My First Time Driving an Electric Car
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ก.ค. 2024
- A business trip to San Diego put me in a position where I needed to rent a car for a couple of days. I decided to go with the 2022 Tesla Model 3. Watch the video to find out how things went.
Thank you for watching!
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My day just becomes so much better when Eric uploads a new video 😁 EVEN if its about electric cars
The brake lights do come on during regen under certain conditions. Btw, the brake light state will show on the center display. So when the brake lights come on, you can see it happen on the screen.
Thank you for that info. I wasn't able to verify that with the one I drove, but I'm glad to know that's the case.
The brake lights come on for mine during regen if the vechicle is losing speed. So it should be safe and makes sense.
Whether and when the brake lights come on really has nothing to do with regenerative braking, instead it depends on the current speed and rate of deceleration. As noted by the other commenter, the taillights shown on the car in the display will brighten when braking is applied either manually or via regenerative braking under criteria stated above.
@@ETCG1 an electric car?........man ...
Nope ....if they want to make real money...... ACURA INTEGRA TYPE R AND NSX RENTALS!!!
YOUR WELCOME FOR THE BUSINESS ADVICE AND I WANT 5% OF THE GROSS!!!
brake lights do come one when you let off the accelerator pedal, depending on how quickly it is decelerating.
My friend just got a 2023 Model 3 Performance and the AC is excellent. It cools off in 5 minutes on a 90+ degree day sitting in the direct sun. I'd wager the HVAC was broken to some capacity in the one you had. Also, I'm sure others have mentioned, but there's a manual door release in the case of an emergency.
Hey Eric, you got the curb weight confused with Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. A Model 3 weighs between 3800 and 4000 lbs.
yup! My M3 weighs 3500 lbs. Standard range RWD version.
The future of electronics repair
Parts replacement.
Slightly more tire wear, much less brake wear.
My M3 has a superb A/C and heating.
It is perfect in winter at -20C, traction control of my awd model is just unreal.
Higher weight is not a problem as you recuperate all the energy with regen braking.
2:36 into the video, to clarify, the doors have a manual release for emergencies, you are not trapped in case the power runs out
My daily is a BMW i3, I've driven it in -32C with no issues other than power steering getting a little bit stiffer. And obviously range suffers because of denser air and energy needed to keep the car warm.
It's honestly the best winter car I've had, the greatest thing is that the cabin starts warning up almost instantly because it doesn't have to wait for the engine to get warm.
Regarding the whole EV vs gas debate, there's too many people thinking that if you like one you must hate the other. I drive an EV as a daily because it's the sensible thing to do for my needs. And then on the weekends I drive a 66 Chevelle with a 454 in it, and I love it too. Reduced my fuel cost by over $2k a year, which means more money for Chevelle parts! ;)
It's funny, many who shout about range, have 2 vehicles. It's like... If you're worried, drive the gas one on trips then and the electric to go all of 30km a day, too and from work. haha🤷♀️
The msrp on the i3 is almost $45000, how can you possibly claim that you made a "practical" decision? You could have purchased the ice equivalent for half the price or less which would be practical. You'll never recoup the $20000 you overpaid.
@@emort6 new cars aren't for me, I bought it used for about $18k. 4 years old, 30k miles. Equivalent ice car would've cost at least 10k but probably more but let's go with 10. Saving 2k per year on fuel alone (it's actually closer to 2.5 but let's stick with 2). On top of that I have cheaper insurance, much cheaper maintenance, much cheaper road tax.. Saving another 2k a year there.
The car paid for the price difference in 2 years. And let's also not forget that it has a much higher value than an ice car if I were to sell it.
So yeah, it is actually the sensible thing to do.
@@Hollaendaren Nothing you've stated adds up. Ev's are typically more expensive to insure. The latest reports state that charging Ev's is more expensive than fueling ice vehicles (are you charging for free?). If your locality hasn't hit you with road tax yet, it is coming.
You failed to mention how many miles per year you drive. I drive around 26000 miles per year. My 05 camry made it to 400000 miles before the transmission died. The only maintenance it needed that your ev wouldn't was 2 oil changes a year at $40 a pop. All other maintenance before 250000 miles was tires, brakes, wipers, 12 volt battery...which your BMW also needs.
After 250000 it was spark plugs, valve cover gasket, water pump, wheel bearings (which your i3 has), sway bar bushings (which your i3 has), and a coil pack. But let's be real, your i3 battery will be toast before it gets to 250000 miles, only a fool would buy a used ev for $18000 and call it "practical".
@@Hollaendaren I really hate how when you people get proven wrong you just carry on and keep spreading nonsense.
The brake lights do come on in regen once the decel reaches -0.1g. You can see your brake light status on the car animation on the display.
Sounds like you got a car with busted A/C. I've driven a few of these in ~95F temperatures and their A/C was awesome! Was cool being able to hold the cabin at a lower temperature while it was parked too!
Good point for the 1 pedal driving, technology connection made an in depth video on this specific problem.
Yup. I remember that video too. The one light that should always light up is the brake light.
