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Not for everyone - Tesla - Alan (6th Sep 2024  12:19:22) I've been driving a Tesla since late 2015. They occasionally offer referral incentives. The latest one gives you £1,000 off a new Tesla. Just use this link tesla.com/en_gb/referral/alan2237 There is also currently a 0% PCP deal on the Model 3 for cars delivered before the end of September - you could be lucky with a quick delivery on a Long Range model.

Re: Not for everyone - Tesla - D (6th Sep 2024  13:44:47) Two questions I can't find answers to:- How much do they cost to charge? How much do the batteries cost to replace? Thankyou.

Re: Not for everyone - Tesla - Alan (6th Sep 2024  14:55:15) Cost to charge. I'm with Octopus Energy on their GO tariff which gives 5 hours at night for 8.5p per unit (kwh). Teslas add about 10% of charge per hour, so I can add 50% per night for £3.00. 50% gives you a maximum of around 150 miles of range depending how you drive for that £3. Tesla batteries have an 8 year warranty (120,000 miles). You won't need to replace it. Even now there are companies that can repair batteries (usually just a couple of cells that need to be replaced) when out of warranty.

Re: Not for everyone - Tesla - Alan (6th Sep 2024  15:06:46) The other cost saving is in maintenance. Teslas require no maintenance at all to stay in warranty cover. You just need to change tyres, wiper blades and top up screen wash fluid. I used a third party company (cleevelyev.co.uk) to do a pre MOT check after 3 years and another check after 4 years before the warranty ran out. They come to your house / office, as mobile throughout the UK. Very reasonable and excellent service for any EV.

Re: Not for everyone - Tesla - Russ (6th Sep 2024  16:45:57) Not too sure about EV we went to Belgium with a friend in his Tesla actually 8 of us four in the EV and four in a v/w petrol golf his wife driving. The Tesla was a nightmare having to find charging points about three times the last time as we came off the train tunnel found a place three out of the four chargers not working by the time we got home his wife had the tea ready. So I’m not getting a EV yet . And of course you can’t tow with them yet .

Re: Not for everyone - Tesla - Alan (6th Sep 2024  17:21:02) Russ, that's unfortunate and odd. Tesla superchargers are incredibly reliable and very common in Europe. This link shows locations of all Tesla chargers - tesla.com/en_gb/findus... Most people have to stop for food, rest and toilets on long journeys. During which time the car recharges. You just have to plan a little more than you would normally. Lots of Tesla and EV drivers travel to the South of France and beyond and report back the journeys are as easy as in a petrol / diesel engined car.

Re: Not for everyone - Tesla - Alan (6th Sep 2024  17:28:09) EV's can tow, but the range reduces quite a lot. Technology has 11 years to overcome this.

Re: Not for everyone - Tesla - Russ (6th Sep 2024  17:55:38) Alan yes hope they do improve the situation because at the moment it’s very hit and miss. My friend is a tec head he know has a Kia top model but again problems with changing. He has compared both and is more satisfied with the Kia . But as for towing I think they have a long way to go to get the mileage up . But EV is of course the way to go for our future but I won’t be towing then .

Re: Not for everyone - Tesla - D (7th Sep 2024  08:53:08) We've been here before. I remember Gordon Brown having a bee in his sporren about doing away with petrol engine cars in favour of diesel, hence his scrappage scheme. Never came to nowt.

Re: Not for everyone - Tesla - Polly (7th Sep 2024  11:42:26) I appreciate all the ‘benefits’ of having an electric vehicle, but how do people afford to purchase one in the first place? The price tags are HUGE!!

Re: Not for everyone - Tesla - Alan (7th Sep 2024  12:15:15) Hi Polly. Most are either leased or bought on PCP with a final payment or you just return the car. Lots of second hand EV's on the market now with very reasonable prices.

Re: Not for everyone - Tesla - Russ (7th Sep 2024  13:09:38) Alan I’m not knocking EV but if you lease it still costs a lot . My daughter leased a fiat 500 ok shopping around long distance very expensive in the end she had to give it back and lost out. And got the same model in petrol very economical saving lots of money. Remember a report about battery replacement on a Renault Clio from new think it was ten years for replacement it cost more than the car was worth but as you say they are improving all the time but at the moment you have to be very careful in your choice for what you want it for.

Re: Not for everyone - Tesla - D (7th Sep 2024  14:39:56) I gather electric vehicles are very heavy due to the weight of the battery/batteries. Does this increase the rate of tyre wear and how does that compare to a non electric vehicle?

Re: Not for everyone - Tesla - Alan (7th Sep 2024  14:53:37) I don't think the difference in weight is very noticeable - compared with similar sized cars. The performance is often higher than petrol / diesel engined cars so driving style can shorten life. However, my Tesla managed 36,000 miles on the front tyres. Rears were replaced at about 30,000. Brakes last for a very long time, as most braking is regenerative, putting power back in to the battery. Friction brakes are only used for the last few feet of stopping or if you totally misjudge a situation.

Re: Not for everyone - Tesla - D (7th Sep 2024  16:37:30) So braking effort is achieved by the drag created by a dynamo? (for want of a better expression, I appreciate it nay not be an actual dynamo) clever.

Re: Not for everyone - Tesla - Alan (7th Sep 2024  16:48:03) Yes D, that's pretty much it. Not using the friction brakes, saves lots of wasted heat being created on the discs and instead puts that energy back into the battery - improving overall efficiency.

Re: Not for everyone - Tesla - JL (10th Sep 2024  10:35:46) I have read (from a normally reliable source) that Tesla batteries are assembled into the car inside the welded structure during manufacture, and cannot be removed. So a failed battery means the whole car is scrap. Anyone considering buying a second-hand Tesla should ask the question. I am still trying to find if this is true, and will report back. But it wouldn't surprise me ....... A strange way to save the planet.

Re: Not for everyone - Tesla - Alan (10th Sep 2024  10:49:18) Hi JL That is completely FALSE. The battery packs on Teslas (and all EV's that I am aware of) are quite easily dropped out from under the car. They are very well sealed and most manufacturers have cooling systems connected to them, so changing a single cell is not as easy as one in a torch. But the companies set up to do this have all the correct equipment to disassemble the packs, locate and replace any faulty cells. But in reality EV's and their batteries are far more reliable than a petrol or diesel engine. For instance a family member with a Peugeot diesel, just out of warranty, required £1,000 adblue system to be replaced.

Re: Not for everyone - Tesla - Paul2 (11th Sep 2024  09:42:18) @Alan - there is a widely publicised recall from Peugeot around AdBlue issues. Unlucky to be out of warranty, but the recall has been active since 2017 and any vehicle serviced by a main dealer is included from what I've read. To be very cruel - Peugeot and reliability are not often mentioned in the same sentence!

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