Tesla Electric Vehicles

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dacraka

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#245207 23-Jan-2019 16:18

As requested by other Geekzone members in the "EV (electric vehicle) general news" thread, a separate thread in the "Transport" forum to be made to talk about all things Tesla and their EV's (Vehicles - not Powerwall/Solar etc - separate thread for this).

As an owner of a Model S 75D - feel free to ask me (or anyone else) any questions you may have about purchasing a Tesla or anything else that you may want to know about them.

Here is a link to get free 1,500km supercharging if you order a Tesla
Free 1,500km Supercharging

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#2166382 23-Jan-2019 16:20

@nate

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#2166390 23-Jan-2019 16:49

dacraka:

As an owner of a Model S 75D...

Very jealous.

TENKAN

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#2166407 23-Jan-2019 17:41

So what is the true kms you are getting around town, and what do you think of the build quality on this particular model, plus I guess is there anything you don't like?

dacraka

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#2166684 24-Jan-2019 08:55

nate:

dacraka:

As an owner of a Model S 75D...

Very jealous.

If you haven't driven one before, you're always more than welcome to take it for a spin, Nate :P

dacraka

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#2166689 24-Jan-2019 09:11

TENKAN: So what is the true kms you are getting around town, and what do you think of the build quality on this particular model, plus I guess is there anything you don't like?

For the Model S 75D, the true km's I have found is 380 km (rated around 480-490 km officially).

I have the 2016 model (just after the facelift) - so in my opinion, this model's build quality is probably rated at 9.5/10 - out of all the 1000+ things that could go wrong, only the following things have needed service attention: drivers door handle needed replacing as it would not come out (since has been replaced with a revision that does not have the problem anymore), slight audible creaks above the C-Pillar headliner (which was fixed as well), currently the main 17" console screen has some artifacts displaying (lines) which was introduced in the latest software update which is a known issue and is getting a fix soon (issue of all things that are software updatable, but in the overall scheme of things I would rather get new software features for free and have a few bugs here and there compared to none at all).

Anything I don't like about the car?
It loses 0.5% of battery every day (phantom drain) (which is not much in the grand scheme of things because of the large battery size), but I think lots of EV's have this.

One thing I love about it, is that Tesla upgraded the car (for free at their Auckland service centre) from a 5.4 second 0-100 km/h car to a 4.4 km/h second 0-100 car! Who else does this kind of upgrade for free!?

nate

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#2166800 24-Jan-2019 11:16

dacraka: If you haven't driven one before, you're always more than welcome to take it for a spin, Nate :P

Cheers that's really nice of you. Have driven a few of them now, hired one here for my birthday back in September, one day I'll make the jump :)

First time was in Scotland about two years ago. Amazing car (Model S 90D)

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#2241045 19-May-2019 22:41

Just resurrecting this thread for anyone who is following as an owner or as someone with interest in purchasing a Model 3 (or S or X) later this year..

Firstly, if you've arrived at this thread as someone who has a pre-order on a Model 3 - word on the street is that the configurator for orders will be opening next month with deliveries arriving in August/September. I'll try to keep this thread up to date on any news that comes through on this front.

Regarding recent software releases, here's what you need to know:

There are new features being released all of the time (some are just amazing), but not all of them make it to New Zealand. For example, we are typically last to get any cornerstone full self driving features like Navigate on Autopilot. The theory behind this is that we just don't have a big enough fleet in New Zealand yet, but once those Model 3 orders start to filter through (even if just 10% of the 10k NZ preorders are fulfilled), it is very likely Tesla will flip the switch and provide the functionality to drivers.

What we do have at the moment that isn't widely publicised:

- Dashcamera Mode (left, right and forward facing cameras)
- Sentry Mode (advanced security system, including people/loitering detection)
- Dog Mode (keeps the interior temperature and ventilation optimal for pets in the car)
- Summon (forward/reverse via phone app)
- Teslatari (game emulator - asteroids, 2048 etc for when you're bored/charging)

What we're waiting on:

- Advanced Summon (car will navigate a parking lot to pick you up)
- Navigate on Autopilot (self driving onramp to offramp)
- Redlight Recognition (car will warn/stop if approaching red light)

Also, the overall cost of buying a Model X or S has come down in recent months. Autopilot is included by default, Self Driving is extra. The new Model S and X's (if you built one today) have a significantly more efficient drive train which has allowed them to score an extra +40KM each. They will also ship with Tesla's new Full Self Driving Computer (known as HW3) that is significantly more powerful than the current HW2 and HW2.5 systems. For existing owners who purchased FSD, they will be provided with the upgraded HW3 to provide a much smoother FSD experience once NZ's Tesla fleet is provisioned with the functionality.

