Anyone else with a Tesla ?

For Tesla owners only, would you upgrade to MCU2 for 2-2.5K ?

  • Yes

    Votes: 10 40.0%
  • No

    Votes: 15 60.0%

  • Total voters
    25

tfboy

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Seeing as this is a tech forum, I thought I'd post my story after going fully electric and getting a Tesla Model S.

This is mostly a copy paste from another long thread on another motoring forum, but still represents my journey into this new world.

My journey so far has been a real eye opener. I had been following Teslas but only very briefly, remembering the Roadster and hearing some controversy how Top Gear rigged and scripted the whole thing giving it a much worse review than it deserved.

However, a friend's venture into Tesladom re-energised my desire to research the whole electric car thing.

I started researching the Model S and the more I read and learnt about it, the more I realised this car actually ticked far more boxes than I hoped and became a worryingly (!!) attractive option. I started looking them up, realised they were quite expensive but gave so much back in return with massively reduced running costs and the unbelievable flexibility of a insanely quick 0-60 car and also being able to carry 5 adults in utmost comfort.

My Skoda Fabia, whilst fun, and having spent a great deal on it turning it into a project car, felt like it was time time for me to change to something different. I have become increasingly aware of the environment and starting thinking how I could go about financing a very logical folly.

Then I was thinking maybe I should get it as a company car. Since I started my own business, I've not "treated" myself to anything, and when you start looking at the financial advantages of getting an electric car, it becomes all the more compelling.

So around the turn of 2015, I booked myself a test drive in a Model S at West Drayton. It was the first time I had been in an electric car and had an idea of what to expect. However...

I was greeting with great friendliness and professionalism, but interestingly, for the first time walking into a car sales shop, felt bizzarely relaxed. There was no pressure by the sales guys. They started the drive. As we pulled out, although I knew there wouldn't be any engine noise, it's still unnerving the first time. You know to expect it, but it still feels strange!

We pull over into a quiet industrial estate. The car was a P90D and he says "I'll show you the acceleration you get with the P90D model. This doesn't have the 'Ludicrous' option, but gives you an idea". He then floors it. I'm pushed back into my seat. Jaw slowly but surely fally into my lap. This is amazing!

We then swap seats. I sit in the driver's seat. The demonstrator shows me how to create a profile. I adjust the seat, steering wheel, mirrors, etc, and save it. I then stick it into Drive and pull away. I go round the first few roundabouts and the plantedness of the car is striking. The low down battery pack floor gives a very low centre of gravity and there's zero body roll. The next thing that strikes me is just the instantanousness of the pedal response. No lag. None at all. Of course, it's a bit of a change coming from a big turbo conversion where there is inevitably some delay, particularly if you're not in the sweet spot of the rev range. Here, there is no sweet spot. Or rather, any speed is a sweet spot. It's just amazing.

We get onto a slip road onto the M4. I floor it and an unmeasurable grin appears on my face. I start to realise that this is, in my opinion, the car of the future. The demonstrator then shows me the Autopilot features. At first, I'm very reluctant to let it drive itself. But it does so with consummate ease, keeping a safe distance from the car in front, tracking the lane marking and negotiating curves with no drama at all.

We then make it back to West Drayton, and I start taking a few photos and play around with the car's settings on the huge 17" touchscreen. I start to wonder what options I would choose should I go ahead, I have a USB stick with some high quality FLAC files and compare the standard sound system to the "Ultra High Fidelity" sound system. Damn, it sounds quite a bit better. But £1800 better?

I get back into my Fabia. All of a sudden, everything feels to 19" century. It's noisy, there's a hint of diesel smell, it rattles. Why am I feeling like this? I love this car! But it suddenly feels ancient and so passé!

I drive home and continue to think about what model and options I would tick. A few days and weeks pass, but I can't help but think about driving around in a Tesla. I consider myself a pretty well balanced person, and that partly annoys me how I've just been "converted" to the whole Tesla and electric car movement. It's not like me. Xav, what are you thinking? Have you gone mad?!?

