20 Things I Discover I Love About My Tesla Model 3
Cars
Published on September 27, 2019 |
by Vijay Govindan
27. September 2019 by Vijay Govindan
Before we started, I wanted to give an update for Elon Musk on Tesla Model A my youngest daughter designed.
Dear Elon,
My name is A. Last time my dad wrote you I didn't get an answer. I wait patiently. I have made some modifications to Tesla Model A. As you may remember, my sister's name starts with an S, so she has Tesla Model S, so I would like to have a Tesla Model A. Dad tells me that Model A might not come until a couple of years. I said tomorrow, but he didn't hear.
Now, Model A will be [should be] as large as an outboard that turns into a car. It can fly, too. It will have large wheels to move around. Like all Teslas, things will go fast. Like me, it will be compact and sporty. Because it will only cost $ 29.26, it will be reasonable for everyone. Dad confirmed with me that there are not thousands here. My older sister wanted the cents to be a multiple of 13, her lucky number. Since I like her most of the time, I agreed.
Looking forward to meeting and talking with you. Save me an engineering or designer job at Tesla when I'm old enough. SpaceX is pretty cool too. I like my dad reading "Elon Musk This book is about rockets".
With love,
A
Here is a model of Tesla Model A she designed:
On our actual Tesla Model 3.
It has been three months since we purchased our discontinued Tesla Model 3 Long Range with black paint. I wanted to share my impressions of things that need improvement and things I love. The list was limited to 20 since there are so many little things I love that would make this piece count. Dr novella.
1. Tesla opens the door for you with your phone
2013 The Tesla Model S was the first car to do so. No other car so far outside of other Tesla does. Given that all Teslas are big computers on wheels, it is surprising that no other manufacturer has this feature. It really is excellent software and programming. The fact that it happened to archaic Bluetooth standards in 2013 shows how far ahead of the game Tesla is today.
See Motor Trend
2. Tesla turns on the car without a physical key or start button
I recently gave two employees a test drive. They asked me if the car is on. I said yes. If I had said "Tesla Engage", they would have been blown away.
Note to Elon: this would be a great Easter egg.
The driver presses the speaker button and says "Tesla Engage"
Tesla responds: "[Your Model 3 name] now engaged"
We find again from Motor Trend that the Tesla Model S was the first car to had this feature, no non-Tesla does.
3. Tesla is super quiet and doesn't rustle
The reason why my co-workers didn't know my car was on was because all Tesla's, and EV's more generally, are super quiet.
This may be my favorite feature of the car. Even after living with petrol cars for 18 years, the silence and lack of rattle quickly becomes addictive.
4. Auto-folding mirrors!
If you go from a regular econobox device to something that is cut above, you don't know what to expect. One of the things that makes us happy with the three is the mirrors that can be folded together. These are GPS connected to your house.
My garage is very tight. I always have to close the minivan mirror. When I walk out of the garage in 3, the mirrors are already folded. When I reach the end of my street, they sound like a swirling cog, like a landing gear that flies out as you land.
When I get home, they fold back. It's a small thing, but makes sure I get into the garage quickly and easily. It is a relief and saves you a few seconds of aggravation during the day.
5. Homelink integration opens and closes the garage automatically
One of the other good features is automatic garage opening and closing, if you have Homelink integration. It opens so smoothly when you get home, and there are no worries about closing the garage when you go. Again, it's not a big deal, just a nice touch.
6. Sublime Speaker System
If you have a quiet car, what do you do? Weave the music up inside. My 3 has an excellent speaker system. I almost cried inside my 3 for the first time when I recently discovered Lindsey Sterling. Nothing else, not even the delivery of the car, evokes such feelings. These pieces showcase their crazy violin skills with a good pounding of bass. They are my job when I take people to test tours.
Try the following Lindsey Sterling pieces in this order:
Song of the Caged Bird
Master of Tides
Take Flight
When you're done, check out some of her YouTube videos where she dances and plays at the same time. "Master of Tides" is good for that too.