Eric, the 2021 model 3 i rented 2 years ago turned the brake lights on when you let off the accelerator.
I work in Tesla service and can tell you that the AC in these cars normally works great. The older cars have a compressor which can fail of course, and the newer cars have a more efficient heat pump system. Either system should be able to keep the interior ice cold if it is working properly. I did notice at 2:31 that you had the AC set to 62 degrees but it was set to manual and not automatic. If you did not crank the fan speed up manually that would explain why it was not cooling the cabin to the set temp.
I have a heat pump 3 and can confirm the AC is not great. Test drove a new Y a few weeks ago and it was just as bad if not worse. Takes a solid 15 minutes to start getting the cabin temp down here in Florida. On my test drive, I set it to 68 on auto and the fan speed was full blast the entire 15 minute drive and the cabin never reached the set temp
Thank you for that insight. I did have the fan cranked up while driving, and frankly, I wasn't impressed. I had wondered if the HVAC on that particular car was broken. It did show some signs of collision repair, but after reading the rental agreement and finding that "no AC" was available, I left it at that. Thanks again for the comment.
@@loganrossignolYour car is broken. I'm also in FL and my AC is excellent, far better than our 22 Edge. No way it ever takes 15 min to cool the car.
@@TheGOF it def does. I have been in several heat pump 3's and Y's and they all suck compared to the pre-heat pump cars. It does eventually cool off (mine isn't so bad because I have heavy tinting) but it's still a solid 30% slower to cool than my old car
@@loganrossignol I’m regularly in 5 different M3 and MY's in Florida. All are heat pumps and none take 15 minutes to cool off. Somehow yours is different, I guess. You really should get it checked out.
Additional "charges" on an electric vehicle? The puns write themselves too, now thats technology!
I'm glad someone got it.
Eric, not sure your source at 1:36, but yes, the brake lights come on when regen braking. They only come on if you decelerate enough to not be considered coasting.
I agree with you Eric, it is the future. I'm a shade tree mechanic that had 5 combustion cars in the family to maintain. So a couple years back in 2018, I bought a Tesla model. The reduction of maintenance and operational costs is significant. I now have another EV and plan to slowly take each car out as time goes on. There are definitely still some issues with EVs and they will still need repair just with different components. I think you hit on a lot of the problems with EVs but I think every car/manufacturer has some issue. Love your channel and honest opinions. I've been a viewer for years and you have really helped me maintain my family's Honda and Acuras through the years. Still love those cars and the sounds they make but these EVs just work when you need to go from point A to B. Also, I found the are just easier for my children that aren't mechanically aware.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge and wisdom.
I live in Edmonton, a little further north than Calgary and slightly colder in the winter. Range takes a hit in cold weather but it's really nice to be able to warm your car up in the garage before getting in. It wouldn't be my first choice for crossing the continental divide in wintertime - the chargers are still fairly far apart and the low ride height combined with the smooth bottom would suck if you got caught in heavy snowfall. I would like a traditional roof and the extra headroom.
Thank you for that info!
Ownership and charging in Canada, probably like the US, is very location specific. Edmonton is located very North and as incredible cold winters. Ice engines are also impacted very cold weather. Here in Vancouver BC, on the Westcoast of Canada, North of Seattle, Tesla's are everywhere and chargers are everywhere. We have the highest gas prices in North America and the lowest kilowatt costs. At home our Model 3 costs approximately. $5 to fully charge.
One of the best things about a Tesla, and a car rental agency would never tell you is, you dint have to learn the screen. Press the right button in the steering wheel and use the voice commands while keeping to hands on the wheel, ex. Turn on ac to 70 degrees and its done. There are over 100 voice commands.
No sure why your AC didnt work well, ours works perfect.
It is the future like it or not. In Q1 of 2023, the model Y was the best selling car globally yes in the eorld. wI will keep driving my ice engine car but my wifes Model 3 is amazing and does what it does very well.
In Oregon I think, with rebates you can cant a new standard range tesla for $22K, cheaper than many ice engine cars ex Toyota Corrola...
Great vid Eric! My wife's 06 TSX was rear ended and ended by a texting teen. We shopped and took a chance on a new Accord hybrid. It's wound up making my 08 TL look like a raging gas guzzler without feeling a huge compromise on power or size. The Accord's re-gen braking shows brake lights in the dash (it uses them) and the AC works better than my TL. A really cool thing is you can adjust how much re-gen force you want to use. There are trade offs, my car is simpler and more user friendly, I'm still figuring stuff out on the Accord. But now I can easily see replacing it with a hybrid when the time comes. Not going full electric until that tech is matured (a lot) further.
Every year, I watch an ETCG1 video because I know I’ll get wished a Happy Birthday at the start of the video.
Thank you, Eric!
From, Eric.
Couple of things...
The brake lights do come on with regen in a Tesla - but only under medium to heavy regen, if you are letting off the accelerator lightly so small regen then they don't come on.
