Tesla Model 3 2019 electric car owner review

‘Martin’s Tesla’ unsurprisingly drives a Tesla Model 3 55kWh 2019 electric car.

This is Martin’s first electric car, he’s owned the Model 3 4-5 years and drives 10,000-15,000 miles annually. The current mileage of the car is between 50,000-60,000 miles and he achieves 185 miles range from a full charge.

Why did you choose the Tesla Model 3?

It’s tech was superior at the time of purchase and is still amazing with Tesla adding many new features and updates almost monthly.

Positives

Spontaneously fast and quiet
no keys
the Tesla Supercharger network.

Negatives

Potentially more difficult to repair, can’t think of anything else.

Compared to when you first bought the car, does your battery still charge at the same rate & do you still get the same range?

The battery is in great condition, it might have lost 3% of range.

Have you experienced any faults with the car? If so, what have they been?

Yes, the heater failed. Tesla brought us a replacement car and took mine for repair. They had it several weeks which didn’t matter as our loan car was a faster, higher spec version. My car was fully repaired free of charge.

What are the standout technological features of the car?

No keys, no start button, just get in, foot on brake and shift into drive. The infotainment system is outstanding with features like Netflix and YouTube, which are ideal for charging stops. The Superchargers are so easy, just plug-in and walk away, no messing with apps or payments.

I like the mapping, the car plans the journey telling you where to stop to charge and how long for, it’s a seamless & effortless experience. The updates are numerous with many new features like sentry mode where the car records people near the car and acts as a dash cam when driving using 8 cameras all around the car.

Tell us something people wouldn’t readily know about this electric car

It has a frunk (a front ‘trunk’) which is really useful for cables and I use it for shopping too. So much more interior space than a standard car due to no engine or gearbox so the front and back has a big boot. The acceleration is insanely quick, it’s addictive!

What’s the biggest or funniest myth you’ve heard about EVs?

They are produced by children working in mines and the batteries will be dead in 3 years.

What electric car(s) are you interested in next and why?

Tesla Model Y because of its large cargo space.

Home charging unit

Plug in when I get home and the car is fully charged when I go out the next morning. If I forget to plug it in, the car sends a text message to remind me to plug it in!

Electricity supplier & tariff

Octopus Go – 7.5p per kWh between 11.30 and 05.30. That’s enough to charge the car. Cost is about £3.00 to charge to the recommended 80%.

What public charging networks would you recommend to others and why?

Tesla Superchargers mainly because the car uses them in its mapping but they are also the cheapest by a long way. I won’t use InstaVolt due to the outrageous 85p per kWh. Pod Point at Lidl are reasonable value and I use those if I’m not on a main route.