A few weeks pass and that feeling doesn't go away. At that point, I decide "Yes, it's going to be my next car". The next big question: to get the 90D which is the high capacity 90kWh battery but not the "performance" version. Remember, Tesla do not make slow cars. The slowest version is still a rather nippy 5s 0-60 in its 4WD setup! The penalty switching to the "P" version is quite severe. Another £20k+ And then there's the "Ludicrous" option. Another £8k or so. Having also ticked various other options, well, pretty much every other option, I'm now north of £100k. Crikey!

"OK" I say to myself. I really need to see whether it's worth spending this extra money on the Performance and potentially Ludicrous options. I remember Richard, my friend commenting very sensibly that it's a hell of a lot of money (you can buy probably two new Skodas for the price of the upgrade!). Also, you lose a tiny bit in range as the P version is more thirsty in the electron department...

Hmm. OK, I need to see what all the talk is regarding this Ludicrous thing. By now a month has passed, and I phone West Drayton up and enquire about having a second test drive with a car equipped with the Ludicrous option. They say they don't have one available but will get back to me. A day passes, I get a call from WD. They've arranged to have a Ludicrous car brought over from Gatwick (I think) and have it available for a test drive. I take them up on the offer.

The ludicrous test drive arrives and this time, it's Maggie, another demonstrator who takes me out with a few friends I had brought along for the experience. She pulls up by a slip road. Switches to "Ludicrous" and then plants it. OMFG! It's visceral. Your internal organs are seriously displaced. It's like a roller coaster ride. Do this a few times, I can see people throwing up, it's that brutal! She then throws it round a roundabout doing a U-turn and floors it back up the dual carriageway. This is off the chart in terms of real performance. It might not beat the supercars above 60mph, but before that and with the limits of traffic and speed limits on our roads, it's mightily impressive.

I eventually get back home after driving yet again, in an agricultural diesel engined car. Yup, I've decided, the Tesla is for me. Now to decide whether I want to spend that much more on the silly Ludicrous version. I realise that the usefulness is questionable. Yes, it's a nice party trick to show off to your mates, but how often would I really use it?

A week later, I place my order. And yes, I tick the Ludicrous option :eek: I now have a two-week "cooling off" period where I can change the spec, etc, or cancel and get a full refund of the £2,000 deposit. In that time, Richard sends me a PM on Facebook saying he's selling his Tesla. A second time.

In the end, I stick to my decision to buy a new built-to-order Tesla. On the 15th April, the order is locked in and I can no longer pull out (well, I can, but will lose the £2k deposit). Now the excrutiating wait commences. I'm commited, yet have to wait. Through the Speakev forum, I get in touch with a chap who has the ability to track the order. I get the container number and ship the car will sail on. Every day, sometime several times a day I check up on the position of the container ship crossing the Atlantic.

Finally, the car arrives and a pick up is scheduled on 30th June. It's a manic time. They have 40 cars sheduled for pick up - extra pressure to meet end of quarter targets. I turn up, excited like a 5-year-old. I do a quick once-over on the car, and am happy to expedite the whole induction process as I felt pretty familiar with the car's toys. The staff were quite grateful as they had just so many customers to get through that Thursday.

A week has now passed and I'm still in love with what the car has to offer. It's turned out to be quite a Jekyll and Hyde kind of car, able to cruise very comfortably and quietly along the motorways at 60-70mph. But get on the twisties, and put your foot down and instant gratification and smile-enducing driving. It manages to be so versatile, it's quite terrifying how a potent package a well-designed electric car can provide. In my opinion, it really is the future. When you look at what else is on offer, the environment issues, the fact you're burning fuel, creating emissions when at a standstill on the M25 when an electric car doesn't, and with autopilot, takes all the stress out of being stuck in a jam. I actually don't mind now being stuck in standstill traffic. I just let the car do the stuff whilst I relax and listen to music. No more tired left leg with a heavy duty clutch, noise when not moving, etc.