There is a 12v battery as well as the high voltage battery - if you drain down the main battery to the point you completely stop - the 12v battery can keep the interface systems powered for quite some time. On 2021 or newer Model 3's this 12v battery is a lithium ion (better life, capacity and doesn't need replacing unlike the old lead acid 12v they previously used)
Model 3 Long Range / Performance is around 1.9 tonnes / 4200lbs. These dual motor models with bigger batteries do weigh a lot.
And yes, once you figure out where things are - they do make sense and they have done the best of having a touchscreen interface (certainly better than all the competition). It's not perfect but over the years it has become pretty good and generally just all works.
Thank you! It is my birthday, and the digital cake was delicious!
My main complaint about EVs and many new cars is that touchscreen interface. Think of how often you have to take your eyes off the road to fumble your way around a screen to do something as simple as adjust climate controls or the radio. In my Hondas, I can reach all the controls and adjust them by feel, not visually. Also, think of the elderly and to a lesser extent, drivers who are not all that good with technology or computers. Today's EVs would never be a good fit for them.
To their credit, the other EV manufacturers haven't gone the way of sticking some stupid tablet on the dash--they still separate many of the controls out around the dash, as it's ergonomically more efficient and also safer to use. Hyundai and Kia especially have done a good job with the interiors. And I'm interested to see what the Honda Prologue (the joint venture with GM--the Prologue is using GM's Ultium platform) will offer for usability.
The weight is also an issue, as you say. Look up the curb weight of that Hummer EV--it's over 9,000 pounds. The F150 Lightning ranges from 6,000 to 6,900 pounds. Think of the infrastructure. Do we really need our roads torn up by running these heavier vehicles on them? Then, translate this to an 18-wheeler--there are battery powered trucks being developed. Can you imagine the immense battery needed to carry the load a typical 18-wheeler carries? Will the battery weigh more than the freight is has to carry?
Look at some recent articles re: Toyota and the solid state battery they are working on. They plan on testing it first in their hybrid models but overall, it will charge fast, have longer range, and most importantly it will be lighter in weight.
I've said for years that hydrogen is the direction we should be going. The big complaint is that there is no infrastructure, which is true. But think back 130 years--we didn't have gas stations on every corner back then either. I think politics and the government are forcing the automakers into battery-powered vehicles (BEVs) rather than taking time to develop something that can store energy more efficiently. (Batteries eat up so much energy just propelling their own weight around--this is not an efficient technology!) There are already strides being made in producing hydrogen that cost far less than current methods, and less harmful to the environment. And to use my example of an 18-wheeler--carrying a hydrogen tank filled with hydrogen will weigh *tons* less than a huge battery.
I noticed the lack of brake lights coming on in electric vehicles while slowing down some time ago. It's a real safety problem with them.
As I grew up with standard transmissions, I watch car speeds anyway. With a standard, you simply shove in the clutch to slow down gently, which means no brake lights.
I have a model S.
Brake lights come on during regenerative braking..
They are also come on while stopped even though your foot is not on the brake.
On a manual shift car when you let up on the gas the brake light does not come in even though you are slowing down.
Range anxiety for sure. Now that my electric riding mower is in its 6th season of mowing, I watch the power meter a lot to make sure I can finish mowing before the battery pack gets too low. It gets worse when the temperature drops in the fall. But at least of it runs out, I can push it back to the garage for a charge. 😎
Thanks for your video. Yes electric cars are heavier, but when I push down on my accel pedal on my model Y Long Range, it does not feel that heavy when it can go 0-60 in 4.8 seconds.
i wanted to try an Electric vehicle so Aug 2023 I got my model Y. It has all the features and driving requirements I really need. I charge the vehicle only from home.
i still have my 21 year old Monte Carlo for driving it to do odd dirty jobs. Car still operates very well, but I do feel it getting older compared to the Electric vehicle.
Far as the Air Conditioning, my new model Y works great. I put it on 70 degrees and the car cools down within a minute or two. You can buy shade covers to put in place to block out the large sun roof on a Tesla if you live in a very hot state. Illinois for me is not that bad, so I don't need the shade covers. Plus when not using my EV, it is in the home garage. You just need to learn the vehicle - on the display settings you can turn off the A/C and will stay off until you enable it again.
Finally, Yes Electric vehicles are not for everyone, myself I like my Model Y and everything works well. The vehicle does not feel heavy when driving it. The thing is governments should not be forcing people to buy a certain type of vehicles by a certain year and ban the ICE vehicles. It was my choice only that I decided to own an EV and I also kept my ICE vehicle.
Take care.
Great comment! I love my Model 3 and hope others will go electric, but it's their choice when they make the switch.
It's like stepping off the plane and onto the street in Europe...it feels different. But once you get used to it, it isn't a problem. The AC usually works great, so you had a problem.
11:08 suggesstion: go watch wham bam Tesla cam
I own a Chevy volt and I love it. It has enough power, not fast by any means though. Having the onboard generator means I can go anywhere without having to worry about changing it.
Both Teslas I have owned activated the brake lights with regen and no brake pedal application.
Can we see more of the Fairmont? Love that car
Outside of the electric motors themselves, the rest of the car is typically powered by the same kind 12V electrical system as any other modern ICE vehicle.
