[Brave Ulysses]

Originally Posted by kscherer I get that the Fiesta and any Tesla are apples and oranges. That's the "duh" moment of the century. I wasn't asked to provide an example of a mid-priced luxury car equivalent to a Tesla. I was asked to provide for a $15,000 car that could go 500 miles on one tank. I did that (and own one). I don't buy cars for their "luxury" (I can't afford to). I buy them to get me from point A to point B as economically as possible, whereby "economically" includes maintenance, fuel economy, and that evil monthly payment. Including gas, my little Fiesta costs us about $200/mo. A Tesla Model 3 is going to cost about $500/mo just for the payment. I can own two Fiestas and go out to eat a couple times for that.

I don't disagree. I don't own a luxury car nor do I really have any plans to. The model 3 and a 35k price point however isn't really at a luxury price point in my opinion. It's more than I would spend and have spent but in a few years I could do it.

There is this idea going around that "just do it" because "save the planet". Some of us cannot afford to "save the planet" by buying expensive luxury cars. When Ford, Chevy, etc. get around to releasing all-electrics that cost less than $20,000 and go 500 miles on a charge, I'll buy one. I might even buy a sub-$15,000 all-electric that can only go 100 miles (a good commuter). However, I am not paying $35,000 for a car I can't drive to Bend. I also have no plans to spend that amount on a car in which I must plan the entire trip around locating a place to spend an hour waiting for it to charge back up. I plan my vacations around sitting on the beach watching the orb-of-warmth sink below that flat thing out there, not on filling the car up with juice.

I think you are just being stubborn. Right now it's not ideal for you to drive from Boise to bend in a model 3 but in a years time it likely will be and it will simply add an hour to your trip to bend. Again, if that one hour for your one or two trips a year means you won't consider a car that offers a better daily experience then ok but that's what it comes down to for most people

I see a lot of Tesla Model S's running around Boise. However, I have yet to see one out on the road between here and anywhere. I feel pretty confident saying that, when those Model S owners go on a road trip, the Model S stays in the garage and the Tahoe (or whatever) comes out.

I drive 170 miles round trip every day for work if not more. I see model s's everywhere. I've seen them on the Santiam pass. I've seen them on 97. I see them downtown, in the countryside, wine tasting, on the coast, and I've seen them at ski resorts and even up at crater lake. The crater lake lodge runs extension cords out of the laundry rooms in the basement for guests staying with electric cars.

I'll keep saying this as long as people aren't getting it: I know it's coming, and I applaud Tesla's efforts, but they aren't here, yet. Maybe the Model 4 or 5 will be the real game changer, the $20,000 400 mile car that will change the motoring world forever. Until then, the Model 3 is not a game changer. It's close, but until it can go all the way to Portland from Boise (without a required juice-stop), it's nothing more than a luxury commuter that most people still cannot afford. I'm super-glad some of you are getting one. For people looking near the low-end of Mercedes, BMW, Audi, etc. (or the high end of Ford, Chevy, Dodge) the Model 3 is very compelling. If I had a $500/mo commute budget, I can think of few cars that would be as high on the list. However, by the time a Model 3 meets my $200/mo commute budget, it will be long-used, it's battery will be shot, and no mechanic will be able to do a damn thing about it. No, and thanks! I'll buy another Fiesta (or equivalent).

Again, most vehicles can't make that stop without a gas stop and most people won't make that drive without a restroom and snack break.

You're impressions of electric cars and battery technology seem to be dated. And you are also ignoring all of the time savings they actually would afford you. Theoretically it would reduce your gas station visits for everyday driving as your house is your main gas station. The batteries don't die like you claim. The cars are relatively maintenance free. How does no more oil changes sound? How much time do you spend doing that each year?