7. Autopilot slows, stops and accelerates by itself on local roads
As many of you know, when we bought our 3, we decided on Full Self Driving (FSD) for safety and future technology. My wife was mortified for a cheaper 3 without FSD, and she said that if we bought such a premium car, she would want the range and features. It is fair. Happier wife, happier life, I've heard.
I use Autopilot on local feed routes to commute. These are roads that go up to 60 mph next to major highways and have traffic lights at larger junctions. The ability of Autopilot to slow down, stop when the next car stops, and resume when the next car goes into heavy traffic is revolutionary. I have shown several people that Autopilot has and they are always stunned. You don't expect a petrol car to do it on local roads. That it can detect intrusive traffic so naturally and slow down is invaluable. It gives the driver an extra set of helping hands while driving.
Request: Hold hands on the steering wheel while using Autopilot. We do not have full 100% FSD yet.
8. Navigate on Autopilot is a real roller coaster
Originally, Navigate on Autopilot was bad. I had to be ready to slow down and run the car over at a freeway exit or missed a flyover.
Over the last three months of OTA software updates, Navigate on Autopilot has improved tremendously. On the way home from a friend's house, Navigate on Autopilot handled three compound flyovers, quickly, flawlessly. It's been so good. I slowed it down to 55 to 60 mph as some of the flyovers were tall and had my foot ready to slow down. But the car came through just fine. Whew.
Roller Coaster in Real Life: Check
9. OTA updates give you a new car every couple of weeks
The speed of new software deployment is astonishing. I now expect a new OTA update every other week. Attached below are pictures of my latest OTA update, a big one, which I got earlier today. Later in the year, city driving and Autopilot response to traffic lights. Every other week I test my edge cases. They slowly get better and disappear in expected behavior.
10. The rear camera is wide-angle and gives GREAT views
When you are in an over-crowded multi-storey car park, with large SUVs and trucks next to you, it is difficult to back from a place. My Model 3 makes it easy to use with wide-angle lenses. I can see up and down the entire roadway. The large screen makes it easy to see details.
Lately I'm coming back to a place. It works too. [Redaktørens notat: Jeg [[900900]] always back again, because it is so easy with the camera, and I prefer to drive out of the parking lot.]
The rear camera is the first thing I have seen where you can drive forward with the rear camera on. Always amazes guests who are not used to such functionality in other cars.
11. Tesla turns on the AC on the back when someone sits there
Speaking of the AC, I noticed that when you have a passenger sitting in the back, if you turn on the front AC, it also turns on the rear AC. It's a brilliant battle. It is a hidden, thoughtful gesture that will surely be missed by many.
AC pro tip: Turn off your AC power before quitting
non-AC drive. Quite normal and expected. One thing I have done is turn off the AC before leaving the car (no dog mode is required for us). This appears to reduce phantom drainage. When I walk in, I turn it back on.
12. Touchscreen handles four-finger touch more easily than my iPad
iPad is an iconic Apple device, but I would state that my Tesla handles multi-touch better. Give Tesla a four-finger swirl. You will not believe how smooth and delay-free the screen rotates.
13. Children's Favorite Feature: Emission Testing Mode
By far the most favorite feature of my children is Emission Testing Mode. They are impressed that a car drives with the same potty humor they love. It's the first feature they want to show other kids and a favorite to prank unsuspecting friends. A recent test drive with a passenger resulted in a video to show his daughter the function and the uncontrolled laughter.
14. Beach Buggy (but I'm afraid to play in my Model 3 for fear of ruining my tires *)
Part of an OTA update, we got Beach Buggy racing. You can move the steering wheel, turn the accelerator pedal and break the brakes. When you move the steering wheel, the real tires move too. This is great. It's bigger now that we can play Beach Buggy with two controllers! Score! It will be on the shopping list. [* Editor's Note: Vijay was unaware of this, so suggested I add it after I told him: You can actually play via the touch screen. There are buttons on the screen to press for steering, braking and special functions. I also avoid playing with the steering wheel. Turning the wheels while you are not driving is equivalent to the nails on the board for me. -Zach ]
15. Very cool heating of all rear seats (but still too hot for heated seats )
Where I live it gets hot. Not quite as hot as Vegas or Dubai, but hot enough. We do not need to use the rear heated seats until winter. Still: Rear heated seats! My kids are overjoyed. Usually, only the two front seats are heated. Now the middle rear seat can also get warm from seat to back. Beautiful move.
