New Answers To Common Electric Car Questions
Now that I’ve been driving an electric car (a Tesla Model S) around on a regular basis for a few weeks, I’m getting bored with the most common questions. Over and over again…
CleanTechnica Reviews
24 Hours With The New, Longer Range 2017 BMW i3 (CleanTechnica Exclusive)
This review summarizes my early learnings in my first day with the new longer range BMW i3. A comprehensive review will follow, but I have found that some of the most important and impactful learnings about a vehicle arise very early on in vehicle use, as that is generally the time in which prospective buyers will make their decisions.
My comments include the background of time I’ve spent with the vast majority of electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles available in the United States (including owning at various times the Nissan LEAF, Tesla Model S, and Mercedes B250e).
Always Have 2–3 Options (For EV Charging)
Driving an electric car for a bit, I’ve learned what many an EV driver knows well: You should always have 3 — or at least 2 — charging options in mind. Also: Choose wisely. And get lucky.
Tesla Smart Navigation Is Brilliant (+ 3 Tips)
I recently used Tesla’s smart navigation system to drive from Wrocław (Poland) to Berlin (Germany) and back, and then I used it again a few days later on a long trip to the Polish boonies. Tesla doesn’t call it “smart navigation” — just sticking to the boring basic term “navigation” instead — but this beast is brilliant and performed much better than I expected. However, I learned something from these drives that I think anyone using this navigation option should know ahead of time. I’ll get to that in a minute.
A Tesla Service Experience — The Cool & The Uncool
It’s sweet when you buy a car and it immediately needs service — awesome experience. Seemingly out of pure luck, that’s what happened with the first Tesla Model S we bought for our new Tesla Shuttle service. Days after picking the Model S up from Germany (used, and not through Tesla), “Acceleration Reduced” appeared on the small screen behind the steering wheel, and underneath that in a bit smaller text, “Contact Tesla Service When Convenient.”
Tesla Service Is On Another Level — Now Getting Even Better
The Model 3 is going to level up Tesla’s game in many ways, with the first and foremost being the lower price point. Bringing a Tesla to market that is on par with the average sales price of a new car in the US changes everything and truly opens up the brand to the mass market for the first time in its existence.
Our Tractor Keeps Shaking Violently & Has A Sore Throat
Our tractor has started shaking violently … and seems to have a sore throat. I didn’t really notice it initially, but now this strikes me as a disastrous concern.
Prepping For Tesla Model 3 Trunk With A Volvo S60 (Trunk = 12 cu. ft.)
One of the biggest concerns I’ve noticed from many Tesla Model 3 reservation holders is the 3’s trunk. Will it be big enough? Will it fit a stroller or bike? Will it safely house my full-sized LEGO Batman?
Best Way To Plan For Tesla Model 3 — Rent An Electric Car
Tesla Model 3 production starts tomorrow, unless there was some kind of dramatic surprise since Monday. It seems that tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of people who have never before had an electric car have a reservation for a Model 3. They have a bit of planning to do.
Driving A Tesla Model S To The Polish Boonies
As you’ve probably read, a handful of guys and I recently got a Tesla Model S 85D for an intercity European Tesla Shuttle service we’re launching based out of Wroclaw, Poland. This last weekend, I rented the Tesla myself (but with no personal driver, unfortunately) to pick my family up from my in-laws’ “summer house” (lake house in the middle of nowhere). This place is really off the beaten track, in what I think we’d call “the boonies” in the United States.
