My Experiences with a Battery Powered Vehicle

The biggest myth is you can’t go on long trips with a battery powered vehicle. We’re told there are no charging stations and that if you find one, you’ll be at the charging station for over an hour.

I don’t have a man bun and I’m not a beta male. I care about our environment but I’m not opposed to fracking, or drilling for oil and I certainly don’t have a beef with internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. In addition to driving a 2023 Tesla Model 3 my bride drives a Chevrolet Suburban. Before I got the Tesla, I had a Ford F-150.

Battery powered cars, prove a lot of people have not done the research required to come up with the conclusions and memes they enjoy sharing. Most people I’ve met base their opinions, concerning battery powered vehicles, on what other people who don’t own or have never driven a battery powered vehicle say.

I do not believe the government should mandate we the people buy battery powered vehicles. The auto industry can decide if building and selling battery powered vehicles works for them and the consumer will determine if the product being produced is worth the money they will need to spend. At this time, many automakers are reconsidering their efforts to produce battery powered vehicles because of low demand.

As with any new product, initial pricing is going to be high. I remember when compact disc (CD) players came on the market in the late 1980’s. The initial pricing was high but as demand went up and the technology improved, the prices went down. When the battery powered vehicle leader, Tesla rolled out their first car, the Roadster, the pricing was close to $109,000 This is certainly not a price many are willing to pay for a car. However, as other models were developed and the demand for the vehicles increased, the prices started to come down. The Roadster, which is Tesla’s top end vehicle has a base price of $200,000; however, you can get into a Model 3 for closer to $40,000 According to Auto Market Weekly Summary, the average price of a new ICE vehicle is slightly north of $48,000.

In the city I live in, the number of battery powered vehicles has increased since I purchased my Tesla in 2023. Yesterday, in total, I probably saw 10-15 Tesla’s on the road and one Rivian truck. I may have seen other battery powered cars or trucks but since they look like their ICE counterparts, they are harder to identify. I have seen one Tesla on a tow truck, but I’ve seen ICE vehicles on tow trucks as well.

I’ve never seen the owner of a Tesla on the side of the road watching their car go up in flames. I’ve driven through really bad rain storms (thunder and lightning and deep puddles) with no issues. I even charged my vehicle during a lightning storm, outside at a charging station. As a member of a Tesla Model 3 Facebook group, the number of people joining the group, as they get their first Tesla, is amazing. As a group, we share our likes and dislikes concerning the Tesla Model 3, but overall everyone enjoys their car and many plan to get a newer Model 3 or upgrade to the next model.

Charging the Tesla is easy, painless and doesn’t hurt my wallet. I have a wall mounted charger at my house so I charge every night.

A lady stopped me in the parking lot the other day and asked me about my Tesla. I told her I charge my car at home. She then asked how that impacted my power bill. She assumed my power bill had increased.

She was correct.

Charging at home has increased my power bill slightly; however, when I had my F-150 it cost me about $100.00 every 10 days to fill the tank. That’s about $300.00 per month. I have solar panels so my power bill on average is $90 per month. Now that I don’t have the $300.00 per month gasoline expense and my power bill has increased to $120.00 per month, if my math is correct, (I was a political science major in college) I’m actually saving over $200.00 per month by driving a Tesla and those savings help reduce my car payment by close to 30%.

The biggest myth pushed by the public and even some Tesla owners is you can’t go on long trips with a battery powered vehicle. My wife was told this by a person who owns a Tesla. We’re told there are no charging stations and that if you find one, you’ll be at the charging station for over an hour. This maybe true for other battery powered vehicles but not so for the Tesla.