Both my Chevy Bolt (RIP) and my Kia Niro turn the brake lights on when you let off the accelerator.
You didnt go the the "Dark Side" you went into the Range Anxiety. Thank You Eric!
Thanks for sharing your insights. On Model Y: too spartan and iPad interface makes driving a Tesla feel like driving a computer. Regenerative braking can induce car sickness. I experienced it as a passenger sitting in the back (not as a driver). My neighbor got a loaded X model. His wife also experience car sickness. The off-gassing (new car smell) is atypical and reminded me of my father car back in the 60's. Great acceleration. Your comment on tire wear and weight and collision are insightful. Regarding the Auto-pilot there is a place holder feature on the interface, but it might not be enabled if the car is not subscribed. Plus Musk does not like to talk about customer's death in auto-pilot accidents. I told my wife to be super vigilant when using the auto-pilot, especially in dense traffic. Good comments on parts and auto-trans comparison. Regarding charging, the app tells you the location of super chargers. Since Tesla recommends 80% for dailies what is a full charge for the car rental 100% or above 80%? Superchargers station are mapped out and tell you in advance what's the wait time and how many stations are "vacant". Beware of the convenience fee if you keep your car there when charging is complete. I think there is way too much in the app and oddly it becomes counter-intuitive. Like there is a car wash mode. Yep.
All in all the Tesla UI needs improvements and should not be so Spartan. Not everybody likes to interface with an iPad while driving and everybody is different. Plus it takes away the car experience. They need to bring back some knobs and controls on the console and make the iPad adjustable like a rear view mirror. Also the rear view mirror itself is not motorized for different drivers. I am told by Tesla is because it is not needed. That's bull.
Good point on the black roof, even if you have a white car, it still gets hot. For all its technical innovations Tesla missed including a photovoltaic roof to recharge as you drive. May be that will be in the next generation of Teslas?
What's great about Teslas is my wife loves hers. So I am good. But I will not get one for myself. Any chance you might review the Cadillac Lyriq in the future?
EVs bring a new dimension and a host of other issues. So comparing EV offerings on these will be like the way we used to compare different technical improvements on ICE engines back in the days.
BTW: My first experience riding an EV was a Mazda Miata conversion in 1993 with a 120 Volts system (20 X 6 volt golf cart deep cycle batteries) It was fun peeling out. Car was heavy and batteries in every nook and cranny. ;-P
Also, don't pay them $35 to charge up. You can literally just find a supercharger near the rental place, the same one they use to charge the cars. The car will show you where superchargers are, you just need to hit the little supercharge icon on the map.
Good point, but I chose to walk Mission Beach before my flight instead.
@@ETCG1 could've parked the car near where you were walking, plugged it in to let it charge while you were away. Hertz let's you return the car without additional fee if the battery is returned anywhere over 80%.
@@DangNguyen-my3wd No charging stations where I was walking or I would have tried that. I'm sure infrastructure will improve over time.
Bravo for trying a EV but a few corrections.
1st) You can still open the doors regardless of power issues
2nd)Brake regen DOES turn on the brake lights. Also the center screen shows the brake lights as well
I assume you can also control everything hands free with voice commands, like other cars.
I just bought a palisade and one of the great things about it is the large number of convenient, physical buttons. Having to search on a screen to change volume or temperature is dangerous. Being to just grab a knob or push a button from muscle memory to make a change is so much safer.
Long time sub here, Eric. I have had a Chevy Bolt for almost 5 years now, and it's been the best car I've ever owned. I've been a car enthusiast my whole life, and now feel electric is the way to go for my daily driver. With the Bolt, it can be put in one pedal drive mode with quite aggressive regen, which I really like. The brake lights come on when you are regenerative braking at 7 kW or more, which feels about right to me. The AC is actually the best AC I've had in any car with the Bolt. Blows ice cold. I prefer the interface in the Bolt to Teslas because it's a combination of regular buttons and a touchscreen. The weight of the Bolt is 3,563 lbs, which is a bit on the heavy side, but it carries it extremely well due to the weight being so low to the ground. It's really fun to drive in a sporting manner around corners, and the quick acceleration is addictive. I only had a short test drive of a Tesla model 3, 5 years ago, and also didn't like everything being thorough the touchscreen and decided a hatchback was more practical for me. It's great that you gave it a try! I just sold my last gas vehicle of many because I'm moving. I'm sure I will get another gas vehicle for fun in the future, but with gas being about $7 a gallon here on the west coast in Canada and electricity being only $0.14 a kWh, I will stick with an EV for daily driving duty...
There's definitely a learning curve!
The nice thing about the previous generation Hyundai Ionic full EV was that it was built to be intuitive. My grandfather who was very anti-EV drove one, and really liked it.
the brake lights do come on, you can see it in the graphic on the screen as well.
Great Video Eric ...i am both a Element owner and a Tesla Model 3 owner ... There is alway a Manual Door Release lever by the arm rest to open the door if all power goes out .... fyi Appreciate the Videos!!!