As far as referrals are concerned, Tesla are no longer running their "crazy" referral program where after getting a certain number of referrals you could get a Tesla Roadster Founders Edition.

They recently relaunched the referral program and it now offers both the referrer and the buyer thousands of Supercharging credits instead, which is still a great benefit - if you remember to do it before placing your order.

My advice when it comes to referrals is to look after whoever looks after you. If someone gave you a test drive in their car, look after them by using their referral code. Everyone who own's a Tesla is issued a referral code - so remind them of it, even if they forget. Whatever you do, don't give your referral to some YouTuber in the US or the Tesla dealer. Also, if you're on the brink of pulling the trigger, make sure you join the official Tesla New Zealand Owners Facebook Group.

Aside from that, I'll try to keep this thread up to date with news as it comes through..

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benokobi

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#2241053 19-May-2019 23:28

Will definitely be buying a M3 as my next car. They just need to roll out the supercharger network down south a bit more.

Scott3

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#2241095 19-May-2019 23:38

benokobi: Will definitely be buying a M3 as my next car. They just need to roll out the supercharger network down south a bit more.

There is only one more station currently planned (on top of the current 3) in the south island.

That said, there are very few places you can't go in a 400km range car by using the slower 50kW charge-net network.

https://charge.net.nz/map/

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#2241100 20-May-2019 00:19

Also don’t forget that supercharging / fast charging is just if you’re in a rush to get from location A to location B. There are many single and three phase destination chargers and EV charging points along the way!

Obraik

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#2241432 20-May-2019 13:37

premiumtouring:

Whatever you do, don't give your referral to some YouTuber in the US or the Tesla dealer.

I mean, if the YouTuber is decent, you've been getting decent information/content from them and you don't have a friend or family member locally to use, I'd say go for it. Personally, I'll probably use Rich Rebuild's referral code when I get my Model 3 since he's giving back quite a bit to the Tesla community.

On a different subject, has anyone with a Tesla currently been to a Supercharger recently? Have they started updating them to have CCS connectors for the Model 3?

Looking to buy a Tesla? Use my referral link and we both get credits

premiumtouring

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#2249869 2-Jun-2019 12:09

Right, so as some of you may / may not know the configurator for the Model 3 just went live on Friday in NZ. That means it is now possible to configure your pre-order or a new order (I'll get to that later) using Tesla's online configurator for New Zealand.

If you're coming from a Leaf / Ioniq / i3 etc, or were considering a Kona / Niro as your next EV, Alex has done a really great summary of pros and cons of each type of vehicle here:
https://youtu.be/LIGLVY8Crvg

Regarding "pricing" here's some things to consider:

Tesla are being a bit cheeky and have launched the most 'profitable' options to take advantage of customer demand in the region. That means there is no "Model 3 Standard" or "$35,000 USD" option vehicle available on launch. This, or a variation of it may come later, once they've captured and delivered this first round of orders.

They have also decided to offer the Performance model instead of the AWD Long Range model as they know people who don't want the base Standard Plus will want the Long Range, but when you buy the Performance model you are getting the Long Range with performance parts.

It is important to remember that due to lack of infrastructure here in NZ (less service centres etc) and to reduce operational overheads, Tesla are also simplifying their foreign market SKU by only offering premium options on the export vehicles destined for our market. So some options the US get, we won't see in NZ. For example, in the US you were able to configure your Model S with a Cold Weather Package as part of your build, that isn't an option in NZ as it is included by default on all new Model S orders.

Performance upgrade or not?

But you want those bigger wheels? Yes, they look sexy but standard wheels are better - tyres are cheaper to replace and they offer a more comfortable ride with better range.

So what do I get if I preordered back in 2016?

Aside from the Model 3 concept art that was mailed out to pre-order holders, what we've heard is that the only advantage you will get for being an early backer is your car will be prioritised for manufacture when the first run of orders begin being built in late June/July. If we get updates on this I will post here. As the delivery estimate is August (assume late), and allowing 4 weeks for shipping, orders will likely need to be received by around the middle of June to make it into the first round of manufacturing for APAC. If there are 100's of orders placed, August is going to be insanely busy from a delivery perspective. Tesla NZ are capable of delivering about 6 cars per week day (2 delivery points / 2 hour per delivery, 6 usable hours per day). So being at the front of that queue isn't a bad perk.

