Would You Drive An EV Tesla?

[XtremeMaC]

As I'm getting older and lazier, bundled with cops ticketing you for few seconds of fun, noise regulations, other buzzkills like EVs, I'm slowly dying inside. Not kidding
I do seek full autonomy during commute these days and sometimes I'm like, shit who cares, give me Smart 4-2 with comfortable seat and self drive and I'm good. I'm in suburbs. Who knows what my car situation would be if I lived in the city...

I vote for no cops, no speed and noise limits over the weekends at least. (Yeah, can't go to track all the time). With that, the day I buy an EV, I'll probably be near death bed...
I did drive i3, eGolf, Tesla S. All nice n quiet, Tesla fast, i3 agile, eGolf hated regen brake. All plain boring on the inside. Model 3, meh as well. Haven't checked out the newer EVs... First few pulls are exhilarating, but like no increasing engine melody, no shifts, heavy feel. I get that from PS5...

Thus I'm really hoping for a big fluke in EV development or a miracle ICE improvement. Maybe Koenigsegg's camless engine, Porsche's synthetic fuel, fuel cells, gasoline lobbying can delay the inevitable...

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[gcmak]

Swapping between my Supra and Model 3 Performance is pretty interesting.
I prefer the smaller diameter steering wheel and the overall rim shape to the Supra (and maybe even the EPS as a whole too), and the visibility out is far superior in the Model 3.

Ultimately the EV is a fantastic daily driver (especially commuter), regardless if you use the fancy adaptive cruise tech or are beta testing full-self driving (as I am, and boy are we years away from realizing that lol).

It's actually interesting how many posts on FB groups and in this forum where people share what their 'other' car is and often you see a Tesla as one of them. At least for me, the Supra is the noise and drama I sometimes need to feel alive, but the Tesla is the calm I need on a more regular basis. It's an absolute privilege/luxury to own either car let alone both - and I'm thankful every day for it.

 

[zrk]

Maybe Koenigsegg's camless engine

Camshaftless. Really really cool shit.

 

[KahnBB6]

Swapping between my Supra and Model 3 Performance is pretty interesting.
I prefer the smaller diameter steering wheel and the overall rim shape to the Supra (and maybe even the EPS as a whole too), and the visibility out is far superior in the Model 3.

Ultimately the EV is a fantastic daily driver (especially commuter), regardless if you use the fancy adaptive cruise tech or are beta testing full-self driving (as I am, and boy are we years away from realizing that lol).

It's actually interesting how many posts on FB groups and in this forum where people share what their 'other' car is and often you see a Tesla as one of them. At least for me, the Supra is the noise and drama I sometimes need to feel alive, but the Tesla is the calm I need on a more regular basis. It's an absolute privilege/luxury to own either car let alone both - and I'm thankful every day for it.

I find this interesting myself. Usually someone is in one camp or the other. You on the other hand own an MKV and a Tesla Model 3. These two cars could not be more different from one another as you point out.

My issue with Teslas are the interiors, their de-emphasis of the driver and of driver engagement... especially when Musk puts a difficult to use yoke in place of a steering wheel or claims that his most affordable design yet will simply have no steering wheel and controls at all. The trend he started with touchscreens absolutely dominating many EV dashboards is pretty annoying as well.

On the other hand the Supra MKV is all about emphasizing driver engagement, focusing on driving and rewarding the driver for their efforts doing so. It is theatricality and drama in similar fashion to the way the old MKIV TT's were (though they both express their theatricality differently).

I'm not personally interested in the least in fully L5 autonomy or using even L2 autonomy even in an EV. What I keep an eye on the auto industry for these days is to track what the new developments are in hopes that some EV's will show up in the marketplace that stick as much as possible to a driver-centric, engaged-as-possible, non-touchscreen-dominated experience with "fun to drive" as the primary focus with all other considerations being secondary.

Friends of mine own Teslas from the Model S to the Model 3 to the Model X and they all love them and of course find them to be great daily drivers.