I too have recently experienced driving an electric car for the first time and have since driven several including a Tesla Model X, Kia EV6 and a F-150 Lightening. I won’t get into the corrections like the AC and the brake lights cause I see others already have and you responded. But I will say, besides the electric-specific aspects of them, they honestly just feel like normal cars to drive and ride in for the most part. Driving it normally you almost don’t notice a difference with a new gas-engine car.
My mother just bought a new Mitsubishi Outlander and we drove it to Atlanta to visit my cousin who has a Model X. I get out of my moms car and into the Model X, driving them both they’re both so quiet that road noise is the dominating noise on a trip, and both get you where you wanna go comfortably. They feel like appliances, as most people prefer their car to feel. The F-150 Lightening felt like a normal F-150 when driving normally, it just happens to go irresponsibly fast when you lay down the throttle.
On all these electric cars, the regen braking is the biggest giveaway that you’re in an electric car from the perspective of the driver, which is adjustable so without that it could very well feel like a normal gas-powered car.
The rental experience with EVs is A LOT worse than what you go through when you own one. Depending on how much you'd have needed to charge it, though, the $35 fee may still be less than what it would have cost to charge it back up at a DC fast charger, which are almost as expensive as gas. The savings to be had are from when you use level 2 slow-ish charging at home, and pay your normal utility rate. I'm yet to see public charging that is significantly cheaper than gas.
The brake lights DO come on when it does regen braking at a certain level.
Also, you CAN open the doors without power. There's a manual handle in the armrest on the door. If you get locked out of it and the battery dies, there's a pair of wires that you can hook up to a 12V battery that will wake it up again.
Also again, your weight figure is way off. The 5000 pound figure is probably the GVWR. Actual weight is more like 3800-4200 pounds, depending on the specific model. It's heavier than an ICE car of similar size, but it's not THAT much heavier. Other EVs are heavier - Polestar 2 is more like 4400 actual pounds. It's a slightly larger car than the Model 3, but mostly just a less efficient design than the Tesla, since it's shares its platform with ICE and hybrid Volvo models.
The AC in the one I owned didn't suck, and I'm in Texas. I wonder if they've changed it in the last couple of years. The AC in my Polestar sucks, though.
HVAC definitly got better after 2021 with the new heatpump and octovalve/super manifold setup. The car he rented might also just be faulty because iv heard of the same complaints a lot in forums that ended up being resolved. I pretty much only rent Model 3's when I fly for work or vacations anymore and can't wait to get my own.
I love Eric’s “2 cents” style videos. His opinion has a lot of value. He knows a thing or 2 because he’s seen a thing or 2.
Do brake lights come on when downshifting in a manual car? Do brake lights come on when letting off the gas in an IC car? I know there are many folks who relished in downshifting to slow down knowing their brake lights didn't activate.
Electric is here, it's been here for a long time. In fact the first trucks and cars were electric, way back in the 1800s.
Thanks for sharing Eric, really appreciated😍
The Tesla is a whole different ballgame from a gas vehicle. I bought a Model Y last week, granted I was aggravated at first because it was so different. But now that I've learned how it works, I absolutely love it. Yes its heavy and the ride is stiff, but saving $400+ a month on gas is fine by me. The autopilot is amazing and terrifying at first.
Hey, that's San Diego! I live there.
Not to mention the news about battery fires !!!
I'm laughing at all the Tesla defenders in the comments! 😂
Sorry- stopped at 4:13 to make this comment. YES, back in the day it would have been cheaper to top off, but with $7.00 per gallon especially near the airport I’d give hard no 😂. Okay, back to watching. Interesting thus far!
Hey @ETCG1 going with a Tesla right off the bat is like jumping right into the deep end with EVs. I'd recommend checking out some of the other electric options like an Ioniq 5 (which I own) or the Polestar, ect. I think you find a better balance between what your used to with an ICE vehicle and an EV. At least that's been my experience. Also, as others have mentioned in the comments EVs have charging station lookup built right into to their NAV systems and in that Tesla it should show you how to get to a super charger pretty easily. Lastly, I agree with you that this transition shows the writing on the wall, ICE vehicles have hit their limit with innovation, but EVs are still in their infancy which makes them the future for better or worse.
Tesla is the worst but all new cars, especially EVs, are awful. I have a 2020 Ioniq electric and hate the seatbelt dinging all the way from my cabin to my gate, electronic emergency brake, stupid capacitive touch buttons, back up alarm (really?), the electric heat smells like burnt toast, the doors lock themselves every time I start driving, every time I lock or unlock there is beeping and flashing lights I did not want especially leaving the campground at 5 in the morning, it still has traction control even when I turn traction control off so I get stuck in even a dusting of snow, there is a stupid legal disclaimer on the radio every time I turn it on, etc...I am never buying another new car let alone EV, I will keep fixing my older vehicles and may do an electric conversion on something like my 03 Prius.
