By Gerry Kurth

Tales of Newbie EV Adventurers in a Tesla Model 3

After some contemplation and lots of discussions, last month Joanne and I bought a white Tesla Model 3 with white interior and an estimated range of 267 miles in April. Joanne dubbed her “Pearl.” In May, we took her for her inaugural road trip, a 4,000 mile loop through Dallas, Chicago, Columbus, and back through the mountains of the Carolinas. We just returned and are happy to share our experiences. The main goal was to put “Range Anxiety” to the test. Range anxiety, fear of running out of charge in the middle of nowhere, is the main reason people don’t buy electric vehicles (EVs).  

The car and the trip became an interesting topic of conversation with many of our friends, so we documented the trip. More friends were just curious. Others stuck with the conventional transportation sentiment. “My car takes me from A to B in comfort and style,” “too much of a learning curve, “and “I like the power, sound, or nostalgia of internal combustion engines (ICE)” were common refrains.   

Less than 1% of US vehicles on the road are electric, but they represent about 6% of new sales and growing quickly, with much of the growth in California, Florida, and Texas.

Our trip was way easier than we expected. There were plenty of chargers. Getting stranded in the middle of nowhere is a myth…unless you plan to go to Alaska, where there a total of two Tesla chargers in the entire state! In our initial experience, the car’s range usually outlasted our need to stop. The standard range Model 3, coupled with the Tesla supercharger network, are more than capable of road tripping. The experience, though, went beyond electric charging and range calculations.

The electric car’s performance was impressive. It had instant acceleration, especially noticeable when passing, and a smooth, vibration-free ride.

The large screen was the control hub, but also served as an impressive entertainment system. The “Toybox” included apps like “Careoke” The car has an onboard internet connection, so we could browse the web and stream when parked. The Tesla sound system was top-notch and watching Netflix on the high-resolution monitor felt like having our own private theater.

When visiting family and friends, the light show and remote functions, including remote views through the car’s cameras and the ability to cast your voice and make sounds caused some chuckles; sometimes uproar.  

Overall, the road trip was an adventurous mix of advanced technology, entertainment, and new driving experiences. We are now a lot more confident in taking Pearl to Connecticut this week for some family functions.

We blogged our personal perspectives and experiences. If interested, shoot me an email (gpk111@hotmail.com) and I’ll be happy to share a more detailed write up:     

• Range anxiety – 267 miles is plenty around town, but a 4,000 mile road trip?
• Charger types – Garage to Super charger?
• Onboard navigation – Indispensable to find charger locations

• Finding the chargers – Hidden gems
• Charger availability and reliability – Much better than expected
• Charging – More than plugging in. A social experience.
• Total time of trip – It takes a little longer  
• Costs – Gas vs electric
• Surprises – Most were pleasant
• “Autopilot”
• Chargers vs gas stations – The numbers behind the US infrastructure