0-60 is impressive in almost any EV or any powerful gasoline car with a lighting fast gearbox but the fun factor is what I value far more than that figure.

...

I have seen ways in the hobbyist conversion community which seem to make EV's fun machines to drive. And a lot of it comes down to the vehicle itself being a cool and fun car to begin. Inefficiently keeping a manual transmission bolted to an electric motor also has the side effect of making for a fun EV in the form of a classic car that already has a fan base.

The identify and character of an automobile goes a long, long way towards the ultimate formula of what makes it fun. Then there is how the driver is engaged with driving it and finally the unavoidable sound. And many EV conversions do make their own sounds, though it's totally different and much more subtle than what their original engines provided aurally.

Sound generators in EV's are annoying to me. I'd rather have some sound taken from the RF produced by the electric motors themselves... similar to how you can pick up random electronic or motor interference if you randomly tune your car's radio to some otherwise static stations on the AM mode.

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I feel that the offerings will gradually improve as the technology improves. I also feel that in order to win over enthusiasts whichever manufacturers wish to need to begin thinking of designing some models with driving enthusiasts specifically in mind.

Kind of like how the GT86/GR86 was perhaps not for everyone but everyone could agree that it was an extremely fun little sportscar designed to delight and reward the driver.

This might mean doing some things that are counter-intuitive such as building some of these models with two or three speed transmissions not because they're the most efficient solution for an AC motor's power curve but because they allow for a much more fun way of gearing the car for enjoyment.

It might even mean using tough gears that are semi-straight cut which causes them to make noise as they mesh with each other faster.

Undoubtedly the weight of battery packs is a huge issue right now and until batteries get lighter that will limit the ultimate fun factor beyond 0-60 sprints for BEVs.

Higher energy density and faster charging times such as promised by Ford and Purdue's recent liquid phase cooled 2400A roadside charger cable R&D can help that happen.

https://jalopnik.com/ford-and-purdue-made-a-cable-that-could-charge-an-ev-in-1848047225


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At the end of the day even though EV's will always be different than any ICE car it is that ethos of building a true driver's car and emphasizing fun and engagement with the focused driving experience that needs to come to the new market of EV offerings.

It is all possible if any manufacturer wants to make true enthusiast minded EV's. Especially as the battery technology improves and gets significantly lighter.

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And I love Koenigsegg's camless cylinder head designs. I do hope they get those produced not only in their own supercars before the changeover just to see it in action. Ford also had an old Mazda based Ranger with a 2.3L testing their own version of that technology years ago.

I am not sure how well any area's hydrogen refueling infrastructure will ever build out to in order to support cars like Akio Toyoda's GR Yaris Hydrogen concept car or if truly carbon neutral synthetic fuels will ever really be a thing or be remotely affordable to anyone but the super rich.

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It's interesting to see where motorsport is taking EV technology as a good indicator of what can be done.

Here's one good example. The McMurtry Spierling: a twin rear motor 1,000hp single seater EV racecar that looks like a tiny Batmobile. Aerodynamics are its true party trick with a loud rear fan system producing full downforce before it even starts moving... and which even give it some unique noise at speed. That's a feat that should even make Gordon Murray proud:

 

[87gpe]

Personally I really enjoyed the performance of my M3P. The rest of the car is a bit of a letdown. I paid for full self driving, but it was anything but.

The car was a lot of fun to drive. Sure, it’s missing some of the visceral feel of other cars. I still think EVs will be great once we see more traditional manufacturers involved. I’d absolutely buy a Taycan or the Audi, but they’ve got to improve their ranges to Tesla levels.

I daily drove a M3P and then my fun car was a C7 Z06. In a lot of ways, I wish I still had that setup but I never expected the car market to do what it did!

 

[RenRed2]

FK NO will not drive or own - Value vs quality IS STILL NOT THERE-- FK ELON AND HIS SHITE

https://www.thedrive.com/news/43876...scovers-car-was-delivered-missing-a-brake-pad

 

[RenRed2]

Passing the TÜV is not easy. Most Americans should be forced to maintain their cars in such a manner. You dont see so many junk cars around lol.

