Category Archives: Tesla Model 3

EV sales predicted to surge as showrooms reopen and demand bounces back

Google Trends data show that, since the PM’s launch of the COVID-19 recovery strategy (11 May), there has been a significant boom in demand across the automotive industry – so much so that the demand is now parallel with the numbers pre-lockdown, this surge in demand is especially evident in the electric vehicle industry.

The Road to Recovery Dashboard: Electric Vehicles is part of a tool built by LeaseFetcher, a car leasing comparison site based in Scotland. “The dashboard aims to observe long term and immediate changes in demand and will help inform predictions about the future for the electric vehicle and automotive industry,” says Will Craig, Founder of LeaseFetcher.

Pulling its raw data from Google Trends on a weekly basis, the tool provides an invaluable insight into consumer sentiment and behaviour.

In March, demand across the automotive industry nosedives. Now, following the announcement on the 11th of May, introducing step one of the recovery strategy, demand is once again on the rise.

While search volume for ‘electric car’ hasn’t yet returned to its pre-COVID levels, there’s every indication that it will do soon.

Specifically, the Tesla Model S and Model X have seen strong recoveries, matching and even exceeding interest this time last year.

Demand for the compact BMW i3 has recently returned to its pre-COVID levels, while the higher-end Audi e-Tron has already exceeded this. This is a strong recovery considering the demand fell by 70.1% and 63.5% respectively from the 8th of March to the 22nd of March.

With over 200 miles of range now the norm and 30 minute fast chargers popping up left, right and centre, electric car owners have less and less to grumble about and potential new owners fewer transition barriers. With demand bouncing back with such force, we are likely to see a surge in new electric vehicle registrations in the coming months.

If COVID-19 has shown us one thing, it is the very tangible impact of air pollution on our health. Around the world, people have had their first taste of truly fresh air for a very long time as roads were closed, cars left unused and heavy industry was brought to a standstill. Electric cars produce zero tailpipe emissions, which make them an invaluable part of any strategy to tackle inner-city emissions and to make the world a greener, better, place.

The Road to Recovery Dashboard for Electric Vehicles will continue to be updated on a weekly basis to track the progress of the industry-wide recovery from COVID-19.

Keeping Your Electric Car As Safe As Possible

Picture Source: https://www.ratedradardetector.org/

Owning an electric car is very different to owning a standard diesel vehicle. Obviously, you know this and that’s why you bought the car. You know that the impact it has on the environment is far lesser, for example. The differences between electric cars and traditional cars are many. Nonetheless, when it comes to the ways in which you should be looking after your electric-powered vehicle, there are some similarities and some differences when compared to a standard car. Here’s how to keep your electric car as safe as possible.

Maintenance.

As with any car, maintenance is the key to keeping your car safe and roadworthy. And, as with any car, you need to become acquainted with the machinery at work within your vehicle so as to take care of it yourself. Even though regular check-ups are important, going to a repair shop every time there’s a problem is costly and time-consuming. Not to mention, it’s much safer and responsible to maintain your vehicle by yourself.

You need to understand the sophisticated electronics that run your car. Learn about the battery control module and how it discharges and charges the battery bank. You also need to learn about the heating and cooling systems because it’s important that these are well-maintained in order to keep your vehicle safe. Take a look at the hoses, clamps, and pipes to check the cooling system is working as it should be. As a piece of advice to make sure your battery doesn’t run into any problems, you should avoid a full charge; pushing your battery to its maximum capacity and then draining it is damaging.

Responsible driving.

If you want to keep your electric car as safe as possible then you need to be a responsible driver and that all depends on road awareness. You already have a license, so you’re qualified to drive a vehicle, but you might not necessarily be the most observant driver possible. Passing your driving test is one thing but you need to maintain that focus and concentration every time you get behind the wheel of a car. You might want to look into a mirror reversing camera kit because it’s so important to have complete vision of the road as a driver. And, sometimes, your rear view mirrors won’t suffice; blind spots are bad enough but other vehicles and things in the road can obscure your vision too. It’s a good idea to have as many backup options in place as possible and a camera can certainly help.