I cannot see myself every wanting to drive an ICE car unless it's a track toy. There's a kind of lack of drama with no engine noise, but 99% of the time, I don't miss it. I appreciate the quiteness and comfort far more for the majority of the time than having a really involved and connected feeling to the car and road. Maybe I'm showing my age LOL. The only downside I can think of is the sheer size of the car. It's WIDE, and in tight country lanes, can bring a scare or two when something wide comes the other way!
 
Another post a month in :)

Today marks one month of ownership. Still in love. By the end of the weekend, I will have gone over the 3,000 mile mark.

I'm starting to get used to the sheer size and width of it. Everything has now become second nature: the autopresent door handles / completely keyless operation, the "charge when the opportunity presents itself", etc, it's just so easy to live with.

I haven't had any real range anxiety at all. With the 250+ range, it's not an issue for my daily commute. As I drive 80 miles return every day to work, I essentially get two days' worth of charge with a lot of spare energy to have fun with when I'm in the mood, or when I'm provoked ;) I could do three days' worth, but as I don't have the luxury of charging at home and the charging at work has recently become an "issue" due to an inconsiderate colleague (might be related to Clarkson actually!), I tend to only charge to 70-80% as that's what's most time-efficient. For those who don't know, the charging rate is ramp-based and slows down as the battery fills up. If you're at a Supercharger (which is the highest rate of charge possibly today), you'll go from 0-50% in about 20 minutes. 50-80% takes another 20 minutes and the 80-100% would probably take another 20-30 minutes on top of that. So as I'm having to wait, it's just not worth it. Arguably, it's also not best for the battery to fully charge it and not use that first few percent of capacity. Storing the car 100% fully charged isn't recommended, so I just stick to 70-80% which gives me the 2+ daily return commutes I'm doing.

On Tuesday, I'm off to South West France, near Spain. I've already planned my route through the Channel Tunnel. It's roughly 11 hours of driving and 3 hours or charging. Really looking forward to that. evtripplanner.com is great for working out energy consumption / times. I'll see how accurate it really is!

i-hgtgJvp.png



So a month in, I can update with the following summary:

Pros:
  • It's the most comfortable, calm, serene car you could possibly ever be in. Wafting along the motorways on a quiet surface with virtually no noise (just a bit of road / wind noise as you approach NSL)
  • It's incredibly luxurious yet minimalist. I accept, the styling is down to personal preference, but a month in, I still love it and am not bored at all with the simplicity of it.
  • It'll leave ANYTHING for dead at the lights, coming out of roundabout, coming up a slip road. It's deceptively quick, it's addictively quick, and the greeny in me loves this is at zero noise and zero car emissions cost whatsoever.
  • The infotainment keeps me busy at quiet times / traffic jams. Quick browse on the web, randomly pick pretty much any piece of music on Spotify.
  • Autopilot is just awesome. Using it as it was intended ;) it massively reduces tiring on long trips and stop/start traffic jams. Combining AP with stops every 2-3 hours to charge means I'm not worried at all about my long solo drive
  • The logging information available through a few APIs (I'm using Teslalog.com) is a geek's paradise. Note to self: do NOT use this car for a heist!
  • I've done just about 3k miles and it's not cost me a penny through the use of Superchargers, destination chargers (work / gym / shopping centres / IKEA) and a few Ecotricity pumps, although the latter will end as they complete their conversions.
Cons:
  • It's still frikkin wide and ain't getting any narrower! Tight roads can make for uncomfortable driving. Something big coming the other way not quite tight against their kurb somehow clenches my buttocks as we cross! I now systematically look for a "safe" parking slot when out and about, with still no absolute guarantees someone too interested won't cause a car ding.
  • The CHAdeMO charging adapter has issues with Nissan-branded Ecotricity charging stations, so choice is limited. But that problem will no longer be one once they finish the conversion to charging (£) for charge (electrons).
  • A piece of trim by the steering wheel doesn't stay flush against the dash. Minor cosmetic thing hardly noticable, but I'll mention it when it goes in for its first service as I'm not expecting trim to fall off £100k+ car.
  • Not being able to charge at home / work is a minor nuisance when I have to take time out somewhere to do it.
A month in, I can't see ever wanting to change to another car, particularly an ICE. There's just no going back for me, and apart from the desire for something a bit smaller for short trips (Model 3 is reserved!), it's done everything I've wanted. I even helped a friend move house and getting a new bedroom suite at Ikea, loading it into the car with no problems at all. And she loved the chauffered service! In fact, it's such a pleasure to drive that any excuse is good enough for a quick trip somewhere. Whether down at the shops (providing parking is pre-planned!), going to see friends, even the geeky-sad desire to explore where chargers are located in my area.