More proof that Tesla is a joke in quality.

https://www.thedrive.com/news/44068...fail-germanys-strict-inspection-after-3-years

Over 10 Percent of Tesla Model S EVs Fail Germany’s Strict Inspection After 3 Years
It's actual hard data on Tesla's quality issues as seen in the wild.

 

[RenRed2]

More FK Tesla and its 'aura' and idiot total asshat fanboys lol

Tesla Chip Shortage Fix Was To Pull Steering Components Without Telling Buyers

https://jalopnik.com/tesla-chip-shortage-fix-was-to-pull-steering-components-1848498652

 

[XtremeMaC]

More FK Tesla and its 'aura' and idiot total asshat fanboys lol

Tesla Chip Shortage Fix Was To Pull Steering Components Without Telling Buyers

https://jalopnik.com/tesla-chip-shortage-fix-was-to-pull-steering-components-1848498652

Who cares about quality but I get it. Explain why you couldn't deliver thousands of cars to shareholders or skip on something that could possibly be retrofitted later. Yet, of course they should have informed the buyers.. Among flying roofs, I think this is ok ?
Whole industry is in shambles. I did have to buy a new vehicle, but missed on several components, yet the order sheet was clear... Wish they'd retrofit missed features.

 

[Elektro]

no, there are a zillion other cars I'd buy before giving elon any money...
lada
yugo
chevy
etc

 

[Thill444]

I am selling my Supra and 4xe Wrangler and getting an M3P. I switched jobs late last year and no longer have a daily commute and the Supra is collecting dust and I really can't justify 3 vehicles (wife has a PHEV Pacifica). When I do drive I usually have a couple kids with me and need the backseat but I have already done the Camaro (SS1LE) and Shelby GT350 thing and my kids just don't fit comfortably back there anymore.

I wanted something quick and fun but practical and after test driving several cars was really impressed with the M3P. Not just the acceleration but the handling steering was really impressive. I could not test drive the new M3/M4 Xdrive (non available even used for a test drive) but I really didn't want to spend over $60K.

There is little risk in the Tesla as demand has remained very high and resale high so if I drive it for a year and hate it I simply sell it and get something else.

In terms of quality they have made a lot of progress on the Model 3 and Y overall fit and finish and material qualities. It's a pretty straightforwrd process if you order the car and it has flaws you reject it, they offer it to someone else after it gets fixed and then you get the next VIN in line that matches your build. If you decide you want to walk away your out $250 max.

 

[romanLegion9574]

Even more reasons to say "no":

Tesla hits bollard
Tesla almost hits cyclist

This is not going to be "better than a human in a year", and as stated before, I can't support paying money to a car company who's testing self-driving software on a non-consenting public. It doesn't seem like it's going to be long before someone actually gets hurt.

 

[zrk]

I had an M3P until sometime late last year, I also have a pre-order for a Cybertruck.

Teslas are-- fine. They do exactly what they say on the tin (ignoring self-driving shit). The M3P was reliable, got me around town for cheap, punchy on the highway, great for trips. I pre-ordered a Cybertruck because I think it's hilarious. It's such a goofy/stupid-looking thing and I love it.

The interior is whatever. For 99% of people, a car is a car. Elon knows exactly where to cut corners to instill confidence in the shareholders, please people just enough, drive hype, etc. TSLA is overpriced, but Tesla is doing well.

As far as self-driving stuff, it'll get there. I've been a software engineer for a long-time, it's by no means ready for use, and I have no fucking clue how it's being used legally. It's probably because there's never any legislation for shit like this when it's new. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The thing that frustrates me a bit is that a whole mess of people who conflate Tesla (and other EV manufacturers) with "self-driving." Which is not at all the same thing.

 

[Blaque Diamond Wheels]

I’m open to it. After all, this is the direction most car brands will take in the next few years.

 

[Deighvid]

No.

Because Teslas are ass

One of the new Audi eTrons or Porsches however!... Maybe.

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