Re:Tesla’s Model S P85D Scores 103 Out of 100 on Consumer Re...
by mikeash on Thursday August 27, 2015 @03:05PM
(#10131371)
A Tesla requires more forethought and effort for long trips. I won't dispute that.
But my point is that for a gas car, getting gas and not running out of a gas is a constant thing even when you're not on a long trip.
When I had a gas car, every so often I would get in the car ready to drive 60 miles out to the countryside or something and realize, nuts, I need to get gas on the way.
I never let this happen to myself, but I see friends suddenly realize they need to stop and get gas while on a local drive of maybe 40 miles round trip.
And even if you're on top of things and never let it happen, you're still spending a few minutes every week filling up the car.
With an EV, for any trip that's within the range of the car, it's zero effort and zero thought. EV owners definitely don't have to "constantly be planning in advance." For 99% of drives you don't have to even think about it. Just unplug and go. For the 1% of the time you're making trips, then you have to think about it.
My point is simply that the EV isn't worse in this way, it's just different. It's a tradeoff. If, like most people, you mostly do local driving with very occasional road trips, the EV will be less effort overall, not more.
But my point is that for a gas car, getting gas and not running out of a gas is a constant thing even when you're not on a long trip.
When I had a gas car, every so often I would get in the car ready to drive 60 miles out to the countryside or something and realize, nuts, I need to get gas on the way.
I never let this happen to myself, but I see friends suddenly realize they need to stop and get gas while on a local drive of maybe 40 miles round trip.
And even if you're on top of things and never let it happen, you're still spending a few minutes every week filling up the car.
With an EV, for any trip that's within the range of the car, it's zero effort and zero thought. EV owners definitely don't have to "constantly be planning in advance." For 99% of drives you don't have to even think about it. Just unplug and go. For the 1% of the time you're making trips, then you have to think about it.
My point is simply that the EV isn't worse in this way, it's just different. It's a tradeoff. If, like most people, you mostly do local driving with very occasional road trips, the EV will be less effort overall, not more.