Meeting up and speaking to other BEV owners (and if I'm in an especially good mode, PHEV owners too! :p ), it's great to see what people think of it. Certainly raised a few eyebrows at the Pistonheads Sunday Service meet a couple of weekends ago. The reason for their raised eyebrows changed from initial scepticism and nay-sayers to "OMFG-this-is-incredible" with the ocasional drop of the jaw. I love it!
 
Seeing as this is a tech forum, I thought I'd post my story after going fully electric and getting a Tesla Model S.

This is mostly a copy paste from another long thread on another motoring forum, but still represents my journey into this new world.

My journey so far has been a real eye opener. I had been following Teslas but only very briefly, remembering the Roadster and hearing some controversy how Top Gear rigged and scripted the whole thing giving it a much worse review than it deserved.

However, a friend's venture into Tesladom re-energised my desire to research the whole electric car thing.

I started researching the Model S and the more I read and learnt about it, the more I realised this car actually ticked far more boxes than I hoped and became a worryingly (!!) attractive option. I started looking them up, realised they were quite expensive but gave so much back in return with massively reduced running costs and the unbelievable flexibility of a insanely quick 0-60 car and also being able to carry 5 adults in utmost comfort.

My Skoda Fabia, whilst fun, and having spent a great deal on it turning it into a project car, felt like it was time time for me to change to something different. I have become increasingly aware of the environment and starting thinking how I could go about financing a very logical folly.

Then I was thinking maybe I should get it as a company car. Since I started my own business, I've not "treated" myself to anything, and when you start looking at the financial advantages of getting an electric car, it becomes all the more compelling.

So around the turn of 2015, I booked myself a test drive in a Model S at West Drayton. It was the first time I had been in an electric car and had an idea of what to expect. However...

I was greeting with great friendliness and professionalism, but interestingly, for the first time walking into a car sales shop, felt bizzarely relaxed. There was no pressure by the sales guys. They started the drive. As we pulled out, although I knew there wouldn't be any engine noise, it's still unnerving the first time. You know to expect it, but it still feels strange!

We pull over into a quiet industrial estate. The car was a P90D and he says "I'll show you the acceleration you get with the P90D model. This doesn't have the 'Ludicrous' option, but gives you an idea". He then floors it. I'm pushed back into my seat. Jaw slowly but surely fally into my lap. This is amazing!

We then swap seats. I sit in the driver's seat. The demonstrator shows me how to create a profile. I adjust the seat, steering wheel, mirrors, etc, and save it. I then stick it into Drive and pull away. I go round the first few roundabouts and the plantedness of the car is striking. The low down battery pack floor gives a very low centre of gravity and there's zero body roll. The next thing that strikes me is just the instantanousness of the pedal response. No lag. None at all. Of course, it's a bit of a change coming from a big turbo conversion where there is inevitably some delay, particularly if you're not in the sweet spot of the rev range. Here, there is no sweet spot. Or rather, any speed is a sweet spot. It's just amazing.

