Tesla Roadster Owners Add a Model S To Their Collection, Sell Gas Car

Deb and Randy have enjoyed their red Tesla Motors Roadster for the past three and a half years powering it with sunshine only. The Roadster has over 36,000 miles and during its last check up, the break pads shown a 40% worn pattern. But a Roadster is a cramped two-seater and when the Model S was announced they put down the money for it. If you recall, I wrote a similar story where another happy Model S owner put a for sale sign on his BMW sedan. The reasons are the same in both cases, the Model S rides better, performs better and is much more economical energy wise. See; Tesla Model S Owner's Adventure Will Make You Want To Own One.

The Experience Picking Up a Model S. When you pick up a regular car, you are given a set of keys and off you go. Picking a Tesla Model S a little more special and after having been through the picking up ritual, I believe we should never call an EV a car. They are beyond that and the words such as; carputer, mobility & connectivity experience, rolling computers are a better fit.

The Model S Delivery Ritual. Picking up a Tesla Model S falls into a new category. We were introduced to the Model S’ incredible capacities, drive features and more. While explaining everything the Model S does would cover three articles, I will try to narrow down to the key essential points.

Connectivity, Infotainment & The Model S Experience. Features such as the trunks opening remotely with a key fob and setting the height of how far the back one opens makes you feel this EV was well thought out. This makes it practical if you have a small garage. Once inside, the fun begins. The huge infotainment screens pack a lot of information ranging form the obligatory media system to GPS navigation, along with Internet radio streaming, browsing and more. The GPS navigation’s voice command is intuitive informing you on the nearest whereabouts you are searching, be it close or far. Browsing has one con, it runs on 3G so far and Tesla is negotiating a 4G contract with other carriers. The Model S connects to your smartphones and other smart devices with bluetooth to either play media or call.

Setting & Tweaking Your Drive Setting. My favorite part is the panel I would use the most, the handling feature panel. There you can stiffen the steering, set how the car rides, which automatically adjusts its ride height from high at 10 MPH to lower up to 20, medium up to 45 and low for highway cruising. You can even disengage the air ride to change a tire. The car comes loaded with sensors, which means it will know if you are in the car, approaching or leaving. The front seats know if someone is present, for instance. You can set the door lock features as you wish, automatic or manual. The door handles come out of the streamlined design to let you open the door and once again close when the car is moving.

The ride is still the best part of the experience I’ll let Deb describe in this short video.

As you can see, nothing but sheer pleasure, especially coming from an SUV experience.

Solar Panels To Drive Two EVs. If so far the solar panel array was sufficient for the Roadster, accommodating the extra Model S’s beefier battery pack requires more energy. Deb and Randy are looking at various options, letting solar panel providers fight for their business bringing down the cost of kWh anywhere between 13 to 9 cents.

Final Thoughts. It’s obvious Tesla Motors has taken a cue from Apple and Blankenship has used his previous experience and applied it for the automotive industry. This direct selling to clientele will certainly continue to disrupt the dealerships business model, but it is the future. The picking up ritual of an electric vehicle is special more akin to handling a sophisticated computer, then a car. Tesla does a great job highlighting how unique the Model S is, while managing to not overwhelm you with too much information. In the end, if you can witness the pickup of a Tesla Motors Model S and its process, it will be a glimpse into the near future of how cars will be sold.