We miss U ERIC 🔥
I had a similar rental experience where the Tesla was the cheapest and since this was the one chance I had to drive one (because I'm not owning one no matter how much everyone insists there'll be no choice), I went with it. At the time of rental I was told that the car had to be returned with at least 80% charge otherwise they would charge it to 100% and bill me for the charge as well as a bunch of fees (similar to returning a gas car with no gas). Fortunately there was a charge station close to the rental spot so when it came time to return the car I was able to charge it up for about $6. The only downside was the charging - of about 10% - took about 45 min!
After watching this video I love my BMW i3 Rex even more. 3600 pounds and awesome weight balance, the tires are laughably narrow but still have amazing grip. I use my car to commute so the range is not an issue because 120 miles gets me to and from work 5 times a week before needing to charge, if I need to do something unplanned I still can but some gas and be just fine, or I can plan and charge just before as needed. Most notably, once you know the basics of how to drive it, it is a car that is easy to drive with all the controls set up in a way that are usable with the only exceptions being customizations.
The biggest EV trap is range, people buy the EV with a massive range to elevate range anxiety and then use their car to commute to work and back not realizing that if they didn't buy a long range car they could have 1/2 the energy consumption.
Beautiful video & review.
Hello Eric, We bought a 2022 Tesla Model 3 in May 2022, taking delivery in September 2022. I live in California's high desert, about 175 miles northeast of San Diego. The weather here is very different from San Diego. Normal summertime high temperatures are between 110 and 120 F, and the wintertime lows are as low as -15 F. The car is programmed to precondition and is at temperature and ready to go when we leave in the morning and leave the office in the evening. We drive about 150 miles a day. The car is plugged in every evening the Model 3 is plugged into the charger and is charged, and at 74 F when we get in the morning. The evening charge costs between $4 and $8 daily, which is about 5% of what it costs to drive my 1971 El Camino. The instant torque is amazing, but I had to replace the tires at 25,000 miles at $ 1,100.00. I love cars of all types, but the electric car is a different animal altogether. Keep the videos coming; your rental model 3 had a broken HVAC system.
I've driven late 90s Hondas and have an Element. Just got a model 3 and so far I really like the driving experience but miss the center gauges and controls. As my fun car it's great but the charging infrastructure is the biggest challenge (especially non tesla). The brake lights do come on, I think that has changed over time from regulation.
Weight and range issues: modular, interchangeable batteries. Only load what you are going to use -- around town, not so much, long trip in charging "desert," more modules. Oh, and adopt the propane tank model. Buy them then exchange depleted for charged.
I would be willing to bet that the AC condensor had some debris in it, this is a common issue on Model 3/Y, and the rental company probably hasnt kept up on cleaning it out periodically.
On most Teslas, to activate autopilot or cruise control, you press down on the gear selector stalk (like you're going into drive), once for regular cruise control, and twice for autopilot.
As far as brake lights and regen goes, Tesla does activate the brakes light for regen, but only if the car is decelerating above a certain level. It will actually display the brake lights activating on the screen. However, there are other EVs out there that don't activate thier brakes lights during regen (I'm looking at you Hyundai/Kia).
FYI, I work on EVs for a living in the San Diego area, so if you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them. In fact, you can stop by our shop if you're ever around the area again and want to see what an EV repair shop looks like! We mostly work on "Tesla Powered" vehicles, but we also work on other EVs such as the Nissan LEAF and whatnot.
I’m with you Eric !
When it was time to buy a new car for my wife a few months ago we were dead set on the Model 3. After the test drive it really seemed hard to jump into the technology at this point. The amount of new tech and settings almost seemed to force you how to relearn how to drive. I'm a tech guy and I've learned long ago that most of the capability and features that high end tech has to offer will most likely not be used almost at all. I learned this with high end phones and computers and it still is the same for electric cars. The idea of having the best and newest just isn't necessary for most people and that's how I felt about the Tesla. We didn't go electric but I may when I need a new car. If tesla can makea Chevy bolt like vehicle for a $25k before rebate I think that would be a sweet spot for new adaptors.
Best thing people could do is look at a hybrid. You don't have the range anxiety, or being stuck in the winter with no volts, and you get that small battery benefit when taking off from lights or parked that kill average MPG.
2013 I leased a CARB-compliant Ford Focus because I was WFH. 80 mile range, but it got me 90-95% then the Camry came out. That was no monster HP machine as it was only produced to CA CARB mandates for Green crap but it was a blast to drive. Would kick it up from 10-20 to 60+ in like 400' or something. Plugged it in at night and nice full charge the next morning.
We'll always have a gas or hybrid as a second vehicle though.
I was thinking of Eric the car guy today, I caught up with a pristine intra, type R on a trailer. Super clean and it looked like it was heading to the track:)
There is a 2" panel in the front bumper you pop off and hook a 12 volt battery to two wires to open the Frank or doors.
You can run your A/C for hours in an EV and only loose like 10% of battery. The roof in the Mach-E and Teslas blocks IR and UV. It cost me less than half per mile compared to a ICE vehicle. I can charge at home, like I plug in my phone. I love my 460 HP V8 sports car but my EV is so much better in a lot of ways.
Im more of internal combustion engine person love my Acura Honda V6 models.
