I. Love. Cars. All of them. Tesla, above all else, is the very best on the market. Ever since the first Model S hit the pavement in 2012, I knew one day I just had to own a Tesla. Needless to say, the $80K+ price tag on the Model S left a salty taste in my mouth.
Then came the release of the Model 3 in July 2017. This car represents a more “down-to-earth” price point, relative to the Model S. After close friends of ours purchased their rear wheel drive Model 3 and reported pure joy in ownership, it cemented my desire to one day own a Model 3.
In December 2018, my wife and I purchased our Model 3 Long Range Dual Motor. After 2,800 miles of use (at the time of writing), I can easily say that it is the VERY best car I have ever had the privilege of riding in/driving/owning. The rumors are true; Tesla is redefining the automobile industry. After setting aside savings to make this dream a reality, my wife and I have come to the realization that fully electric vehicles are the new standard.
Black and white interior 
Perks of 100% electric vehicles (EVs)
Charging
Charge at home, in a garage, in your driveway, or on the go. For everyday charging, I chose to go the NEMA 14-50 route, which is essentially the same “industrial”-looking receptacle that the nation plugs their dryers into. It allows a 32 amp draw, permitting a recharge rate of 30 miles per hour of charge.
An 8 hour overnight charge will reliably yield 240 miles of usable range!
It is so fun to be able to drive home from a productive day at work, pull in to my garage, park, and plug in to juice up the battery! Even thinking about it and writing these words makes me smile! What’s more, our home’s electricity provider charges us ~10 cents per kWh, making us slightly below the national average of 12 cents/kWh. My Tesla’s consumption and running cost will be the subject of its own blog post.
Instant torque & acceleration
My previous car was the dependable and much loved Honda Accord Sport, with a 0-60 mph acceleration of 7.5 seconds. Our new Tesla Model 3 Dual Motor carries an official rating of 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds, with online reports citing a real-world estimate of 4.3-4.4 seconds. This is INCREDIBLY FAST! I liken it to a high-speed roller coaster; acceleration is smooth, clean, and extremely prompt. Subtle changes of the accelerator pedal will immediately usher speed change. Watching videos is no surrogate for the sensation you get sitting in a Tesla during a 0-60 mph acceleration test. You must go test drive this machine!
EVs are the most efficient cars on the planet
The US Department of Energy has ranked electric vehicles (EVs) the most effective “fuel sippers” on the planet, using Miles Per Gallon equivalent (MPGe), where 33.7 kWh = 1 gallon of gasoline. When considering all vehicle types (internal combustion engines and EVs), EVs own every single top 10 spot. The Tesla Model 3 all wheel drive (Dual Motor) gets an astounding 116 combined MPGe EPA rating. Regenerative braking helps make this phenomenon possible; this is the subject of another post!
Feel good about driving
Electricity is consumed when driving an EV. There are waste products involved in the generation of electricity. However, electricity is produced in the United States and is inherently cleaner than burning gasoline or diesel. Interestingly, as electricity providers strive to use more renewable sources — like solar/wind/hydroelectric/geothermal — driving EVs gets cleaner!
Read more
I’ll be doing a series of posts on EVs, and also highlight my beloved Model 3 🙂 Up next is a primer on my winter experience driving the Tesla, including efficiency and how it’s impacted by freezing temperatures!