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  1. Published on: 16/06/2021 06:54 AMReported by: rogerblaxall
    By Syd Taylor

    When 'change' strikes a blow and makes dust of building blocks of certainty, what are you to do?

    Retire to your moated country residence, raise the drawbridge and pull down the shutters? Or flick the dust away, raise your chin and go with the flow?

    There is a third way, of course, which is to suck it and see. This approach is not without merits. You won't be phased by fads for one thing. You'll have a better chance of ducking quackery. You'll also be in a position to know a good thing when one comes along, because you have taken the time to weigh things up and form a considered opinion.

    Sometimes the process is easier because novelty and virtue appear to shake hands; this is certainly true of Tesla - a marque that has quickly established itself as the brand to have if you happen to be in the market for a conscientiously progressive style of 21st century motoring.

    Recently I chuckled when a friend coined a new term for electrically propelled transportation.

    "They're not motor cars anymore," he opined. "They're voltacars."

    He had a point. A Tesla is what you get when you wipe the SLATE clean and start afresh. It helps too if in doing so you STEAL a march on rivals via sophistication of design and engineering with outstanding powertrain efficiency, slippery aerodynamics and advanced chassis design. And not forgetting that Tesla has the opposition in a spin with the very best charging infrastructure.

    Throughout my acquaintance with the £47,500 Model 3 Long Range I found the experience overwhelming. I was forced to trawl motoring history in search of a comparison for such a leap forward. A Tesla is - well - sui generis. For those who didn't do Latin at school it means it's like nothing else but itself.

    Certainly as seen in the sunlight of a June evening it creates a composition of wind tunnel sculpted significance. Another way of putting it is to liken the Tesla to a resonating instrument issuing forth an harmonious paean of deliverance to planet harming emissions - in plain English, it speaks the language of progress.

    From the driving seat of this luxury 4 door saloon that's roughly the same size as a BMW 3 Series (but with two 'boots' and lots of passenger space because the powertrain is under the floor) one marvels at the unity of the concept. There's a 15 inch touchscreen that integrates media, navigation, communications, cabin control and vehicle data in one intuitive interface. You even get 'over the air' software updates for possible interstellar developments; all NASA and beyond.

    The impression is not so much of a car propelled by a 75kWh battery pack as of a purpose built carriage designed for contemporary connoisseurs of coulomb-packed propulsion. It goes like the wind but not a single hair of the cosseted occupants is ruffled. Indeed, regardless of challenging traffic conditions a mood of zen-like calm prevails in the silence. Refinement is re-written by virtue of Tesla's rigorous attention to details and quality construction. I wondered whether for the first time all the multifarious components that go into the construction of a motor car were here combined in one seamless whole.

    This amounts to a ringing endorsement. No longer does it make sense to sit on the fence. The Tesla is that good thing we have been waiting for. It's the 'here and now car' for those in the know. Tesla ownership means you're keeping ahead of the curve, guaranteeing that all your surprises will be pleasant ones. Cynics might think that's going too far but the Tesla experience puts such positive thoughts in your head.

    Confident in the range of this 'long range variant' which claims 360 miles (but I think that's 'pussyfooting around' range - I reckon 275 miles when used hard), I left the motorway (where there are Tesla superchargers at all services), to enjoy a sweeping A road.

    Farms and villages came and went in an unfolding tapestry of picturesque calm. Any slower traffic was simply gobbled up in overtakes that would make a 911 turbo seem pedestrian - such is the huge mid-range torque of the dual motors driving all four wheels; there's about 434 bhp and elephant torque, and the kick is somewhat akin to engaging full reheat on Concorde.

    Think top speed nonsense and it's around 145mph. As for the handling and stability - the low centre of gravity makes it feel glued to the road, offering unparalleled smoothness of progress characteristic of the new icon that goes by the name of Tesla.

    What puts Tesla in a different league from other electric cars is the excellent charging infrastructure. With others you need to sign up to charging contracts, give credit card details, go back to university to understand how to use that charger (often broken) and consider giving up.

    You just plug in your Tesla... and we can all manage that.




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    Your Comments:


  4. Little Londoner says:16/06/2021 07:57 AM
    Syd must have done well out of his British Gas shares to afford one.

  5. rumple says:16/06/2021 08:12 PM
    A step in the right direction to talk about an electric car instead of the writer's usual output of chugging primeval petrol or diesel ones.
    Nevertheless, the antidiluvian petrol head still can't get his facts straight about power output and charging. An electric motor will produce maximum power/torque from any revs [not just "mid range"] unlike an internal combustion engine and is why they are so responsive and faster on acceleration.
    Furthermore most people will, most of the time, charge their cars overnight at home so there won't be an issue. The charging network is improving all the time too so treat the writer's comments "consider giving up" as just part of his usual claptrap.