We get onto a slip road onto the M4. I floor it and an unmeasurable grin appears on my face. I start to realise that this is, in my opinion, the car of the future. The demonstrator then shows me the Autopilot features. At first, I'm very reluctant to let it drive itself. But it does so with consummate ease, keeping a safe distance from the car in front, tracking the lane marking and negotiating curves with no drama at all.

We then make it back to West Drayton, and I start taking a few photos and play around with the car's settings on the huge 17" touchscreen. I start to wonder what options I would choose should I go ahead, I have a USB stick with some high quality FLAC files and compare the standard sound system to the "Ultra High Fidelity" sound system. Damn, it sounds quite a bit better. But £1800 better?

I get back into my Fabia. All of a sudden, everything feels to 19" century. It's noisy, there's a hint of diesel smell, it rattles. Why am I feeling like this? I love this car! But it suddenly feels ancient and so passé!

I drive home and continue to think about what model and options I would tick. A few days and weeks pass, but I can't help but think about driving around in a Tesla. I consider myself a pretty well balanced person, and that partly annoys me how I've just been "converted" to the whole Tesla and electric car movement. It's not like me. Xav, what are you thinking? Have you gone mad?!?

A few weeks pass and that feeling doesn't go away. At that point, I decide "Yes, it's going to be my next car". The next big question: to get the 90D which is the high capacity 90kWh battery but not the "performance" version. Remember, Tesla do not make slow cars. The slowest version is still a rather nippy 5s 0-60 in its 4WD setup! The penalty switching to the "P" version is quite severe. Another £20k+ And then there's the "Ludicrous" option. Another £8k or so. Having also ticked various other options, well, pretty much every other option, I'm now north of £100k. Crikey!

"OK" I say to myself. I really need to see whether it's worth spending this extra money on the Performance and potentially Ludicrous options. I remember Richard, my friend commenting very sensibly that it's a hell of a lot of money (you can buy probably two new Skodas for the price of the upgrade!). Also, you lose a tiny bit in range as the P version is more thirsty in the electron department...

Hmm. OK, I need to see what all the talk is regarding this Ludicrous thing. By now a month has passed, and I phone West Drayton up and enquire about having a second test drive with a car equipped with the Ludicrous option. They say they don't have one available but will get back to me. A day passes, I get a call from WD. They've arranged to have a Ludicrous car brought over from Gatwick (I think) and have it available for a test drive. I take them up on the offer.

The ludicrous test drive arrives and this time, it's Maggie, another demonstrator who takes me out with a few friends I had brought along for the experience. She pulls up by a slip road. Switches to "Ludicrous" and then plants it. OMFG! It's visceral. Your internal organs are seriously displaced. It's like a roller coaster ride. Do this a few times, I can see people throwing up, it's that brutal! She then throws it round a roundabout doing a U-turn and floors it back up the dual carriageway. This is off the chart in terms of real performance. It might not beat the supercars above 60mph, but before that and with the limits of traffic and speed limits on our roads, it's mightily impressive.

I eventually get back home after driving yet again, in an agricultural diesel engined car. Yup, I've decided, the Tesla is for me. Now to decide whether I want to spend that much more on the silly Ludicrous version. I realise that the usefulness is questionable. Yes, it's a nice party trick to show off to your mates, but how often would I really use it?

A week later, I place my order. And yes, I tick the Ludicrous option :eek: I now have a two-week "cooling off" period where I can change the spec, etc, or cancel and get a full refund of the £2,000 deposit. In that time, Richard sends me a PM on Facebook saying he's selling his Tesla. A second time.

In the end, I stick to my decision to buy a new built-to-order Tesla. On the 15th April, the order is locked in and I can no longer pull out (well, I can, but will lose the £2k deposit). Now the excrutiating wait commences. I'm commited, yet have to wait. Through the Speakev forum, I get in touch with a chap who has the ability to track the order. I get the container number and ship the car will sail on. Every day, sometime several times a day I check up on the position of the container ship crossing the Atlantic.

