My Tesla was so good, that I ordered another one. Although I actually ordered this first,
then decided I wanted a Performance version, but then decided to keep this Tesla despite already
receiving my performance, and I gave this one to my wife. Tesla is the future of automobile.
I am not entirely sure about EVs yet, I need more experience driving more of them,
nor am I sure if every EV manufacturer will be able to work out about just what it is
about Tesla that makes it the future. Is it the fact its fully electrified,
is it that it is a computer on wheels, the additional range they offer, is it the instant
power from all that torque, is it the added safety, is it the fact it can drive itself?
We don't know yet, as the market is not close to saturated. But currently most of
the EV manufacturers are betting on only one of those futuristic qualities from a Tesla.
The fact it's fully electric. Yet there is so much more to a Tesla than being electric.
Which I can now say from first hand experience. There is definitely a certain magic that a Tesla
creates, that I have not yet seen replicated elsewhere. I have spoken to some people who have
friends that own Taycans, and supposedly they are pretty amazing. But we also know that they
are significantly more expensive than a Tesla, and the spec's still don't come close to Plaid.
Anyway, it was a standard range Model 3 with every single up-gradable option.
The version that had the longer range, yet still the quicker 0 to 60 time. I believe it has a 60
kWh battery pack now. But this battery pack is an LFP battery pack. Yes, I finally get to test
what LFP batteries are like, after discussing how important they are to Tesla's success,
and the future of the EV industry. Actually, my wife had this car for about a week,
until I actually decided to go and test drive it. This is because any time driving her Tesla,
meant it was time I was not spending in my Tesla, and considering how amazing mine is,
I didn't want to waste a moment, not driving it, if I didn't have to.
But yes, finally after a week, I decided to give it a little test drive down the road,
to see what it was actually like. Now given that I am going from the performance version with 450 hp,
to the standard with only 283 hp, then I had already lowered the bar somewhat.
This is a major discrepancy in power. So I was prepared for it, as I realized
it was going to be a lot less of a car. But it was at least going to be interesting to see just
how much of the wow factor of my car was due to it being a Tesla, or a performance version.
As I said this version was fully optioned, which meant it had the red paint,
and the white interior, although I think prefer mine in black,
it's nice experiencing the other version of the product. The white interior has a lot of impact,
and does still feel like the future and sporty, along with all the minimalism,
where as my interior felt a bit more refined. I do like mine more, but the white is still very cool.
I think the only difference these days to mine, is that I have the larger, more powerful battery,
dual motor four wheel drive, upgraded brakes, larger wheels and a rear spoiler. Everything else
is to the same standard, I am pretty sure even the stereo is the same. In other words, the standard
range is still a very high specification, well standard range plus I should say, as the plus is
what adds these extras. Although now its simply referred to as the rear wheel drive version.
Yes, Tesla went rear wheel drive, not front. I really am not a fan of front wheel drive,
rear wheel drive is a much better power train for a drivers car. Due to my penchant of German cars,
I am also more used to driving rear wheel drive. But I also get to see how much of my
Tesla's amazing handling was due to it being all wheel drive, and how much due to Tesla.
Anyway, I just thought I would take it down to the road for a quick review, and test, to see
just how much better my Performance was. But I was actually shocked. And remember I am also spoiled
at this stage with the Performance version, but I was still shocked. Shocked at not how much better
the Performance was than the Standard, but at how close to the Performance, the Standard still came.
This car was still quick, with instant power whenever you touched the accelerator.
I then decided to extended my test drive from down the road, to the motorway, and then a
hardcore test drive around some windy hills. This car was so much fun, it handled superbly
around the corners. There was enough power to feel and appreciate the entire drive, however,
power that I could handle easily, compared to my Performance, which can be a little too powerful,
the standard version was perfect. Perfect amount of power and handling. This is driving speeds of
around 50 to 70 miles and hour, where there is still plenty of torque at that range of speed. I
would guess that if it was much more over 70 miles and hour, then the power wouldn't be
quite there as you much as you'd like, but that is probably not necessary for every day driving.
In fact the best analogy I have come up with, is for those of you who have played
Nintendo's Mario Kart. When you are driving normally it is like the standard version,
and then the Performance version is when you collect a star that gives you invincibility,
and your car that much faster and handles better, but almost too fast to handle.
Basically if I had bought a standard range, then I would have been perfectly content.
And this is with LFP batteries, CATL's LFP batteries. The handling was superb.
The LFP version is actually almost 200 lbs lighter than the performance too.
This might have something to do with the weight saving the car gets from having
structural battery packs, which the LFP version is currently using, and partly why Tesla are
able to achieve such great ranges with their LFP batteries, compared to... everyone else.
In a few years Tesla will be able to make these standard Model 3s with their own
in-house LFP batteries and front and rear diecasts. They will be exceptional, if Tesla
is already this good now, and then likely all the weight saving, and improved handling to come,
will be amazing. Of course costs of producing these Model 3s by then will be a lot less too,
meaning that Tesla will eventually reduce the prices once the supply has increased. If Tesla
ever got the price of these cars down to $35,000 again, that would be unbelievable value. I think
that would be affordable enough to attract $25,000 ICE customers, given the savings from the cost
of owning a Tesla, and the extra sacrifices consumers will make to simply afford a Tesla.
I would say there is a good chance Tesla can get the price down that low,
maybe still with $10,000 gross margin by then. And I am not even adding on FSD.
We may look at this car as the slow Tesla, but compared to average ICE vehicles it is still
generally very quick. LFP is going to have an excellent future. All that needs to be done,
is work out how to improve energy density slightly more. If Tesla can get to 300 miles
of range with LFP then that is going to be the sweet spot. I am fairly sure Tesla can
get to 300 miles with LFP for the Model 3, we are already at 267 miles. Only about 10% more range,
required with Tesla's in-house LFP batteries and other weight saving techniques. If Tesla can get
the Model Y to about 280 miles with LFP too, then that is how the Model Y will sell millions a year.
Anyway, I was shocked at how impressive the Standard version is,
as some of you know, I had only ever driven performance versions before. I haven't driven
a long range version either, but I get the impression they would also be out standing,
although I do like the rear wheel drive factor with the standard version too.
I have not driven any other LFP versions of electric cars, but will do the first opportunity I
get. I would really love to see just what BYD and XPeng are achieving. LFP definitely has a bright
future with electric cars. The issue is getting enough range and performance from the iron based
batteries, as the energy density is not as good as nickel. Therefore the other EVs are either adding
too many batteries in the EVs to get enough range, which really effects performance, or the EVs don't
have enough batteries and offer inadequate range. To experience what the Chinese EVs are doing,
will really give a solid foundation as to how Tesla compares to everyone else. I mean on paper
BYD and XPeng are nothing close to a Tesla, but some of the reviews I see are quite good. Then
again so are the electric Hyundai reviews, and the Ioniq 5 was not a good car to drive.
This is what makes Tesla so special. Tesla have worked out how to offer a reasonable range with
LFP whilst also providing great performance. I have tried to explain this many times.
But I am not sure everyone understands it. Or they just say the Chinese are doing it too.
No one is close, and it is not an easy task. Not to mention Tesla will leap
frog their own specifications when they introduce their in-house LFP batteries.
I think Tesla are researching form factors and sizes for their LFP batteries,
that are able to generate the most range. It's not just that iron costs less than nickel,
it's also the fact that the world has a lot more iron than it does nickel. And as I keep saying,
the world needs a lot of batteries.
Wow, if I am this impressed and excited by a new Model 3 standard range with
Tesla's in-house LFP batteries, what would a new performance model be like with 4680 batteries?