    As far as Little Londoner's comments are concerned, as with all new technologies, prices will fall with time and perfectly good EVs are already available for far less than this Tesla.
    Some leasing deals for EVs seem comparable to the slow, dirty and outdated petrol or diesel cars.

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  7. Ceam says:16/06/2021 09:54 PM
    Just might get one of these as my next car. Performance, economy and decent tax breaks make them a real alternative to cars well below there standard. Insurance is comparable to the Fiesta ST I'm driving now with more than double the BHP and double the driven wheels ;-)

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  9. lawed143 says:17/06/2021 08:02 AM
    Why do we need more powerful cars all the time. 145mph, 0-60 in 2 seconds? Why?
    Most of the time, these killing machines will be trundling along at 20-30mph.
    Yes Tesla has developed some amazing tech, and pushed forward the demise of the ICE, but surely a more appropriate development would be to help save the planet by reducing size, weight, speed etc. Pollution and waste hasnt magically gone away when you buy an EV. Wake up.

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  11. Ceam says:17/06/2021 09:33 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by lawed143 View Post
    Why do we need more powerful cars all the time. 145mph, 0-60 in 2 seconds? Why?
    Most of the time, these killing machines will be trundling along at 20-30mph.
    Yes Tesla has developed some amazing tech, and pushed forward the demise of the ICE, but surely a more appropriate development would be to help save the planet by reducing size, weight, speed etc. Pollution and waste hasnt magically gone away when you buy an EV. Wake up.
    Why not. BTW it's around 3.1 seconds for the model 3 performance.

    If they are "trundling along at 20-30mph. " what is your problem?

    Having the raw performance gives you options. gets you over taking slow transport in a shorter time and back onto the correct side of the road sooner. Can help you avoid accidents.
    My fiesta ST is way safer than my wife's car pulling out of junctions etc. If you don't want the performance that's fine it doesn't mean others don't have to have it.

  12. lawed143 says:17/06/2021 11:49 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by Ceam View Post
    Why not. BTW it's around 3.1 seconds for the model 3 performance.

    If they are "trundling along at 20-30mph. " what is your problem?

    Having the raw performance gives you options. gets you over taking slow transport in a shorter time and back onto the correct side of the road sooner. Can help you avoid accidents.
    My fiesta ST is way safer than my wife's car pulling out of junctions etc. If you don't want the performance that's fine it doesn't mean others don't have to have it.
    The problem is the availability of that power. Totally unnecessary, but there for those easily tempted.
    Ive driven many vehicles over 37 years, currently I’m a driver (of a van) and a cyclist. I’ve never once had problems pulling out of junctions, or ever needed power to get me out of trouble or overtake. What you’re admitting is a lack of patience to wait for a safe gap, and rather use your power to perform an unsafe manoeuvre. Well done you. I’d say your wife is a better driver than you.

    I repeat, there is no need for vehicles with that power to be used on roads. All the extra environmental costs just going to waste, all for vanity and self absorption. Yeah great.

  13. Ceam says:17/06/2021 11:55 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by lawed143 View Post
    The problem is the availability of that power. Totally unnecessary, but there for those easily tempted.
    Ive driven many vehicles over 37 years, currently I’m a driver (of a van) and a cyclist. I’ve never once had problems pulling out of junctions, or ever needed power to get me out of trouble or overtake. What you’re admitting is a lack of patience to wait for a safe gap, and rather use your power to perform an unsafe manoeuvre. Well done you. I’d say your wife is a better driver than you.

    I repeat, there is no need for vehicles with that power to be used on roads. All the extra environmental costs just going to waste, all for vanity and self absorption. Yeah great.


    Awwww, everyone has to be like you.... Oh no wait, No they don't.

  14. lawed143 says:17/06/2021 12:31 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by Ceam View Post
    Awwww, everyone has to be like you.... Oh no wait, No they don't.
    Don’t be pathetic. That’s not what I said.
    Grow up.
    We don’t need all that power, wasted materials and ongoing environmental impact. We can’t go on like this. The planet is on fire.
    But fine, you selfishly crack on as you’ll be long gone by the time your kids will be living with the consequences.

  15. Ceam says:17/06/2021 09:16 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by lawed143 View Post
    Don’t be pathetic. That’s not what I said.
    Grow up.
    We don’t need all that power, wasted materials and ongoing environmental impact. We can’t go on like this. The planet is on fire.
    But fine, you selfishly crack on as you’ll be long gone by the time your kids will be living with the consequences.


    Get out the violins.

    Those dirty electric car!!!
    I bet your van puts out more emissions than my car and the carbon foot print of the Model 3 put together. So maybe you should grow up.



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