Finally, the car arrives and a pick up is scheduled on 30th June. It's a manic time. They have 40 cars sheduled for pick up - extra pressure to meet end of quarter targets. I turn up, excited like a 5-year-old. I do a quick once-over on the car, and am happy to expedite the whole induction process as I felt pretty familiar with the car's toys. The staff were quite grateful as they had just so many customers to get through that Thursday.

A week has now passed and I'm still in love with what the car has to offer. It's turned out to be quite a Jekyll and Hyde kind of car, able to cruise very comfortably and quietly along the motorways at 60-70mph. But get on the twisties, and put your foot down and instant gratification and smile-enducing driving. It manages to be so versatile, it's quite terrifying how a potent package a well-designed electric car can provide. In my opinion, it really is the future. When you look at what else is on offer, the environment issues, the fact you're burning fuel, creating emissions when at a standstill on the M25 when an electric car doesn't, and with autopilot, takes all the stress out of being stuck in a jam. I actually don't mind now being stuck in standstill traffic. I just let the car do the stuff whilst I relax and listen to music. No more tired left leg with a heavy duty clutch, noise when not moving, etc.

I cannot see myself every wanting to drive an ICE car unless it's a track toy. There's a kind of lack of drama with no engine noise, but 99% of the time, I don't miss it. I appreciate the quiteness and comfort far more for the majority of the time than having a really involved and connected feeling to the car and road. Maybe I'm showing my age LOL. The only downside I can think of is the sheer size of the car. It's WIDE, and in tight country lanes, can bring a scare or two when something wide comes the other way!
Thanks for the review, a most enjoyable read!
 
Thanks rousetafarian.
I'll add that if anyone around the Berkshire and surrounding counties wants a look / ride, just let me know. Happy to pop over (I can bring round my amps to listen if anyone's interested) and also have a quick drive in the car :)
 
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Don't own one , would love to though , been in a few in Amsterdam where they use them a lot as taxis , very impressive machine to say the least !!!!
 
@gangzoom are you salivating?

I think having owned an EV for coming up to 2 years I already know just how good our Model X will be when it arrives. So not quite salivating but I'm rather intrigued Tesla reckon our Model X when it arrives will have all the hardware needed for full autonomous driving.....It's got plenty of new sensors/cameras but Tesla are using a Titan GPU as the main processor, am not convinced a consumer level processor like the Titan will have enough power to really run the kind of AI software needed, but their tech demo suggest otherwise. At least unlike previous cars Tesla have designed the CPU to be upgradable should more processor power be deemed needs in future.

Some really interesting times ahead. Now that I know our car will come with Autopilot 2.0 hardware I just wish Tesla would get on and build the thing :D.....oh and just like the OP once our X arrives am 99% sure the wife will give the go ahead for us to put down a Model 3 reservation to replace her car in 2018/2019 when the first RHD Model 3s should be hitting UK shores.

 
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@gangzoom are you on the TOGUK Facebook page? When did you order your X ? :)

There are a few things not quite right with the 2.0 fully autonomous video, but I'll let them off as it's a tech demo one :)
 
^ Not on the Facebook group, order on the X confirmed about 4 weeks ago, waited till I could see one in the metal before ordering. Initial delivery time is late Feb 2017, but we'll see, I fully expect Tesla time to shift that to May/June without any reason :).

I haven't actually even ordered AP 1.0 functionality, wife doesn't trust it, and I think we wouldn't see Level 5 automation till 2020ish, but will keep an eye on things.

Really cannnot wait to get hold of the car, I love the Leaf, but bored of it now, apart from both been EVs with 4 wheels the X will be a totally different experience. But I suspect your move from a Skoda to a P90D-L was quite a contrast :).

Hows your liscene looking with all that power under your right foot :)
 
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^ Not on the Facebook group, order on the X confirmed about 4 weeks ago, waited till I could see one in the metal before ordering. Initial delivery time is late Feb 2017, but we'll see, I fully expect Tesla time to shift that to May/June without any reason :).

