Tesla Model S Signature Performance - arrived!

[desperado]

Thinking of importing Tesla S to Europe, did anyone of you did that? What should I be careful about?
Still waiting for that X model though, as I prefer to have Tesla for a family drive, and something else (R8 wink,wink) for solo action =)

The power available where you are might be 50Hz vs 60Hz in North America. I suppose that might be an issue?

[exhilR8]

Tesla has recently announced it's pricing for Europe:

http://gas2.org/2012/12/21/tesla-mod...xpensive-here/

[Stig 1]

My nearest dealer is 450 miles away, but what swayed me was tesla's service plan, which includes technicians coming to your home or office to provide free service. For $2400 you get unlimited free service visits at your home for, I think, 3 years.

The S7 is awfully nice, and in so many ways similar to the tesla model S, but if you have another car for long-range road trips, you'd probably have more fun zipping around in the tesla. Unfortunately, tesla just announced a price increase that goes into effect in 10 days.

2400 home service plan is actually a sweet deal if they can do anything that might be required!

traded a supercharged xf jag for the S7... so you can see why the Tesla body style is so attractive to me! very similar!

[exhilR8]

Well, from the XF to the S7 you're not doing too bad, they're both gorgeous and quick. You've already taken the biggest depreciation hit on the S7, so at least you'll have something very nice to drive while you wait for your Model S...

BTW, I did some drag racing with my Tesla vs. my R8 at 6000 ft altitude. From 0 - 45 mph, the Tesla was always a half to a full car length ahead. It is shockingly quick off the line. At 60 mph it was a toss up, but by 85 mph the R8 had hit its stride and pulled away.

[opie]

Wonderful reviews chaps! I think this will be my next car, although not the sport version, since I just need it for commuting and local runs.

Do you know how it behaves in the winter?
Battery power is limited by lower temperatures, so I'd assume some minor range loss in colder weather.

P.S. Love that your Tesla may have dilithium crystals in it, nice to see another fan of ST on here.

[exhilR8]

At 15 df I'm getting about a 10% reduction in range, which in insignificant. It is behaving gloriously in cold weather. I even had a chance to test its traction control on ice - very stable and safe with all-season tires.

It would be a crime if you didn't get the performance version. You probably think you can't have as much fun with your commuting and local runs as you do in your R8, but oh, yes you can, at least with the performance version. It's totally worth it. Make it so.

[opie]

At 15 df I'm getting about a 10% reduction in range, which in insignificant. It is behaving gloriously in cold weather. I even had a chance to test its traction control on ice - very stable and safe with all-season tires.

It would be a crime if you didn't get the performance version. You probably think you can't have as much fun with your commuting and local runs as you do in your R8, but oh, yes you can, at least with the performance version. It's totally worth it. Make it so.

You really need to stop writing so well, as to encourage bad behavior.
Really.
I mean it.

Oh what the hell, I'll go drive one soon to see how how thrilled I am with it!

P.S. Aye Captain!

[randombloke]

Now that you guys have had your cars for a little while, can you say what kind of ranges you're getting from the batteries in different types of driving styles?

[exhilR8]

Now that you guys have had your cars for a little while, can you say what kind of ranges you're getting from the batteries in different types of driving styles?

I would have a hard time getting the actual maximum range from my car, only because I can't resist driving it really fast sometimes. It doesn't really matter how much resolve I have when each charge is finished, "I'm really going to drive it easy and maximize the range this time." That lasts maybe 1 or 2 miles at best.

Typically, the 85kWh battery only charges to 90% capacity (to preserve battery life). Often at the end of a charge, the car will project that I have 270 miles of range. However, after I drive it for a few miles (for maximum fun, not maximum range) the car says that with my driving style, I can expect 150 miles of range left.

Tesla Motors challenged owners to achieve 400 miles on one charge. This was accomplished a couple of weeks ago in Florida, by someone driving on very flat terrain at 25mph for 16 hours straight, with cruise control continuously on. Not exactly my driving style, but it did the trick.

As for range at a race track, I think the differential would be almost exactly the same as it is for the R8, which theoretically gets 20mpg on the highway, but actually gets about 4mpg on the racetrack. Just like ICE cars, if you take the maximum range and divide it by 5, you'll probably get the racetrack range. So I'm guessing the Tesla could be depleted at the track in about 80 miles of race driving.

In the real world, with my mixture of full-throttle fun and doing errands, I can count on 150 - 175 miles per charge, which is plenty. Fully charging the battery (from depleted to 300 miles of range) would cost me about $9 in electricity, and take 4 hours and 47 minutes. I've never charged that much, because it's easier just to top it up by plugging it in more frequently. If it were more difficult or more expensive to charge the battery, I would probably have more restraint with the fun pedal. But as it is, I have very little restraint, and the car's range is still very practical for in-town driving.

[randombloke]

Thanks for that. I do the occassional journey that is around 240 miles, and I keep coming back to the reality of being able to do that journey on one charge in the model s without driving it in a way that would rob all the fun from it. That's why it's good to hear range achieved by people who drive it as I expect I would.