Bonus: Here's a time-lapse of a Model 3 interior being finished:
https://youtu.be/RQHBR3rjGXM

Charging / Supercharging / Home Charging etc.

When you buy a Model S or Model X, you are provided with a 10A 3-Pin to Tesla charging cable (great for travelling, keep it in the car). You are also provided with the option of a Single or Three Phase Tesla Wall Charging Pod. Single Phase @ 32A will charge your car at about 7.5kWh, adding about 50kms per hour to your car. These are what you plug your car into each night so you leave for work every morning with a full tank of 'gas'. Three phase installation will mean much faster home charging, but I can't speak from experience. Getting these installed didn't used to be too expensive, but the main factors are your home's power capacity (and typical draw), how far your wall charger is installed from your mains panel (the further it is, the more expensive), and as of late, the requirement for a special type of RCD breaker for EV chargers. If your wall charger is right next to your mains panel, which is in the garage, you're in luck an Electrician can get it installed with minimal fuss and cost - circa $300 + parts. The bulk of the cost will be the RCD which people have reported is anywhere from $500-$1300. Best to get multiple quotes from different electricians as that is something they will try to make money on. Wall chargers and charging cables are weather proof and can be mounted externally. Standard Tesla wall chargers do not have any type of security built into them, so you may want to have a cut off switch installed somewhere else to control who can access your charger if it is mounted externally.

What's the deal with charging speeds etc?

Pretty easy way to remember this.. If your battery is 75kW and at 0% charge, and your wall charger is 7.5kWh, it would theoretically take 10 hours to charge your battery (7.5*10h=75kW). However, Tesla have very smart battery management systems that intelligently control all sorts of variables to ensure the life of your vehicle's battery is maximised (for 8 years+). This includes artificially slowing down the charge rate of the batteries as they near the capacity. So typically, that last 10% of battery could take 3 hours instead of 1 hour to complete. As a result, it is normal to only charge your vehicle to 80%. Why is it important to know this? Well, if you are basing you purchasing decision on the car based on its battery capacity at 100% (eg. 435kms), you should consider getting the next 'battery size' up.

What's the deal with Vector chargers (in Auckland for example)?

Those are free for public use by anyone right now. They are also simply put, a free for all. They charge the car at 50kWh which can add 200+kms per hour to the car. Great for adding 75kms in 20 minutes which is typically the parking limit for Vector charging spots. Observe and obey these limits, and if someone else turns up, hop off when your 20 minutes is done. Don't be a jerk.

What's the deal with Charge Net chargers (around the country)?

These are paid charging stations (typically 50kW) where you are billed per kW and per minute parked. They are very reasonably priced - still cheaper than gas. But unlike Vector chargers you don't need to worry about being towed after exceeding the 20 minute parking limits because you are paying to use the service and parking. Super useful when there are no Tesla Destination or Tesla Superchargers. They are CSS and ChaDeMo so you will need an adaptor to use with your Tesla. ChaDeMo adaptor is available to purchase from Tesla NZ direct, or check TradeMe for someone selling theirs.

What's the deal with Destination Chargers and Super Chargers?

Tesla APAC continue to invest in setting up Destination Chargers (which are just their home wall chargers - typically three phase) at many locations across New Zealand. You'll find them in the weirdest places - like Mitre 10 Mega in Albany, and they are free to use for customers of that business. Remember to observe any time limits. There is no other car manufacturer in New Zealand providing this type of service to businesses and their customers.

Tesla also continue to set up and invest in Super Charger stations across the country and these are NOT free to use. Early Tesla owners were offered free supercharging for the life of their VEHICLE. So the free super charging transfers with the car ownership. Superchargers are insanely fast at recharging Teslas and they often deliver over 100kWh, meaning you can recharge your car from 0-80% in less than an hour. It is crazy putting on over 50kms in less than 10 minutes. This stuff is only going to get even faster with time.

Last I checked the rate is about $0.42 per kWh delivered. Unlike ChargeNet, Tesla's Superchargers only charge you for parking if you remain parked AFTER your car has finished charging. Supercharging is billed to a credit card and is completely automatic, no need to swipe anything as the charging point authenticates with the car.

Ordering and Finance!

