My Hero W.H.O. FIXES SYSTEMS…Uses Urban Mass Transit, et tu?
My Hero W.H.O. FIXES SYSTEMS…Uses and prefers to use mass transit. Consequently..
Consequently, I am surprised this story remains hiding in plain sight:
Bcc: VernonNickersonSchoolcoach <qwmyherowhofixessystems@gmail.com>
Tesla: Sub optimal too much time and effort consuming high-maintenence required. Dangerous and unsafe battery degradation, especially if you demand performance daily from a vehicle.
Strike 1
“I always set the charge limit to 80% at home and only occasionally go as high as 90% on the road. I’m trying to be as easy as I can on the battery. Most of my charging is done at home on level 2 charging, which is the easiest on the battery. But we have traveled to Utah to Wisconsin (and back) 3 times, to North Carolina and back once, and to Southern California and back once, so we have about 12,000 Supercharger miles logged (which are more stressful on the battery). When I checked the range at 100% charge, it gave me 287 miles (462 km). The EPA range of our car new was 310 miles. That’s 92.6% of its original range, or 7.4% battery degradation, after 3 years and more than 80,000 miles.Note: I now realize that all you have to do is set the charge limit to 100% and it will give you the range estimate. You don’t actually have to charge to 100%.”
Strike 2
If we compare that to the 310 mile EPA range of the car, we get 81% of its original rated range. If we use that measure, my car has lost 19% of its range in 3 years and 80,000+ miles. Wow! That’s a lot! The degradation would be less if you believe that Tesla’s EPA range of 310 miles for the Model 3 Long Range is unrealistically high. You would also need to do this test when the car is new to compare, if you want to get an accurate figure by this method. New Model 3 Long Range cars have an EPA range of 358 miles. So, I can’t just run to a Tesla delivery center to check on a new car
How did I get the state of charge down to zero and “below”? Over two days and two trips to Salt Lake City, my state of charge (SoC) on arriving home was 11 miles. Then I drove around my neighborhood in big circles until the SoC was zero miles. At that point, the distance since the last charge read 251 miles. I heard that the car wouldn’t be dead at zero miles but would eventually go into “Turtle Mode.” The car performed normally as I drove around the neighborhood in smaller and smaller circles. My car went into Turtle Mode at 264 miles (after 13 more miles). Using that figure, I calculate 264/310 = .85, or 85%. That’s 15% range loss over 3 years and 80,000+ miles if you want to count that way — not quite as bad. It also means you can safely drive down to zero charge in emergencies.
Strike 3- when you never know when you will run out of juice and the vehicle slows to 25 and you have other non-Tesla traffic.
My experience with Turtle Mode: I thought Turtle Mode meant that the car would only go a short distance at 3 or 4 mph. I wanted to be sure to make it home, so my neighborhood circles got smaller and smaller. I was driving 25 mph when I observed the car would no longer accelerate when I pushed on the accelerator, but my speed stayed at 25 mph. I only needed another few hundred yards to reach my driveway and my charger. I started to back into the driveway when the car stopped dead with my car sitting crossways in the middle of the street. I called a neighbor and we tried to push the car and it wouldn’t move — it wasn’t in neutral and I couldn’t shift. The flasher lights still worked but little else. It also failed to steer. My neighbor has a Chevy Volt and had recently bought a big emergency generator that he offered to bring over. At that point, I realized I was close enough to my house to get 110V power. I popped the frunk — thank God that still worked — and got out my Mobil Connector and 20 ft extension cord that I keep there for emergencies. I already had a 50 ft extension cable hooked up in the garage, so I started charging at 7kW. Remember, I am still sitting crossways in the middle of the street, but it was 11 o’clock at night, so only one car came by while this was going on. Miraculously, after only 5 minutes (I swear), I was able to back up the 30 ft into my driveway to reach my charger.
The car is as erratic, high maintenance, and unpredictable as its self-proclaimed “birth parent”. Hard No! Worst of all, His Public Charger Infrastructure is yet limited. So for now, let the wealthy lords and ladies of leisure Beta-test for Elon Musk. HYBRID and 100% fossil fuel vehicles are safest and most reliable. I am okay with mass transit, anyway.
Historical Fun German car fact Re: the people’s car — VW. Never get their first year of any model; that’s when they are getting the car enthusiasts to do their field Beta Testing.- thanks to “Burton Hall’s”* big bambino for that PRO-TIP!
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=-NeuoGc3KfU&feature=share
*-a nom de plume, just like 3GW, in case you were “tantric”-ing tonight. Elon might be free aand just for you, 3GW!
© VERNONNICKERSONSCHOOLCOACH 2022. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