16. Autopark is exciting (… but scares me)
I admit – I scraped one if my rims tried Autopark. My teesla got a little too close to the curb and another vehicle before I had to stop it. There were a few updates since.
Recent updates have made Autopark more difficult to get involved. What a rush when it works and a new person sits in the passenger seat. What seems like magic is a carefully orchestrated symphony of jerking, rattling, braking and moving forward. You'll never forget the first time you see it happen.
17. Summon is a cool party trick
Summon is a cool party trick. Basic Summon makes the car go back and forth from the phone. If your garage is level with the street, Summon opens the garage before it comes out. My garage is above street level with a steep driveway. I almost broke the car's rear window the first time I tried. I stopped trying it. ?
I use my phone to open my garage through Tesla. It's convenient. I really want to test out Enhanced Summon. One step closer to city driving.
18. The color of roof glass after rain is amazing
If you've never seen a Tesla after a rain shower, it's a delight to the eyes. The ceiling becomes a beautiful red, orange and yellow. No other stock I know does the same.
19. My electric bill fell after I got Tesla
You may ask, Vijay, how is that possible? Simple. After getting my Tesla, I was so preoccupied with the potential charging costs that I switched to a “Time of Use” plan. Between peak hours, the cost is 15 cents per kWh. After peak hours, the cost drops to 6 cents per kWh. That's when I leave my car. Nice. It is step 1.
Step two: I have my AC cooling at 2 pm. This is one hour before peak charging. I raise the temp for cooling off during rush hour. At 23:00 at night, I cool the house down again. It really works. Though, I wish my house was better insulated.
Step three: I got my AC service. As part of the process, they replaced 100% clogged filters. Cha-ching! AC works less now, and more efficiently – all because I wanted to charge my Tesla.
20. My Tesla costs under $ 25 a month to charge
I don't think it's that much. I charge once a week when the battery is less than 50%. According to StatsApp, my last charge put 39.17 kWh, or about 168 miles of range, and it cost me $ 2.76. That's about $ 11 a month, about 95% less than if I ran the miles in the minivan.
Pro tip: Hand washing recommended
The first time I visited a Tesla Service Center, I asked the best way to wash a Model 3. They said hand washing, when the car was meant to move and not stay in the neutral direction. I first spent $ 40 to get it washed by hand at a local car wash. Too much, I thought.
In late July, I picked up a good hose and syringe. Around $ 60. Money spent well. No ChemicalBros soaps or Adam puffed towels yet.
Appendix: Jevon's paradox
Jevon's paradox is very vivid about Teslas. They are so fun and cheap to drive that we drive them more often. The good news is that we drive smaller petrol cars, which is good for everyone. The next vehicle will again be 100% electric. I want to see if Tesla Model Y or Model P (pickup) meets our needs.
Thanks for reading!
You can now use my referral link to purchase a new Tesla vehicle or solar panels and receive free Supercharger miles: https://ts.la/vijay59877
About the Author
Vijay Govindan Vijay Govindan is a part-time Cleantechnica writer. Through his writing, Vijay tries to raise the realized potential of humanity.
Against human trafficking. Tesla Model 3 LR Owner. His claim to fame is Tesla and Elon commented, liked or tweeted an article he wrote with the Tesla community. Only once. 😉
https://cleantechnica.com/2019/06/23/our-new-tesla-myths-page/
#WeChooseTesla, #RenewableEnergy and # YangGang supporters. Long Tesla shares. Have a healthy skepticism about the Q branch of the Tesla investment community. Made it a $ tslaq block list.
Follow him on Twitter @ vijaygovindan17. If you read this far, wow, ?? and ??.
