Electric car resources
Observations and tips, with a focus on my own experiences owning a Tesla Model Y. There is also a Tesla performance with a slightly shorter range (but goes like stink).
Cars I have an opinion on
Because I've either test driven, researched or just like the look of. Ordered in rough order of cost.
| Make/Model | Notes |
|---|---|
| Porsche/Taycan | Big money, looks great |
| Lotus/Electre | Slighty less money, also looks very fancy |
| Jaguar/iPace | Feels more solid than a Tesla, tech a little lacking; feels like a grown up car |
| Tesla/Model X | The biggest of the bunch but they do look quite similar to the uninitiated |
| Tesla/Model Y | Slightly engorged Model 3, more roomy with a proper hatchback |
| Tesla/Model 3 | Handles better than the Y and has a boot |
| VW/iD3 | First EV I drove and almost bought it on the spot, but the tech is not a patch on the Model Y |
| BMW/i3 | Inexplicably no longer in production, popular but I thought the steering was heavy |
| Abarth | Big heritage, that's all I know |
| Peugeot/308 | Nice-looking small car, petrol version is very pleasant to drive |
| Renault/Zoe | Very popular, certainly not a looker |
| Skoda/TBC | Tiny EV |
| Citroen/Ami | Impossibly quite, absolutely filthy to drive, probably alright if you lived on the beach |
Comparison of charger powers
DC power = voltage x current
Note the supercharger is DC and uses those two large pins at the bottom of the connector.
| Description | Power | Current | mph | Voltage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wall plug | 2.3kW | 8 | 240V | |
| Lamppost | 3.7kW | 16A | 14 | 240V |
| Home | 7.4kW | 32A | 28 | 240V |
| 3-phase | 11kW | 42 | ||
| 3-phase | 32kW | 42 | ||
| Supercharger | 250kW | 520A | 648 | 480V |
See Tesla Supercharger and evbox.com.
Connectors
- CCS2 "Combo 2" (Combined Charging Connector) -- what a design this is!
- IEC Type II -- the normal one you'll see everywhere
- CHAdeMO -- weird one that you need an adapter for
Home chargers
Tesla Model Y
- Battery capacity 82 kWh
- Driving range 336 miles (this has been downgraded in 2024)
- Efficiency 271 Wh/miles
| Model | Range | Efficiency | Battery capacity | Power per mile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model Y RWD | 303 miles | 250 Wh/miles | 75 kWh | 250 W/mile |
| Model Y AWD LR | 336 miles | 271 Wh/miles | 82 kWh | 271 W/mile |
| Model Y AWD Performance | 303 miles | 271 Wh/miles | 82 kWh | 271 W/mile |
82000 / 271 = 302.5 miles
The Y is a big car. With an equally impressively large turning circle too! (I don't know if this is a general torquey EV thing: i.e., not having sloppy steering lest you end up in a hedge.) You have to be patient parking them too; have a close look at the alloy wheels when you pass one next. (I have only scuffed one in a year but that was when I was under duress.)
Third party
Camping in the Tesla
- Camping Privacy Curtains Especially Designed for Tesla Model Y
- LOSTHORIZON 4.5”Thick Self Inflating Sleeping Pad for Tesla Model Y
Tariffs
Software developers
Solar panels
Repairs
Audio
Protection
Return to an ICE
Observations after driving an electric car for a while. This is comparing a 2023 with a 2022 Mercedes petrol.
Cars
- Tesla Model Y long range 2023
- Mercedes C 200 SPORT MHEV 2022 (petrol)
- Mercedes CLC 220 2008 (diesel)
| Feature | Tesla | Mercedes |
|---|---|---|
| Acceleration | Instance torque in an EV | Unresponsive but sounds nice |
| Braking | Regen is great | Brakes are still really sharp after two years |
| "don't pull out now!" warning | On screen in peripheral vision | A little primative, but very effective! Especially when you reversing into a road |
| Turning | Quite large | Tighter |
| Steering | Medium | Very light |
| Reversing camera | Good | Awful super wide angle |
| Navigation | Good | Very cluttered |