Some information in this piece conveyed to David Waterworth by Majella Waterworth
Before presenting the Tesla Model 3 to curious people at two recent EV events, we had a conversation about how to prepare the car. Majella wanted to clean it and take out the baby seats. I disagreed. I like to demonstrate that this car is used for daily activities — gets grubby, has some lolly wrappers on the floor, and quite often has a couple of rug rats in the back seat. Just as we have different views on presenting the car, it seems we also answer some different questions.
After the these days, as we relaxed and debriefed with a drink on the back deck (our mouths were dry from answering so many questions), it struck me how different some of the conversations were that my wife had had with other ladies in Cleveland and Bracken Ridge (Brisbane suburbs) compared to mine.
She told me about the couple who walked and rolled by — she was in a wheelchair. She looked longingly at the car and was about to move on when Majella said: “Your wheelchair will fit in the boot.” We have a daughter who is currently recovering from FND and using a wheelchair. Then followed a wonderful conversation about how a Tesla could be used by someone with mobility needs.
Many mums and grandmothers commented on the car seats and how much their children/grandchildren would love the car. Then Majella showed them Fart Mode. 0–100% love in a nanosecond. They could have fun with the kids in this one!
A heavily pregnant woman was excited about the heated seats and the lumbar support. The lack of clutter in the dashboard, the ease of use of the air-conditioning controls, and the use of voice commands all were commented on positively. Majella explained the departure scheduling to a business woman. To another, she conveyed the convenience of being able to cool down the car before returning with the shopping and a hot cranky child (this is Queensland after all).
Many of the ladies were keen to accessorize their Model 3s — floor mats, dash mats, trunk mats, jack plugs, covers for the roof, wood grain covers for the dash, handmade sheepskin seat covers, you name it. I like it the way it is — well, perhaps with a sunshade over that glass roof in summer.
Just as there appears to be a difference in the questions that rev-head hot rodders ask (how fast does it go?) and environmentalists ask (do they recycle the batteries?), it appears that women have different expectations of a car to those of men.
So, it’s not just grunt and range, it’s also comfort, convenience, and perhaps a bit of bling.
Majella is a mother and grandmother. She has practiced her people skills over many years in retail. She is an amateur gemologist who enjoys faceting gemstones she has found herself.
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