An Electrical Automobile Conversion Story

Final Up to date on: eighth July 2025, 11:54 am

My 2019 Tesla Mannequin 3 twin motor is happening 6 years and is over 154,000 miles (see picture under). We nonetheless love the fabulous acceleration and the Full Self Driving (Supervised). The FSD isn’t adequate to allow you to snuggle up with a guide, nevertheless it took lots of the stress out of driving from Utah to northern Wisconsin (1551 miles) final spring and simply now a really lengthy day (542 miles spherical journey) selecting up my grandson at Minneapolis/Saint Paul Worldwide Airport. The battery vary is now ~260 miles, which nonetheless permits us to simply do cross-country journeys utilizing Tesla’s marvelous supercharger community. Additionally, because of my readers, I’ve had free supercharging now for all my journeys for over a yr.

A member of the family has been complaining about electrical vehicles most of time for the practically 10 years that we have now pushed 3 Nissan Leafs and the Mannequin 3. I particularly bear in mind him complaining after we picked him up at MSP Worldwide Airport final summer time and made the lengthy drive house to northern Wisconsin.

He had been driving a really good 2008 Acura TSX with 185,000 miles on it for the final yr. Nevertheless, the automobile had been in an accident and we have been by no means capable of get the airbag laptop to work. Additionally, he was cooking within the scorching Utah summer time climate as a result of the AC had failed.

To my astonishment, he referred to as me just a few days in the past and requested if he ought to go forward with the acquisition of a 2018 Tesla twin motor Mannequin 3. The automobile had 89,000 miles on it and the blue twin motor Mannequin 3 was in immaculate situation (See the lead picture). The Ford supplier was promoting it for $15,000. The $4000 authorities rebate for the acquisition of a used EV was for use as a down cost, making the worth slightly over $10,000. Such a deal! Observe: all EV rebates will finish in September due to the GOP great Large Stunning Invoice.

Would the battery be adequate to make the acquisition worthwhile? The battery on my 2019 now not has the 310-mile EPA estimated vary it had when new. If I cost to 100%, my automobile tells me that my vary is 261 miles now. The state of cost on the 2018 he was contemplating when he was prepared to drag the chain on the acquisition was at 25% with an estimated vary of 64 miles. I took the 261 miles estimated vary for my present car and multiplied occasions .25 which gave me 65 miles. Thus, I estimated that the state of his battery on the car he was contemplating can be similar to mine. Vital degradation since new, however an ample vary of 261 x .8 = 208.8 miles. Charging safely to 80% every day, he would have ~200-mile vary for his 50-mile each day commute.

That lovely blue 2018 Mannequin 3 will look good in our driveway subsequent to our white 2019 which is exhibiting some indicators of wear and tear. Since we have now 20 photo voltaic panels on our roof, he will likely be primarily driving on sunshine in the course of the lengthy Utah summer time days. Additionally, he’ll begin each day with a “full” cost as a result of stage 2 charger in our storage, plus no extra gasoline bills for that each day commute.

Just a few extra facets to the acquisition of the used 2018 twin motor Tesla Mannequin 3: When he bought the automobile, Tesla nonetheless had the automobile assigned to the earlier proprietor so he couldn’t use Tesla Superchargers. It took him just a few days to get Tesla to assign the automobile to him. Now like each Tesla proprietor, he doesn’t have to sign up, he simply plugs in on the Supercharger and the electrical energy is robotically charged to his bank card. Additionally, not being prepared to face a big restore invoice and never having confidence within the battery, he purchased a $75/month service coverage that covers every thing for 3 years. Query: For the reason that restore contract was with the Ford dealership, how a lot bother will it’s to get repairs since Ford should contract out to Tesla for nearly every thing?

Additionally, the Tesla 120,000-mile 8-year battery and drivetrain guarantee continues to be in pressure for one more 2 years and slightly over 30,000 miles. For the reason that battery guarantee ensures the battery to have 70% of latest capability, Tesla can be on the hook for a brand new battery beneath the next situation: The EPA vary of his automobile when new was 310 miles, so multiplying by 0.7, he would get a brand new battery if the vary drops under 320 x .7 = 217 miles earlier than the guarantee expires.

Different upkeep gadgets: 1) His automobile is looking for the low voltage battery to get replaced. For the reason that low voltage battery life is nominally 5 years it could make sense for him to interchange it so he’s not left stranded someplace. I don’t know whether or not a Tesla evaluates the precise well being of the battery or simply requires substitute robotically at 5 years. Supposedly his restore contract with Ford ought to cowl the low voltage battery substitute. Nevertheless, I doubt that the Ford dealership would tackle the job. After I had mine changed by Tesla a cellular mechanic was despatched to my driveway to do the job for ~$130. Would Ford subcontract to Tesla for the job beneath the service contract? You may see the potential problem in getting Ford to honor the service guarantee. 2) Equally, the cabin air filter is due for substitute. Tesla got here to my driveway in Saint George, Utah, to do the job on my 2019. It required particular instruments and information to interchange the double air filter. I’m reasonably technically competent, however I used to be glad I didn’t attempt to do it myself.

A wrinkle in our 2019 Tesla possession: Whereas utilizing FSD, in the event you go over 85 mph or fail to have a look at the street for greater than a number of seconds, you get what’s referred to as a pressured disengagement. At that time you must pull off the street and put the car in park to get FSD again once more.  For those who do that 5 occasions, Tesla slaps your fingers and takes FSD away for precisely one week. I’m fairly good at avoiding this now for native driving. Nevertheless, on lengthy journeys ultimately I will likely be attempting to entry the music on my cellphone or one thing and I’ll get a pressured disengagement.

You now don’t have to the touch the steering wheel besides at night time when the digicam above the mirror can’t see your face due to low gentle stage. For night time driving, I now relaxation my hand flippantly on the steering wheel cross bar.

Usually while you take a look at the massive display on the precise too lengthy, take a look at your cellphone to lengthy, or begin nodding off, you get a flashing blue warning discover on the high of the display. Usually you simply stare on the street and tug flippantly on the wheel and the flashing blue warning discover stops. Nevertheless, typically the tugging doesn’t work and you must forcibly exit FSD by pulling up on the precise stalk. You then pull down on the stalk to reengage FSD. On this scenario you usually get the flashing blue warning discover once more after only some minutes. You’re caught in a loop with solely brief entry to FSD. It’s so annoying that you’ve disengage FSD completely.

Just a few days in the past, my spouse bought caught in that loop and brought about 2 or 3 pressured disengagements. So, for the primary time since we have now had the automobile, she was the responsible celebration and we have now misplaced entry to FSD this week. We’ve been within the penalty field now at the very least 5 occasions over the past 3 years. For those who’re not driving a lot, it’s not a giant deal. You wait your week and also you get FSD again. When this occurs on a protracted journey it’s very annoying. You get visitors conscious cruise management, however no steering help and no automated navigation.

Referral Program: Tesla has reactivated its referral program. For those who discover any of my articles useful to you, please use my referral hyperlink: https://ts.la/arthur73734 (You’ll want to use it while you make your order). If you’re shopping for a brand new Tesla and use my hyperlink, you’ll obtain $1000 off your buy worth for Mannequin S and X, and you’re going to get $500 off for Mannequin 3 and Y. Additionally, you will get 3 months of Full Self-Driving. It’s technically FSD Supervised and it’ll drive you robotically to any handle you enter into the Navigation. Simply be ready to intervene instantly if it screws up.