My wife and I have traveled A LOT in this vehicle. I purchased this car in April 2023 and currently have 23,810 miles on it. That’s about 1,323 miles per month. We’ve driven to her parents home that is 2 1/2 hours south of our home. We stop, as directed by the navigation system, at the Buc-ee’s for a charge, walk the dog, go the restrooms, get something to eat and can be back on the road in about 30 minutes, fully charged. Other trips we’ve taken include a 283 mile trip to Atlanta, a 449 mile trip to Wilson, South Carolina and a 468 mile trip to Tuckasegee, North Carolina. The mileage given doesn’t include the return trip. We’ve had no issues with the vehicle and no issues finding charging stations. I’m able to program the trip into the Tesla and it will take me to all the charging station along my route. There are no detours that take me away from my final destination. On the longer trips we probably stopped every 2-3 hour to charge and I’m okay with that. Most of the time the charging station are full, suggesting Tesla owner have no issue traveling. Additionally you have a choice when you stop to charge. You can charge your vehicle just enough to get you to the next charging station (this obviously is quicker) or you can charge to 100% and be on your way in about 30 minutes. Usually when you arrive at a charging station your battery is at 25-30%.

From the solar panels to the Tesla, this is all about saving money. Yes I may have to stop more frequently and charging can take some time; but, if I charge at home and then pay under $20 per charge when I stop at a super charging station (3-4 times) it cost less than $90 dollars. The same trip in the Suburban starts with close to $50 to fill the tank (assuming the tank if half full). If I drive until I’m at a 1/4 tank, I’ll have to stop one more time to fill up costing about $70. If I arrive at our destination and don’t drive while we are there, I’d still feel comfortable filling up before getting on the road, so I’ll guess $50. I’ll drive to 1/4 tank again and fill up paying $70. After I get home, I put gas in the Suburban so that’s going be around $60. So the trip in the Tesla (round trip) cost me $180. The same trip in the Suburban cost me $300.

Is the Tesla or any battery powered vehicle perfect? Before you answer, tell me which ICE vehicle is perfect.

I’ve read plenty of internet jokes as they relate to the current weather in the south. There have been discussions about a Tesla that caught on fire in Tampa, when the battery came in contact with salt water due to flooding from Hurricane Helene. Other people have jokingly asked how Tesla owners charge up during power outages.

Riddle me this; how do ICE vehicles fill up before a storm when gas stations are out of fuel? My Tesla is currently at 92% because I charged it to 100% at home last night. While you’re looking for a gas station hoping to get gas, I’ll drive home this evening, and charge my car back to 100%. If I lose power over the next few days, my car will hold it’s charge just like your ICE vehicle will hold its fuel, if you were able to find a gas station open with fuel.

I’ve read comments about not being able to drive a battery powered car in a storm and that these cars are overpriced paperweights. My guess is when a road has been completely washed away and is 3-4 feet underwater, most vehicles will be rendered useless and no one will have driving their car as a top concern.

What do you call an ICE or battery powered vehicle crushed by a tree or submerged in 4 feet of water? Answer: inoperable.

Critical thinking is a wonderful tool that should be used daily.

The electric vehicle industry is not new. In 1891 the first American EV was developed. According to the Library of Congress, by 1897, electric cabs were operating in New York and Europe, and soon after electric autos were marketed, often particularly to women and the wealthy. Electric cars competed successfully in the early 20th century until several innovations, including the electric starter in gasoline-powered cars and the discovery of inexpensive sources of oil, rendered them obsolete.

Every American should be allowed to buy whatever vehicle they want without government interference. When you buy any product and it turns out to be a dud, the market, not the government, will determine the fate of the product. Remember the Yugo?

I do, because I owed one.

Is Tesla destine to become the next “Yugo”? I seriously doubt that. Are battery powered vehicles going to replace ICE vehicles? Only with the help of compliant citizens and the force of the government. Do I envision more battery powered vehicles in the future? Absolutely. As I said before, as technology and safety measures improve and manufacturers develop battery powered vehicles that consumers want, at an affordable price, the future looks bright.

Before you make unsubstantiated comments about Tesla or any other battery powered car, I recommend you speak with someone who owns one. You may come away still not in favor of owning one but at least you’ll be informed and stop sharing foolish unverified memes about battery powered cars.