Continuing on from the point above, you need to be aware of the road in order to be a responsible driver but you also need to react to the road appropriately. Defensive driving is the best way to avoid accidents on the road. If you see a reckless driver then reacting aggressively to the situation and losing concentration could make you a danger to the road too. Additionally, driving defensively and cautiously means that you shouldn’t speed or brake hard; put your electric car under too much strain and it’ll wear out more quickly. You need to look after your vehicle in the way you would with any car.

How to Make Sure Your Shiny New Tesla Model 3 Retains Its Value

If you’ve recently bought a Tesla Model 3 then you might be surprised to hear about the incredible resale values. While it might be tempting to sell your Tesla Model 3 early to rake in the premiums, it’s a bit pointless to own such a unique piece of technology only to sell it for the sake of money. It’s far better to actually put the vehicle to use in a number of different situations so you can experience the joys of electric driverless technology.

But with that said, it’s still not a bad idea to try and retain as much resale value as you can. Although consumer reports are pointing towards the Model 3 being the most reliable car from Tesla, it’s still a good idea to brush up on your resale value skills in order to keep the car looking and driving great after several years.

To get you started, we’ve put together a list of tips that will help you ensure that your Tesla Model 3 retains as much value as possible.

TESLA Model S_3

Image

Tinting the Windows

The interior of a Tesla Model 3 is beautiful and stunning to look at. Make sure you visit a company like Tint Factory to request a professional window tint. This will protect the interior from damage by the sun’s UV rays, thus extending the lifetime of the luxurious interior. The appearance of the Model 3 is often what can convince people to purchase it, which is why taking care of the interior can improve its resale value.

Maintaining the Battery

If it’s your first electric vehicle, then there are a couple of things you need to keep in mind about the battery. Managing an electric car battery is entirely different from traditional engines, so here are a few things to keep in mind:

  • Mind the temperatures – Extreme temperatures can have adverse effects on the battery. The battery itself has thermal management systems, but it’s still important to keep the battery at a stable temperature. This means avoiding climates that are too hot or too cold. If you need to store the vehicle outside for a long period, then make sure it is covered. Alternatively, keep your Model 3 in a garage to shield it from the elements.
  • Don’t let the battery sit at 100% – Letting your battery sit at 100% is a bad idea. Charging your vehicle to 100% every day stresses the battery and eventually lowers the efficiency. Most electric vehicles, the Model 3 included, operate best when their batteries are at around 30 to 90%. Any more or less and the battery’s lifespan could shorten.
  • Deep discharging – If you don’t plan to use your Tesla for a while, then make sure you don’t allow to discharge for an extended period of time because it could cause issues with the battery. If your Model 3 is below 30%, then let it charge back up to 90%. An electric vehicle will typically use 1% of the battery every day even when not in use.

Tesla Model 3 First Impressions

Marques Brownlee, YouTube tech reviewer extraordinaire, had the chance to do a short test drive of the Tesla Model 3. He already owns a Tesla Model S, so he provides a pretty reserved review of Tesla’s new affordable option.

Marques praises Tesla for retaining the spirit of their brand in the minimalist Model 3, but expresses concerns about how everything is controlled on the 15 inch touchscreen, even the glove box. Judging by the top voted YouTube comments, this is a shared worry among the general population:

“Everything is simple” (Needs software to open the glove compartment)
That monitor goes out for any reason, I mean, it’s a single point of failure. Doesn’t seem safe at all. I could be wrong. Please tell me I’m wrong.
Putting everything on the touchscreen with no physical buttons and a speedometer in front of the driver is a big mistake IMHO.What happens when the screen fails for some reason,you are totally screwed!! You don’t know what the hell is going on ! Epic fail !
Even though Tesla has likely made plenty of safety measures to prevent any sort of problem with touchscreen malfunctions, popular perceptions can influence whether or not the Tesla Model 3 will be adopted by the masses.  So I hope Tesla shows more ride alongs and tutorials on navigating the touchscreen, as well as reassuring electric car novices that a car can be safely operated without physical buttons and a traditional dashboard.
Marques also talks about options like colors, wheels, and automation packages.  $5000 will get you semi automation with self parking, lane holding, and speed changing autopilot.  For $5000 more you can basically just tell your car where to go from point A to point B, which is full-automation.  The safety sensors will be on the base model with no extra charge.  This brings up an interesting issue as to why the software is so expensive when the hardware is standard, as it isn’t physical, but digital script that could be copied and distributed, or even pirated.  However, I’m not sure if anyone is daring or stupid enough to trust their lives to bootleg PirateBay Uber.
As a successful YouTuber who already owns a Model S, Marques Brownlee represents the middle class Tesla owner, whereas most of his viewers seem to be younger people, highschoolers and young adults.  To him, it seems the Model 3 is kind of meh, to his audience, the Model 3 is hardly “affordable”.  In fact it’s about the same price as a C class Mercedes, so many could consider Elon Musk’s idea of an affordable people’s car rather condescending.  So Tesla has to find a way to manage these views as the hype train slows down in the next couple years, though they have time to think about before their supply can match the unprecedented initial demand.

Tesla Model 3 Launch Event in 5 Minutes

On July 28th, 2017 Tesla CEO Elon Musk delivered the first 30 Tesla Model 3s at an emotional handover event. The $35,000 electric car delivers on the promise Elon Musk made 14 years ago, to deliver an affordable, mass production electric vehicle to the world.

The Tesla Model 3 has an interior like no car you’ve seen before. Tesla went for a simplified dashboard that focuses on the central display unit. This is better suited for autonomous drive mode, when people will be able to watch movies and other media.

Tesla’s Model 3 design takes aspects the company learned from the Model X to give more headroom to rear seat passengers. The high hatchback and large rear window give the space more room and visibility.

Tesla intends to make the Tesla Model 3 the safest in the world, as well as expand the Tesla charging network 3 fold by next year.

The major hangup with the Model 3 right now is production. If you order the compact electric vehicle today, you will have to wait until late 2018 at the earliest to receive your car. Elon Musk assures customers that his company is grateful for its early adopters and Tesla will continue to support Model S, X, and 3 buyers who took the risk to embrace their innovative company.

Everything You Need to Know About the Tesla Model 3 Before the July Reveal

Tesla is gearing up for the big reveal of the Model 3, its first mass-market car.

CEO Elon Musk unveiled the car last March, but Tesla will show off the production version of the sedan in July. The summer show will allow the roughly 400,000 customers who preordered the vehicle a chance to see the final version before deliveries begin at the end of the year.

We broke down everything you need to know about the Model 3 — here’s a closer look:

First, the basics. Tesla will offer at least four color options for the Model 3: red, silver, metallic gray, and black.

First, the basics. Tesla will offer at least four color options for the Model 3: red, silver, metallic gray, and black.

Tesla

Tesla’s big selling point for the Model 3 is its affordability, with a starting price of $35,000 before tax incentives. But for customers who want the full Tesla experience, however, the final price will most likely surpass $40,000.

Tesla's big selling point for the Model 3 is its affordability, with a starting price of $35,000 before tax incentives. But for customers who want the full Tesla experience, however, the final price will most likely surpass $40,000.

REUTERS/Joe White/File Photo

It’s unclear whether customers who buy the Tesla Model 3 will be eligible for the full $7,500 federal tax incentive — that credit applies only to the first 200,000 cars a manufacturer sells domestically.

Tesla globally sold about 80,000 vehicles in 2016 and about 50,000 vehicles in 2015. Factoring cars sold since 2008, Tesla will be cutting it close to 200,000 vehicles by the time deliveries begin at the end of the year.

But the credit doesn’t disappear the second an automaker hits 200,000 vehicles. Instead, the credit would first fall by 50%, CNN reported.

On its website, Tesla doesn’t make any guarantees about the federal tax incentive.

“We are committed to providing you with the most current information about incentives at the time of purchase. We’ll do the same when it’s time for confirming your Model 3 order,” the website says.

Tesla’s new Autopilot system will also cost at least $7,100, but more on that later.

Tesla says the car will be able to drive at least 215 miles on a single charge. That’s pretty darn good for a $35,000 car!

Tesla says the car will be able to drive at least 215 miles on a single charge. That's pretty darn good for a $35,000 car!

