge points. At the moment, the hybrid option gives the best of all worlds with few compromises.

[Guest]

There isn't enough manufacturing capacity to make enough batteries. There isn't even enough to put batteries in all the cars in the world. It would take hundreds of years at current production.

Sure buy an electric car to save fuel cost but you're not saving the planet. There are much easier and cost effective ways to reduce your environmental impact.

Petrol has to be made as the by product of refining. So unless they stop chugging the main polluters (diesel ships) around the world you will have petrol.

Not sure most people realise what a world without fossil fuel will be like.

All ships would probably have to be nuclear. No more cheap movement of goods.

Aeroplanes? No idea. Don't think it's possible. Not with current technology anyway.

Just some dystopian musings there :)

Sent from my STV100-4 using Tapatalk

[Big Rat]

And if @Comedian has any more cheerie news he will be sure to bring it to you 😂

🐀

[Big Rat]

When I first bought my RCF back in January I took a trip up to Lincolnshire to see @Comedian drove in ECO all the way there purely to see what Lexus petrol technologies have accomplished in an atmospheric 5.0 petrol car.

38.8 mpg was the result from Bristol pretty damn  good I’d say.

🐀

[Guest]

11 minutes ago, Big Rat said:

When I first bought my RCF back in January I took a trip up to Lincolnshire to see @Comedian drove in ECO all the way there purely to see what Lexus petrol technologies have accomplished in an atmospheric 5.0 petrol car.

38.8 mpg was the result from Bristol pretty damn  good I’d say.

🐀

That's about what I got on a steady trip to Manchester airport. Impressive. Couldn't get that in an is200!!

[doog442]

1 hour ago, Big Rat said:

When I first bought my RCF back in January I took a trip up to Lincolnshire to see @Comedian drove in ECO all the way there purely to see what Lexus petrol technologies have accomplished in an atmospheric 5.0 petrol car.

38.8 mpg was the result from Bristol pretty damn  good I’d say.

🐀

Bloody hell that's good .The RCF is an itch I really want to scratch but the only thing holding me back is I do a long run a few times a month to watch my local footie club away from home or the odd airport trip ..mid 30's on a run would do me fine with a random blat thrown in en route.

The other itch is a motor home but lets not go there.

 

[rayaans]

The interior quality on the Model X, let alone the Model S or Model 3 is rubbish. You do literally pay through the nose for the tech. Similiar thing with the I-pace. They promised everyone it'd be £56k but what do you actually get? Not much but a shell and poor packaging in a decent looking vehicle. It hits £70-75k to the same spec as something like an RX. 

Tesla have a huge issue on their hands because the big guns will be coming in soon with their own EVs. Toyota, BMW, Merc, VAG all have them in the pipeline. Volvo have ditched diesel for any new cars after the V60 and have an aggressive EV policy for the future as well

[Big Rat]

3 hours ago, doog442 said:

Bloody hell that's good .The RCF is an itch I really want to scratch but the only thing holding me back is I do a long run a few times a month to watch my local footie club away from home or the odd airport trip ..mid 30's on a run would do me fine with a random blat thrown in en route.

The other itch is a motor home but lets not go there.

 

@doog442 Doog nah let’s go there briefly, close friend 3 doors up had just bought this behemoth £105k brand new has spent more time off the road in the  first 3 months of ownership leaks/electrical/gearbox 🙄

He’s tearing his hair out

Its a real beast.... when it’s running

Big Rat

[ganzoom]

Electric cars catch fire? No where to charge? Tech is not ready? 

You bunch sound like daily mail readers been stuck in a bunker for the last 5 years :)

I've been driving EVs since March 2015, same months as we got our IS300H.

Just based on my expereince

• No fires I can report 
• I've managed to find charging in a barn on top a hill in the middle of the peak district
• So far have covered 34K miles in just over 3 years - Have a driving holiday to France planned. 
• 0 = number of time I've run of charge
• Total cost of fuel in 34K - £500 (most of which I've claimed back on travel expenses

Our X is the best car I have owned ever, the only reason our IS300H is still on the driveway is because Tesla cannot produce the Model 3 quickly enough, they are getting there though 4000 cars/week is latest report and they are aiming for 6000/week end of next months.......Lexus sold 5000 ISs in 2017 for the WHOLE of Europe. 

So keep up the good work on here, but the rest of the world is moving on.

[Guest]

14 minutes ago, ganzoom said:

 

So keep up the good work on here, but the rest of the world is moving on.

There are possibly about 2-3 million EV and PHEV on the road worldwide assuming a large % growth.

impressive. Until you realise that way back in 2012 the world went past 1billion cars in use and I think we've lost count since then.

Seems to be heading for 80 million per year production. 

So while it is great you are enjoying your car, and I have nothing against them whatsoever. The reality of the situation is it's not going to make a dent in emissions. What it will do is let fuel last longer for the military and other state uses.

Without fossil fuel burning trucks, mining equipment, planes and ships and their huge environmental impact - you wouldn't have an electric car.

I wish it were a better outlook but the truth is, when fossil fuel runs out, things will change rather dramatically. Shares in horse and cart companies might be a strong bet.

Therefore I'm not convinced that you're moving on and leaving us cavemen behind. I think you will just leave the planet with a few more pound notes that you didn't spend on fuel. Cardboard coffins the way to go I hear, or get yourself composted or made into a Battery?

Unless someone figures out space travel we are all stuck here parked next to the big yellow (actually it's white but looks yellow due to refraction in the atmosphere) reactor that's going to fry the planet one day. So just relax and enjoy yourself.

It's all one big joke 😉