https://www.flickr.com/photos/136377865@N05/sets/72157658490...
The suspension is the one part in a car, which is easily inspectable by just looking at it. And which has not changed much over time. Any competent mechanic should be able to check it. If there were fundamental issues with Tesla suspensions, the net would be full of reports about it and of course authorities would have acted, but beyond that one crusader against Tesla, no one has claimed they are unsafe. Actually, by most accounts, the Model 3 is one of the safest cars you can buy.
However, the suspension of any car is a vital part that is exposed to the outside and exposed to wear constantly. While most electric cars don't require much maintenance - Tesla does not have a maintenance plan any more - the brakes and suspension I would have checked by a mechanic at least biyearly, as this is a very important mechanical part you want to be serviced before there is a failure.
2. Someone has observed a large number of otherwise undamaged Teslas with this peculiar failure and is documenting it.
Which one of those is more likely...? If you search for "suspension failure" at teslamotorsclub.com there are a surprisingly large number of results too.
3. Suspension damage is common in vehicles that have been in accidents.
There are legitimate threads about suspension damage due to failed components and/or improper assembly on TMC, but that's probably not what happened in most of the vehicles in Keef's Flickr account.
(IMHO a low-speed impact of the sort that doesn't cause other damage beyond minor scratches and dents should not be enough to break suspension parts.)
(It's not only Tesla who does this, but perhaps they have been cutting it a bit too close, given their relative inexperience compared to other auto manufacturers.)
The suspension is a part which can be easily inspected on a car and is one of the parts which is not different on electric cars. Any mechanic can inspect it. How does it come, that beyond that crusader, no one called out Tesla for this? Neither the authorities, nor any mechanic working on Teslas. Check the teardowns by Sandy Munro, who is an automobile expert. He criticised many things about Teslas, but not the construction of the suspension.
Parts can be weakened internally and break suddenly, especially those of the cast-alloy that Tesla uses. The aerospace industry has extensive knowledge of that process, and the methods required to detect such defects are well beyond "easily inspected".
The members of the sub are generally quite reasonable, but it's consistently pruned of content that could be damaging to Tesla. I read it for many years until that started to creep me out.
https://www.reddit.com/r/teslamotors/comments/j6jc7w/a_forma...
https://www.mazda.co.uk/cars/mazda-mx-30/
Not sure how much “out” does it have to be to be considered “out”.
Things that people like about EVs and Teslas specifically: 1) The driving experience is very special. Startling acceleration, single-pedal driving, near-silent low speed operation. 2) Operating costs are very low. Next to no routine maintenance, inexpensive "fuel". 3) Class-leading safety due to low CoG and lack of engine in the crumple zone. 4) Great software that is updated frequently over the air. 5) Arguably the best proto-self-driving/advanced driver assistance that gets better over time. 6) Hands down the best charging infrastructure and experience.
The build quality issues are real, but tend to be overblown by the media. The looks, inside and out, are definitely polarizing. I personally love the minimalism but would like better materials. But it's inarguably different, and for lots of people that's exciting in and of itself.
Is that why I always see Tesla cars continually flashing their brake lights? Is it even possible to just coast?
Maybe regenerative braking is also when the brake lights turn on.
My comment was also referring to the drain on the battery due to resistive heating used to warm up the cabin...not range efficiency on the battery due to cold temperature.
My Googling shows that Tesla went away from resistive to heat pump in the model Y...so, I think my comment is germane to Tesla except model Y.
And 4) could go either way:) no one is able to disable bits remotely on most cars, or at least until BMW get their subscription service going for heated seats and radio stations.
Wow
Speaking for myself, I actually quite like the design of the Teslas. They are very smooth and have a quite different approach than most mainstream makers. I dislike especially the overly edgy brutal look with huge radiator openings, which has crept into the car market since 2010. Maybe it is me being a physicist, but I can also appreciate how the design maximizes aerodynamic efficiency, even if that means other compromises. Which is partly responsible for Teslas leading in range tests. As I like simple elegant shapes, I appreciate how from the front edge of the windscreen to the very back of the car, there is a single smooth curvature of the roofline.