It appears that Tesla's special finance rate of 6.95% is still in place with UDC. You can finance a Model 3 Standard Plus for about $1,132 per month over 60 months. That's with $3000 down payment taken when you submit your order, and after a $14k finance deposit required at delivery. I've purposefully removed the "Balloon Payment" option from this calculation as it is very misleading re: monthly payments. Naturally if you've got a mortgage, that might be a better place to finance, but for those without.. that's not a bad finance rate at all.

One thing I'd like to point out is that if you drive 150-200kms per day you can save an absolute fortune on petrol by going fully electric. However, sooner or later Road User Charges will start applying to EV's, so enjoy it while you can!

Referrals. Just touching on this again, as some people may stumble across this information and put in their order.. Only Tesla owners can provide Referral links for new buyers. At the moment the referral reward is giving both the referrer and the referee 1,500 free super charger credits. If you found this information helpful which I put together here for other Geekzoners feel free to use my referral link. I would ask for you to PM me, but there is a chance you may have Googled this information and won't sign up to Geekzone just to PM me and ask for my link. Otherwise, as recommended earlier, if you have found another Tesla owner's information useful in helping you make your purchasing choice please make sure you use their referral link before configuring and submitting your order. Referrals links must be used for configuration if you want to get the free super charger credits. For existing owners, if you didn't already know, you are allowed to use your own referral link when ordering your new car - so make sure you do that instead!

As usual, any questions, comments, clarifications - feel free to reply to this thread.

Obraik

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#2249872 2-Jun-2019 12:16

premiumtouring:

What's the deal with Charge Net chargers (around the country)?

These are paid charging stations (typically 50kW) where you are billed per kW and per minute parked. They are very reasonably priced - still cheaper than gas. But unlike Vector chargers you don't need to worry about being towed after exceeding the 20 minute parking limits because you are paying to use the service and parking. Super useful when there are no Tesla Destination or Tesla Superchargers. They are CSS and ChaDeMo so you will need an adaptor to use with your Tesla. ChaDeMo adaptor is available to purchase from Tesla NZ direct, or check TradeMe for someone selling theirs.

Nice writeup!

Just with the bit above, the Model 3 uses CSS so no adapter is required for charging stations that have a CSS connector.

Looking to buy a Tesla? Use my referral link and we both get credits

premiumtouring

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#2249876 2-Jun-2019 12:22

Obraik:

premiumtouring:

What's the deal with Charge Net chargers (around the country)?

These are paid charging stations (typically 50kW) where you are billed per kW and per minute parked. They are very reasonably priced - still cheaper than gas. But unlike Vector chargers you don't need to worry about being towed after exceeding the 20 minute parking limits because you are paying to use the service and parking. Super useful when there are no Tesla Destination or Tesla Superchargers. They are CSS and ChaDeMo so you will need an adaptor to use with your Tesla. ChaDeMo adaptor is available to purchase from Tesla NZ direct, or check TradeMe for someone selling theirs.

Nice writeup!

Just with the bit above, the Model 3 uses CSS so no adapter is required for charging stations that have a CSS connector.

If that's true that's going to be exceptionally convenient for M3 drivers given most NZ chargers are CSS!

Obraik

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#2249893 2-Jun-2019 12:33

premiumtouring:

Obraik:

premiumtouring:

What's the deal with Charge Net chargers (around the country)?

These are paid charging stations (typically 50kW) where you are billed per kW and per minute parked. They are very reasonably priced - still cheaper than gas. But unlike Vector chargers you don't need to worry about being towed after exceeding the 20 minute parking limits because you are paying to use the service and parking. Super useful when there are no Tesla Destination or Tesla Superchargers. They are CSS and ChaDeMo so you will need an adaptor to use with your Tesla. ChaDeMo adaptor is available to purchase from Tesla NZ direct, or check TradeMe for someone selling theirs.

Nice writeup!

Just with the bit above, the Model 3 uses CSS so no adapter is required for charging stations that have a CSS connector.

If that's true that's going to be exceptionally convenient for M3 drivers given most NZ chargers are CSS!

Yep!

As with the Model S & X, we're getting the same charger as what's used in Europe which for the Model 3 is CSS. Like with Europe, they'll soon start retrofitting Superchargers with a second CSS cable to accommodate Model 3. Model S & X can soon get a retrofit that makes them compatible with CSS, although any newly purchased car will have it from the factory.

Looking to buy a Tesla? Use my referral link and we both get credits

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