Another Electric Car – the Tesla Model S

Friday, 7 March 2014

Anyone who follows this website will know I have an interest in electric (or Hybrid) cars. I owned a Toyota Prius for nearly six years – and sold it to my sister so it’s still in the family. With care and a light foot I managed to drive nearly 5km purely on battery power a few times.

I rented a Vauxhall Ampera (aka Chevrolet Volt, Holden Volt, Opel Ampera) in the UK for a few days. That gets quite a bit further than a Prius before the battery power runs out and the internal combustion engine kicks in.

Plus I’ve driven a Tesla Roadster several times including in Switzerland all the way from Zurich to Interlaken (249km) and then all the way back (another 228km), purely on battery power. And with range to spare at the end.

▲ Me on the right, Tesla Model S on the left

So my next car is going to be electric, but which one? Earlier in the week I tried out the new Tesla Model S in London, in its 85Kw battery version (which is what I drove) it’s reputed to have a range approaching 500km. I only drove it about 10km, so I’ve no idea of the range, but it certainly has some performance. Floor the accelerator pedal and it goes! It also has the biggest touch screen you’ve ever seen in a car, I’m sure it’s as big as my computer monitor screen at home! Internet connected so you can answer your emails and Google information as you drive down the motorway?

But it’s a big car, as big as a BMW 5 series. Do I want something that big? Next month I’m going to try the BMW i3, maybe that’s closer to what I need. Of course neither are on sale in Australia (I don’t need a car in London) and Tesla isn’t even represented there, yet.