Last weekend, during my family’s time in Louisville (check out the Wild Card section), we got to ride in a Tesla Model 3. When we checked Hertz rentals to rent a car, the Tesla Model 3 was the cheapest car we could rent, so we knew that we had to rent it! Throughout the weekend, we got to drive in this car and test it out. Something you should know about me is that I’ve always wanted a Tesla, so this weekend was a dream experience for me! After riding in the Tesla, though, have my opinions on Teslas changed? Let’s find out!
Teslas are unique and are not like any other car that I’ve ridden in. There is so much attention to detail in every respect of this car. The exterior of the car has such a sleek design that I, personally, really like. There is a sunroof that extends across the entire top of the car. There is also a frunk (a trunk at the front of the car), and the door handles are really unique. The inside of the car is the coolest part, though. Since the car isn’t exactly cheap, there is lots of attention to detail, and everything is made out of quality materials. Everything is very minimalistic as there are almost no buttons on the car since practically everything is controlled with the 15-inch touchscreen (think a really big iPad). This touchscreen controls almost every function of the car. The UI (user interface) is very user-friendly. The only other components are a steering wheel, two pedals, and two levers attached to the steering wheel to control the blinkers and to change gears. That is it. Everything else (speedometer, climate control, battery levels, navigation, locks, music, etc) is all controlled in this huge touchscreen. You can even (if the car is parked) play games, watch movies, have the Tesla make farting noises come out of the speakers near passengers’ seats, and so much more!
Now, we’ve talked about the interior and exterior of the car, but what about the specs? Let’s just say, this car was fun to ride in. It can go from 0-60mph in 3 sec (something we did test out), the top speed is 162mph (don’t worry, we didn’t test that), and the range is 272 miles on a full charge (which is pretty good). The coolest part of a Tesla is definitely the autopilot! The Model 3 that we rented didn’t have full autopilot (which can entirely drive itself), but every Tesla does have autopilot to some degree. We tested it out on the interstate, and it was honestly really impressive. It followed curves in the road, slowed down if it sensed a car in front of us was moving slower than us, navigated to where we needed to go, and it even dinged when a traffic light turned green (this applies even if autopilot is turned off). This isn’t the full extent of what a Tesla can do (you can pay much more), but it is still really cool!
A main question to consider when it comes to electric cars is charging and how it compares to gas-powered cars. Is it worth it to have an electric car, or would a gas-powered car be better? I already mentioned that the range for the base model is around 270 miles which isn’t bad! Since my family was driving from Indianapolis to Louisville and back, we had to charge it pretty frequently. Even though there aren’t as many chargers as gas stations, there are more chargers than I realized (hotels, parking garages, grocery stores, etc). The rate of charge really just depends on the charger. Some chargers can charge up to 200 miles in just 15min which is fantastic! When it comes to price, electric cars are definitely the better option! Electric charging is a fraction of the price of gas, and a lot of places even let you charge for free. While electric cars (especially Teslas) tend to be more expensive, you are going to save loadsof money since you won’t have to buy gas! Finally, using electricity is much better for the planet than burning fuel, so there is that to consider as well. So, in conclusion, a Tesla is a fantastic around-the-town car as it is going to be much cheaper and more convenient to charge it overnight at home and take it out for the day. This is going to be much better than gas cars! When it comes to road trips, either way, you are going to have to fuel up/charge along the way. If you are charging, you are going to have to wait longer, but you can always stretch, get food, go to the bathroom, etc. during this time. Personally, I think that a Tesla (or another electric vehicle) is going to be the better option.
What are my takeaways from riding in a Tesla Model 3? Well, I think the Tesla Model 3 is a very cool car, and that certainly didn’t change after riding in one! Would I recommend buying a Tesla? I mean, a Tesla Model 3 (the cheapest model) costs over $40,000, which is pretty expensive! I would argue that it is probably worth this price tag, but a Tesla probably isn’t the best use of someone’s money. It is DEFINITELY a very cool car, though, and I’m glad I got to ride in it! You can learn more about the Model 3 and other Teslas at Tesla.com.