Hacker News Reader

Comment by andykellr | Hacker News Reader

As a Tesla owner, I actually feel like the press is too generous in their comparisons to similarly priced vehicles. Unless I was buying a car for a special purpose like track racing, I can't imagine spending the same amount or more on a legacy vehicle with a lower passenger capacity, less storage space, more mechanical complexity, and the constant hassle of having to stop to buy gas.

We're in the process of replacing our second car and that will end up being less than half the price of the Tesla. But if I were going to spend > 60k, I would buy a second Tesla without the slightest hesitation.

In 37k miles I've never experienced limp mode and don't know much about it. I regularly drive for over 2 hours at Midwest highway speeds.

Can you describe your half-day jaunt through the mountains in more detail? I'm having trouble figuring out how this is out of the question.

View on HN

While I don't agree with the tone or much of what the grandparent poster said, the "limp mode" is arguably true. Several people who have taken their P85 or P85+ to a track and run it hard have quickly hit slow-downs due to overheating. You can do some searching on teslamotorsclub.com for details if you are interested.

Having previously taken our S85 into the White Mountains for vacation, I can agree that it would be tough to get even 200 miles out of a single charge. The elevation changes, steep grades at highway speed, and especially the occasional strong winds will sap away the battery much faster than you'd want. We were able to get by just fine with a small amount of foresight and planning, but that is something many people don't want to deal with.

Granted, those factors would all hit an ICE just the same, but people are comfortable with the ability to pull over into even a tiny backroad town and find a gas station somewhere. That is a valid complaint.

Those same gas stations also have power outlets if need be.

Yeah, but I would never provide that as an argument for equability. Charging from a 110 volt outlet typically provides as little as 3 miles of range per hour of charge, and I have personally experienced the FUD factor from various business owners when I have tried to make charging arrangements on a long trip, including one RV park owner who insisted that plugging my car in to one of his RV outlets would likely cause an explosion or at least set fire to it. :/

>constant hassle of having to stop to buy gas

I agree with the other benefits you highlight, but the model s has a similar range to most gas vehicles. You could just as easily complain about the constant hassle to stop and charge your model s (and the fact that charging stations are less common than gas stations).

I don't typically drive more than 250 miles a day, so I charge at home almost exclusively. Everyday I start with a full charge.

Imagine every few days having to take your cell phone to a special store to charge it. That's what we've been doing with cars and we just accept it as an inherent part of car ownership.

Fueling at home is extremely liberating, more than making up for the rare need to find a charger.

If an electric car is your daily driver then you charge it each night, and never worry about how many more commuting trips you can make before you have to stop at the gas station. In one sense you are filling up every day, and at the same time you never have to worry you will be late in the morning because you have to stop and fill up.

Road trips are a completely different issue. For me, trips over 200 miles happen once every few months, and I think I get out more than a lot of people do.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com