I haven't actually even ordered AP 1.0 functionality, wife doesn't trust it, and I think we wouldn't see Level 5 automation till 2020ish, but will keep an eye on things.

Really cannnot wait to get hold of the car, I love the Leaf, but bored of it now, apart from both been EVs with 4 wheels the X will be a totally different experience. But I suspect your move from a Skoda to a P90D-L was quite a contrast :).

Hows your liscene looking with all that power under your right foot :)
My licence is still clean (for now). I have to watch it on the twisty A roads when I'm in the mood though. I have done a few launches and top speed runs, and yes, the acceleration does diminish over 80mph, but I carried on till I hit around 140mph before lifting off. All done with amazing ease.

It's worth getting on the TOGUK FB group, we're a friendly bunch and you'll learn more there than anywhere else, keeps you busy until your car arrives next year :)

I had my first ever ride in a Leaf a couple of weeks ago. Surprisingly similar in a way to the Tesla, apart from the performance of course. Quite fun for town, but when you want speed or longer distances, that's where the Tesla really shines.

It's strange also how so many people are crying and have their arms up in the air regarding the recent fully autonomous announcement claiming they've just lost out a massive amount on residuals as their car ordered just a week before won't have the tech on board. I was, at one point, considering going for the 90 - 100kWh upgrade for that extra range (don't care about the speed, honest ;) ) but with the new AP features and other things like ventilated seats, adjustable head rests, etc, I'd have to change car so will wait. And strangely enough, the reveal of these new features hasn't suddenly broken my car. It still works as well, if not better, as time has gone on.

I'd love a Tesla. Such an amazing car, especially the one with the ludicrous mode. Very envious of the OP!
Greg, you're welcome to a ride in mine if I'm Northampton way (assuming that's the case). Wouldn't mind seeing JL again, bumped into her at the Model 3 reveal event ;) She knows all about them. :D
 
Great read OP:smashin:

Have you been on Rita at Alton Towers? Having felt how impressive a BMW i3 feels in the low down acceleration stakes, i'd imagine Ludicrous mode feels just like Rita!:D
 
Nope, last time I went to Alton Towers, the closest there was was a thing called Oblivion I think which for a short period gave you freefall.
This is more than freefall.
What gets people more than anything else is the combination of instant catapult off the line and then the incessant acceleration that doesn't really start to fade till you're well above 60mph. You're in shock from the initial organ displacement, but you don't get a chance to recover till a few seconds later!
I've got used to it now, but it's easier when you're the driver as you know to expect it. For passengers who don't control your right foot, it can be rather an upsetting experience :D

Using Teslalog which retrieves all kinds of telemetry, there's an acceleration function. It's not that accurate as it only logs in 0.5s intervals, but here's the power curve:

i-JfZw92F.png


Torque ramps up very quickly. I think it still ramps rather than 100% instant on for traction reasons. But then, you've got a continuous amount of power at around 500kW power (670HP). Not peak, continuous! Hitting 80mph in around 4 seconds. It's madness to think it does that whilst carrying 5 adult passengers in comfort - well, probably not quite "comfort" for those 4 seconds :D
 
I believe the issue now is tyre traction rather than power limiting acceleration to 60. Didn't go for the 'P' option on the X, its main job is to carry the family in safety, a 2.5ton car accelerating to 60 in 3 seconds is probably the total opposite of safe driving :). But I think it will be very hard to not tick the 'Ludicrous' option on a Model 3, smaller, lighter, should be just as fast. Cannot wait to see what Tesla can do with the 'P' version of the 3!!
 
^^ I think the only real danger area is on top of the door, the side have sensors but the top sensors I think got disabled at the last software update as rain water over the top sensor caused a lot of problem with 'false' alarms regarding obstruction detection.

The self opening doors may look like a gimmick but it's amazing how quickly you get use to things. After a 1hr test drive in a LHD X and playing with all the doors, I went up to my own car pressed the unlock button and stood there like a dummy waiting for the doors to open.....My wife found it halirous as I apparently pressed the unlock button on the key a feel times before realising I had to open the doors by hand on our current car :laugh:.
 
