I Rented A Tesla For A Week And Am Totally Sold On Gas-Powered Cars | After test-driving one for an entire week, we learned we will never buy a Tesla or any electric vehicle as long as we have the option of gas-powered cars or even hybrids.
Good points for discussing with your local EV fanatic.
TL;DR version:
- batteries drain too quickly / range is considerably less than advertised
- length of time needed to charge is very long
- availability of charging stations not good
- some charging stations are in rather sketchy parts of town; personal safety may be an issue when you're stranded there for an hour waiting for your vehicle to charge up
- dependence on complex touch screen and non-intuitive interface seems as dangerous as texting while driving (and the autopilot is too unpredictable to use safely)
- even simple things like locking the door or turning on the windshield wipers is complicated
- no hardcopy manual to consult when you are out of range of a cell signal
- cost of charging with electricity is pretty comparible to what you would pay for gas, so no cost savings
... But pigs will fly before I buy an EV based on my Tesla experience/experiment. This conclusion is not based on a one-hour test drive but on an entire week of driving in an EV-friendly part of the country. ...
I have a Tesla and it’s the best vehicle I’ve ever owned. I don’t own one for environmental reasons, but because it’s a blast to drive, and is constantly improving. On well marked highways, Full self driving (FSD) drives safer than I would and has made my 40 mile commute considerably less stressful. Also, 0-60 in 3.8 is amazing. I live in the NW so charging stations are everywhere. Your state may vary.
"On well marked highways". My Hondas have various features that rely on well marked highways. After a month I gave up and turned them off because most roads aren't well marked. Usually the paint fades or is worn off in spots before the road needs repaving. Or the road is damaged in spots, or paved over from some repair, etc.
I hate how the FSD experience keeps changing. I hardly use it anymore.
The dash board has games showing when you drive. Yet those are not accessible. 2 modes would be good. Charge:stopped or drive.
Tesla had a good UI to start, everything seems a bit worse now.