Tesla Model Y Test Drive

 As I noted in my previous post, I've been a Tesla fan for a while. Tesla originally had 2 'stores' here in NJ, and neither were very close - one was in Cherry Hill and the other in Paramus, each about an hour away. In the spring, they opened a new store in Lawrenceville, only 20 minutes away (and with a Service Center as well). Once the Model Y came out, I decided to schedule a test drive, which I did on July 1.

In case you're not aware, these 'stores' are not traditional dealerships, but part of Tesla's direct sales model. You cannot walk into a store and have them order a car for you. All orders are done via Tesla's website. So the 'salespeople' aren't really that. Unlike a traditional dealership, where taking a test drive isn't a simple proposition, it's easy and fun with Tesla. No high pressure sales tactics are applied.

Because of COVID-19 precautions, the actual store itself isn't open (although the Service Center is). You call when you arrive and an associate meets you outside. They only had one MY tester available, so I had to book an appointment on-line. He spent a few minutes going over a few items - mirrors, seats, steering wheel adjustment - as well as driving modes. This particular car was a Performance model, which is about $10k more than the Long Range AWD (currently the 'base' model) and adds a lowered, tightened suspension, 21 inch 'Uberturbine' wheels in black, bigger brakes with red calipers, and a carbon fiber lip spoiler in the back. The car was also Deep Blue Metallic, which is how I would spec mine. The driving modes were set to 'Chill' for acceleration and 'Hold' for braking, which enables 'one pedal' driving mode.

I should explain about 'one pedal' mode. One of the benefits of an electric car is that there is minimal routine maintenance. No oil changes or tune-ups, and brakes generally last much longer due to regenerative braking. Essentially, when you take your foot off the accelerator, the electric motor provides braking power and that returns energy to the battery, providing a certain level of recharging. It's like engine braking with a manual transmission ICE vehicle. The amount of regen can be adjusted, to the point where the car will come to a complete stop (and will hold in place) without the driver touching the brake pedal. It's pretty cool to judge when to take your foot of the accelerator to come to a stop at a stop light or stop sign, right on the line! And it only takes a few stops to get the hang of it. Just don't forget that your ICE vehicle doesn't have this!

I mentioned that the drive mode was in 'Chill' - there is also standard and a sporty mode (can't recall it's name). That said, the acceleration was still amazing (just required a heavier foot than the other modes) and totally silent other than some wind noise. Really incredible and addicting.... I was able to test the car on all types of roads, including a stretch of Route 295 where I quickly got up to 85 without noticing.... The silence is really eerie, as my Mazda CX-5 is pretty noisy when accelerating quickly. The car feels very firm and stable, with the big tires and beefed-up suspension, and handled great. And the outward visibility to the front and sides is outstanding, with no instrument panel in front of you. Seating position is like a 'regular' SUV, higher than a sedan, and quite commanding, especially to the front. 

The lack of traditional instrumentation isn't really an issue. I mean, what do you normally look at in your car besides the speedometer? Speed is in the upper left-hand corner of the large touchscreen and is easily visible. And controls for the major functions like HVAC, defrost, seat heaters, etc are easily accessible along the bottom of the screen, although I did have to look at them to operate. Maybe they become second nature over time, like in my current car.

The MY is quite roomy, and of course, like other Teslas, has a 'frunk' in the front and a great amount of room in the rear, including a decent-sized space under the rear floor. The rear seat space is fine and with the panoramic glass roof, the feeling inside is definitely one of airiness, even with the black interior (which isn't really a 'dark' black but more of a charcoal color. 

I do have a concern with the glass roof and heating the interior of the car. There are solutions (sunscreen, tint) that could mitigate the heating. And I would want that heating during the winter for sure, as running the heater in an electric car has much more impact on range than running the A/C. But that's really a nit.

I am seriously interested in this car, and will probably wait to order until 1) the 3Q crunch is over and 2) the resolve some of the quality issues they are having with the car (panel fits, paint issues). 

I would spec mine as the Long Range AWD with a tow hitch (for a bike rack) and the Deep Blue Metallic color, with black interior (partial white is also available). The results in a MSRP of $51,990, which earns a $5,000 rebate in NJ for a BEV purchase. You also do not pay sales tax on an electric car, so there is another $3,400 that you save. And there is a rebate of $500 to install a home charger (which would typically cost about $1,000 installed). So there are good financial reasons to buy a BEV in NJ.