YouTube/Motor Trend

The latest models of the Nissan Leaf and Hyundai Ioniq Electric cost about $30,000 but have more limited ranges: 107 miles and 124 miles, respectively.

The Model 3 will compete more closely with the Chevy Bolt, which can drive 238 miles on a single charge and starts at $37,495.

The Model 3 can accelerate to 60 mph in under six seconds.

The Model 3 can accelerate to 60 mph in under six seconds.

Tesla Motors

That edges out the Chevy Bolt, which can do 0-60 mph in about seven seconds. Musk has saidthat more-expensive versions of the car will have longer ranges and faster acceleration times, but he hasn’t announced those yet.

It comes equipped with a new suite of sensors that can support full autonomy.

It comes equipped with a new suite of sensors that can support full autonomy.

Tesla

The Model 3 comes with eight cameras, one radar sensor, 12 ultrasonic sensors, and a new Nvidia Drive PX2 supercomputer to support Tesla’s second-generation Autopilot system, dubbed Enhanced Autopilot.

Tesla says Enhanced Autopilot will eventually allow the car to match its speed to traffic conditions, automatically change lanes without driver input, merge on and off highways, and park itself. Tesla owners could also summon the car in more complex environments, like a crowded parking lot.

It costs an extra $5,000 to activate Enhanced Autopilot features at the time of purchase, but standard safety features will come free.

Tesla says the new hardware will eventually allow the cars to drive themselves. But the self-driving feature will cost an additional $4,000 after purchasing the vehicle. The regulatory environment will determine when Tesla can release the fully driverless system.

Tesla said the Model 3 is designed to achieve a five-star safety rating.

Tesla said the Model 3 is designed to achieve a five-star safety rating.

Tesla

Tesla has been a leader when it comes to safety. The government recently dubbed the Model X the safest SUV ever after it earned a five-star rating in every safety category and subcategory.

The Model S has also secured a five-star rating in every category.

Model 3 owners get access to Tesla’s massive Supercharger network.

Model 3 owners get access to Tesla's massive Supercharger network.

Tesla

Tesla’s Supercharger network is nothing to sniff at. A Supercharger can restore 170 miles of range in 30 minutes. That’s much faster than a Tesla partner station or a wall socket.

Better yet, Tesla is doubling the number of Superchargers worldwide by the end of 2017. The gray dots on the map above show the new Superchargers expected to come online by the end of the year.

But the perk is no longer free. Unless you can snag a referral code from a friend, you will have to pay for access once you’ve reached 1,000 miles. Thankfully, it’s a small fee.

The Model 3 offers a ton of space for a passenger sedan.

The Model 3 offers a ton of space for a passenger sedan.

Tesla

The car, which seats five, can even fit a 7-foot surfboard, Musk said last year.

Tesla will offer a glass roof as an option on the Model 3.

Tesla will offer a glass roof as an option on the Model 3.

Tesla

Just like it does with the Model S, Tesla will offer an array of premium features for its Model 3, Electrek reported. In addition to the glass roof, Tesla will allow customers to purchase 18- or 19-inch wheels, according to the report.

Tesla opened its glass division in October to make its solar roofs. The group is developing glass that can use heating elements to clear snow while generating energy. Musk said this kind of glass could be used as a rear defroster on cars, but it’s unclear whether we will see this technology on the Model 3.

The sedan features a clean design.

The sedan features a clean design.

Tesla

See how there’s no grille? The car is completely smooth.

Like the Model X, the handles are flush with the door.

Like the Model X, the handles are flush with the door.

Tesla

It also comes with a massive 15-inch tablet. But unlike the tablets in the Model S and Model X, the display is horizontal.

It also comes with a massive 15-inch tablet. But unlike the tablets in the Model S and Model X, the display is horizontal.

Tesla

Reorienting the touchscreen might make it easier to access different features while driving.

A lot is riding on Tesla’s big Model 3 reveal. We’ll be watching in July to see what else is new.

A lot is riding on Tesla's big Model 3 reveal. We'll be watching in July to see what else is new.

Tesla

Originally Article by BusinessInsider