Check out the Aptera for more a reasonably weighted EV
Some parking garages you can only park on the ground floor. Also if your is in a car crash and it goes in for repair it has to be parked in isolation because of possible fire.
Yes the brake lights do come on during regenerative braking just not light regenerative braking as soon as G-Force exceeds 01 grams it clicks the brake lights on
I'm glad to hear at least one youtuber who realizes EVs are an emerging tech.
Brakes lights do come on when you slow down with regenerative breaking on my Model Y.
I work for a supplier that manufactures the structural parts of the Model 3, Y, S and X and I can tell you that they absolutely have to use aluminum because of how heavy these cars are as it is.
The Model 3 actually is one of the lightest medium sized EVs and actually always weighs less than 2 tons. I don't know where you got your numbers, but the US made Model 3 standard range is like 1650 kg, which obviously is 1.65 tons. The long range and Chinese LFP versions go a bit closer to 2 tons, but not all the way.
Fuel in CA is closer to $5.50 a gallon - 10-15 gal tank…$35 is still way cheaper
Having rented > 10k times you can always top off nearby and drive it back. They just look for 1/8, 1/4 leas than full…
Hey Eric, there's another youtuber channel under the handleTechnology Connections where the young man has a few videos on EV's you might find interesting. I'm no expert on them to critique any of your content here but wanted to say I'm glad to see you lean into it enough to make this video. I think a lot of us are in the same boat where it's a like it or not, this is the way the wind is blowing. So it's like the man said: "Lead , follow or get the hell out of the way" 😂
I myself had a model 3, while I liked it, there was 2 big things I did not like about it. #1, the big iPad screen no thanks, I’d rather have an instrument cluster in front of me and to the side a infotainment system with buttons, and #2, no Apple CarPlay, I use CarPlay all the time in my car (Hyundai Kona limited with the 1.6T) and I can’t see myself not using it when I’m in a car. Next year I’m getting a Kona electric and I’m excited that has what I want in a car, (torque, an actual instrument cluster and an infotainment system with buttons.)
I missed my CarPlay too. Thank you for that insight.
I'm a car guy and I love electric vehicles. I've rebuilt engines, tuned carburetors, fixed all kinds of issues with cars. The driving experience with electric is just so much better than having to wait for a stupid transmission to make up its mind what gear it wants to be in. Stick is fun sometimes, but it gets old especially in traffic and takes effort to make perfeclty smooth shifts. Electric is just perfect 100% of the time. Plus it's also QUIET. Engine noise is fun sometimes, but also gets old. In an electric car you can drive the piss out of it without attracting attention because it's quiet. Yes it's heavier so that is a negative for handling, but the center of gravity is lower so you can turn faster without much body roll. Not having to go to the gas station anymore is also nice, that's one less thing to worry about in your weekly schedule. You can also start and run an EV as long as you want inside your garage with the door closed, no fumes or carbon monoxide. Which means you can have it fully warmed up and have a comfy cabin every morning when you get in. No more waiting for heat in the winter. Electric is really is the superior technology in almost every area except range. I pretty much stay within a 100 mile radius of home all the time, and my EV has plenty of range for that, so range is almost never an issue unless you're on a trip. The lack of adequate DC charging stations for long-range travel and price is really the only major pinch point with them, so I wouldn't buy an EV if you take a lot of road trips. But if you stay within 100 miles of home and can charge at home, then they're great. When I drive my ICE car now, it just seems so primitive-having to wait for downshifts, loud, less power, requires me to have a key with me to start it, etc. Electric isn't for everyone, but I think almost everyone will want to switch eventually. It's just like when smartphones came out, a lot of people said you don't need anything fancier than a flip phone, but now everyone has a smartphone and can't imagine being without one. Electric will be the standard 15 years from now.
I'm not ready for the change yet. I've similar automotive repair experience and I cannot let go the drive to maintain my own car. The lack of control I feel when looking at newer cars makes me hesitate.
I like electric cars. Will rent them all day, every day. But for ownership, I am waiting for solid state batteries to be established first. From a theoretical perspective, that will solve range and weight issues but that tech just became viable for large scale and needs time.
What a brilliant, well-reasoned, level-headed review of the beginning of the EV tsunami. Yes, EV's are in their infancy now, but they WILL improve - it's unavoidable, just as ICE cars did, and DAMN they are FUN to drive! And virtually maintenance-free? Sign me up. I test drove a Model 3 once, and it took a couple days to remove the smile from my face, surpassed only by my first flying lesson. Glad to see you doing videos again! Be safe, stay, well, as dirty as you can with an EV...
They are not maintenance free. Stop believing Elon's lies
There are a ton of Teslas here in Phoenix, AZ. That could not happen if the AC wasn't far, far above average. I suspect there is something wrong with your rental example. Like perhaps it needs service or something is broken and the rental agency just lists it as no AC rather than fixing it. Perhaps the service can only be done by Tesla (seems likely)?