I'm struggling to see how that side door is any different to a rear tailgate, other than it's a lot slower than someone slamming a tailgate :D
 
Thanks rousetafarian.
I'll add that if anyone around the Berkshire and surrounding counties wants a look / ride, just let me know. Happy to pop over (I can bring round my amps to listen if anyone's interested) and also have a quick drive in the car :)
Hello mate... See your offer to take someone for a spin? When you're in Tours could I meet you? I work here and have been trying to find anyone with a tesla to experience insanity mode! Happy to buy you a beer/coffee/something to eat for the privilege! :) Would love to see what they're like. Cheers
 
^^ Anyone can book a test drive with Tesla, they even do a traveling road show type thing.

Just drop them a email, the test drive team aren't on commission so they don't even try to sell you the car and there certainly is no expectation you have to be a serious buyer or anything like that. I've probably now had 3-4 test drives in various cars. Give it a go, it's good fun......Just becarful you don't empty the bank account after the test drive just as OP and I have done, they are that good :).

Events | Tesla UK
 
Owning one of these 90D's would satisfy my geek dreams for ever at my modest age.

I had a meeting in Hemel the other week with a consultant my employer was paying a lot of money for, I heard from a colleague he arrived in his top of the range Tesla, seemingly bought through his business as at the time it made perfect sense and I spent 3/4 of the hour talking about his car......he was like meh.

Flipping Russians ;)
 
Owning one of these 90D's would satisfy my geek dreams for ever at my modest age.

I had a meeting in Hemel the other week with a consultant my employer was paying a lot of money for, I heard from a colleague he arrived in his top of the range Tesla, seemingly bought through his business as at the time it made perfect sense and I spent 3/4 of the hour talking about his car......he was like meh.

Flipping Russians ;)

I was looking at business leases for a Tesla about 6 months ago, not with any realistic hope of getting one myself as I don't have a company car or need one. It was about £900 a month I believe to lease it.
 
Stunning cars. I see at least one a day now in the m25 or driving locally. Don't have the money for a new one but have been considering second hand.

What happens when you get stuck in traffic? I've had crazy 3 hr journeys to get the 45miles to work and 9 hour journeys to the north to visit family.
 
^^ EVs excel in traffic. When 'idle' the electric motor uses no power, my Leaf can 'idle' for more than 48hrs before running out of charge, in a Tesla I think its some stupid 4-5 days!!!

Cheaper EVs with long range are coming. In America you can now buy a family hatchback sized EV called the Bolt. It will do 0-60 in 7seconds, so still quick, and has a range of over 240 milrs in the real world. Its onsale now for $30k, so half the price of the cheapest Tesla.

But all the big manufacturers are getting involved, BMW are the ones to watch. They already have the i3 and rumours are they have just filled patents for the i5. I considered the i3, it'll get to 30mph quicker than a M3 and the latest has a real world range of over 120 miles, but sadly only 2 seats in the back rulled it out for us as we got a 6 months old baby with more likely to come in the future. Oh Jag are alao definitely releasing their EV in the next few years, along with Audi, Mercedes and Nissan are due to update the Leaf.

It really is exciting times ahead!!

BMW i5 Rendering Based On Recent Patent Images

BMW-i5-new-rendering-750x500.jpg
 
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Hello mate... See your offer to take someone for a spin? When you're in Tours could I meet you? I work here and have been trying to find anyone with a tesla to experience insanity mode! Happy to buy you a beer/coffee/something to eat for the privilege! :) Would love to see what they're like. Cheers
Tours as in Tours, France north of Poitiers? A bit of a drive from Reading!

But as gangzoom says, Tesla are more than happy to show you the car. Their relaxed no-pushy experience is certainly worth having :)

The only benefit from me is that I don't take credit cards ;) Trust me, if you can finance one, it's a financially dangerous test drive!
 

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