Thanks for the info. I've ridden in a few in Vegas and New York for Ubers and such. Not sure I am ready to purchase one for myself but I can definitely see that electric cars are the future.
btw gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) which is labeled on your door jamb sticker etc is not the weight of the vehicle but its maximum weight capacity with cargo/passengers etc. If you want to actual weight of the vehicle unloaded, it would be the 'curb weight'. I believe modern 'half-ton' trucks are still somewhere under 6000 lbs in curb weight. most family sedans and small suv/cross overs are under 3600 lb curb weight.
Another point you mistaken you can open the doors there is a safety mechanism latch just below the armrest on both driver and passenger side
Interesting and informative, as usual. I had the opportunity to borrow an ORA for 48 hours recently. So much to 'unlearn' and so much to learn. I even had a problem to figure out how to make it go! I had the same problem with the regen braking, approaching a bend/corner I was consistently taking my foot off the 'go' pedal too soon. I found there was too much of it trying to control me, lane position control, for example. Not enough time in 48 hours to pick-up on all it had to offer. Like learning to use a computer. Would I buy one? At £34,000........no, not at my time in life. But I'm glad I had the opportunity. Bryan Baker.
Well, I'm not a fan of Tesla as a brand but their cars are one of the most efficient electric ones out there, and, of course, they are way more efficient than any ICE car, no matter the weight. The weight only affects the consumption when accelerating and given that it can recover a good portion of that energy with regenerative braking, it's not much of a problem. Some people use F150s to go for groceries and I don't see much complaints about that 😅😅. another thing is when the car runs out of battery, the 12V one is still powering all electrics on the vehicle, so you can close it, etc. It's not like you brick the whole car, you just can't move it... and you receive quite a lot of warning before that happens, so you're not going to be in the middle of a highway and the car just stops, unless yo do it on purpose.
Thank you for that insight. I'm learning a lot in the comments today.
Great review. The Model 3 does have an option to open doors without power, you could have charged at a super charger, last, sounds like your hvac was broke. Mine is too cold even at 100 degrees f out.
I don't have a Tesla but the dash and the doors aren't powered by the main battery but rather from an ordinary 12V. There's suppose to be a panel in the front of the car for boosting the 12V if need be.
You should totalky check out an electric F150 Lightning, I think you'd really like it! And far more "traditional" in its interfaces and UI, while still being electric.
Model 3's do not weigh up to 5000 pounds. Don't trust google's randomly selected source for that summary.
The HEAVIEST model 3 is 4200 pounds, that's the performance, dual motor. The standard range RWD is 3800 pounds.
Good vid 👍
I am curious why Calgary was mentioned of all the Canadian cities. Do you go often?
All the people I know with Teslas there do drive year-round. They seem to do fine. -40... I will have to ask.
(That said, I will never willingly buy one with one pedal driving. Coasting is better than regen, and taking your foot off the accelerator on ice would hypothetically make for some inconsistent and dangerous situations.)
Great video👍. If ur looking for an electric car project I have an 03' VW Passat waiting.
Thanks, wow I knew about tires but not the A/C so how are all the people here in Orlando FL dealing with it? There are so many Teslas here that they are building a service center near me. Yup I will wait and see...
Weird that the AC wasn't working on your Tesla. Must've been borked on your rental (hence the 'no AC' in the rental amenities). The AC on my Model 3 is fantastic
I have several customers with Tesla's they all complain saying the insurance is higher.
Shout out from Calgary :)
I live in Arizona it was a 118 this summer. That a/c gets very cold not sure what you're talking about with the A/C. I guess you just need to learn how to use it but it is awesome ac
While I do agree with you on the weight of electrical cars, newer ICE cars are also getting heavier and heavier to the point that they are closing in on electrical cars :/ Don’t know the reason but a lot of them are 4wheeldriver and cars are getting bigger. My experience as a Scandinavian is that nowadays most electrical cars work fine in winter climate. The deicing on the Tesla model S is very impressive. You turn it on remotely or via timer and the car is warm and ready very quick (comparable to a webasto almost) I was impressed!
The AC in my 2023 model y btw is extremely cold and powerful in 100 degrees in SoCal. I do admit the top glass gets hot. Also Tesla tests their cars in Dubai so they can run in extreme hot and extreme cold all day long with full ac.
A lot of the annoyance and issues you face like the ac staying on you get used to. For example when you get in and you don’t want the ac running you just hold down the fan icon and it turns off. Pretty much after a week of driving you get used to all the quirks of using the screen. Then going back to a normal car is super strange, all the levers and buttons for something you’ll rarely adjust after the initial drive.
Also there’s literally zero worrying about the battery once you drive a Tesla long term. It’s super super efficient. Just drive and go about your day like any other car. Use all the features you want. The car isn’t that sensitive. Then if you need to charge it the supercharger network charges the car super fast. That’s what ultimately sold me- I had the same battery/ range concerns you did but once I saw how fast the chargers are and how efficiently the car runs all day it’s a non issue. Top it up every night like a cell phone.
They have a 10% buffer written into the contract so you can have it charged and then have it within 10% of fully charged when returned and it should only cost you around $8 to have it fully charged at a Tesla charging station depending on your location so next time if you rent one