April's Drive Electric Earth Day moved to Celebrate West Hartford Day on June 1 2019, my Electric Vehicle and I will be there, ask me anything!
Video and photo galleries below, with event details and map.
Tomorrow, I'll be heading over to Celebrate West Hartford to talk to anybody who wants to learn about electric vehicle ownership. Having driven over 10,000 miles these first 6 months of ownership, I was a reluctant and frankly a little worried buyer, when a sudden job role change had us shopping. The 2 years of reading FUD since I had laid down a deposit had gotten to me. Once my wife joined me in December of 2018 to test drive a Model 3, those worries dissolved. We're now driving into the future together, and feel rather lucky to be driving the safest car ever tested, the second most efficient car.
This is now a mass market car: it's not magic, and it's not made of Unobtainium. There are over 174,000 Model 3s driving around before you. The 5 year cost of ownership is less than any Honda Accord or Toyota Camry. Motors and chassis designed for a million mile life, and the current battery tech at least 200,000 miles, maybe even 500,000.
This car has proven itself to our family already. Our household's electric bill has only gone up roughly 20%, costing us about a third less than gasoline.
This car also brings a smile to my face every time I get a chance to drive it, and it sure is fun to share the joy with others. The whole experience, including minor challenges, are all explained in extreme detail in my ownership blog post:
- Tesla Model 3 replacing my 13 year old Honda Civic Hybrid, let's see how that goes. So far, so good!
Dec 23 2018
with all my Tesla related articles collected here:
If just one person considers buying an electric vehicle sooner than they would have had we not met, then I consider those 2 hours of a (finally) sunny Saturday well spent. A solid investment in making a difference. No matter where you live in this world, we all cohabitate the same planet.
Today, I stopped at my local Stop & Shop supermarket and overheard a curmudgeon telling some employees that he'd never drive in a self-driving car, at least not for 20 or more years. He demonized it, and the Tesla brand along with it. Sadly, I said nothing. It just didn't seem right to get into it, there in the dairy aisle, with nobody was likely to "win" that argument. This was in stark contrast to the reaction I got another day, when a young employee retrieving shopping carts from another Stop & Shop spotted me loading groceries into my Model 3. He was incredibly enthusiastic, and really appreciated me showing him the interior. I patiently answered all his questions. He absolutely lit up with joy, and proclaimed that he aspired to one day own his own Tesla. I have a soft spot for supermarket workers, perhaps because my first real job at age 16 was bagging groceries and retrieving carts from extremely hot parking lots.
Try not to equate self-driving with all electric vehicles. They're not necessarily one in the same. You can currently buy a Model 3 for $39,900 or lease one for $429/mo and skip the optional Full Self Driving, and totally dig the ownership experience while manually driving around like you always have. You can actually upgrade later, since the hardware is all there regardless. You'll still start each day with a full "tank" of electrons, ready for your daily driving in rain or snow. For longer road-trips, the Google-Maps based navigation removes range anxiety by doing all the work for you. Yes, it lets you know exactly which Supercharger stop to use and exactly how long you'll be there, where you can also use nearby facilities and get some food. The large display even uses current charging-stall availability data to avoid any surprises. My wife and I headed mid-Friday for a ~1,000 mile road trip to Pittsburgh in the dead of winter, had a pleasant time with family, and felt great back at work at home on Monday. Those en route breaks for lunch and dinner were needed anyway.
If you're on the fence about Tesla at all, I encourage you to find a way to make a Model 3 test drive happen. It will likely clarify your thinking, avoiding relying on second hand press stories that aren't written by owners. Then you can decide the austere interior (we love elegant simplicity) and style just aren't your taste, despite the fantastic driving experience. At least you've opened your mind to shopping for EVs in the future, from whichever company eventually comes up with a viable alternatives. Spurring competition has been part of Tesla's mission all along:
Tesla's mission is to accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy.
See also The Secret Tesla Motors Master Plan (just between you and me) by Elon Musk, Co-Founder & CEO of Tesla Motors August 2, 2006:
So, in short, the master plan is:
Build sports car
Use that money to build an affordable car
Use that money to build an even more affordable car
While doing above, also provide zero emission electric power generation options
Don't tell anyone.
Tesla's has vision and experience, and it shows.
More event information
- Full resolution Celebrate! West Hartford Map
Electric Vehicles lined up from 9am to 1pm Saturday June 1st at:
I'll be parked in front of Harry's, right across from West Hartford Town Hall, from 11am to 1pm on Saturday, June 1 2019. There will be other EV owners there with us.
Special thanks to:
1) - Philip Huerter @Sanguine76
He's an engineer, inventor, and renewable energy advocate. A local who pulled this event together after his dreams of having a big turn-out at Drive Electric Earth Day got washed away earlier this year. It seems our weather may be getting more extreme every year, for some reason.
2) - Jared Schlar @jaredschlar
He's a crypto analyst, philanthropist, and founder of StrategiesSEO.com who also helped us out at this event, including handling many of the questions the public had about EVs and the environment.
Help us celebrate the environmental and cost-saving benefits of electric vehicles during April 2020. Register an EV event you're organizing for April or find one to attend near you!
4) - Plug In America
Making Plug-In Car Shopping Easy
We want every plug-in buyer to have an exceptional experience. Visit Plug In America’s PlugStar program to:Find the car that best meets your needs
Learn about tax credits, rebates and other incentives
Prepare your home for EV charging
Get connected with a qualified EV dealer near you
5) - Sierra Club
Protect the Future.
The Earth needs your help now more than ever.
Help protect our future and our earth by making a donation today.
6) - Electric Auto Association
Electric Vehicles
. . . a better technologyTogether, we will create
a better future
for the air,
for the environment,
. . . and have more FUN driving!
7) - NEEAA - The New England Electric Auto Association
We've been around since 1965.
Every second Saturday of the month, in different parts of New England, our members get together to discuss EV's, share news, and advocate to the public. Sometimes it's a test drive in a Tesla.
8) - EV Club of CT
evangelists for electric vehicle expansion in Connecticut
The Westport Electric Car Club is now the EV Club of CT whose statewide mission it is to evangelize for electric vehicles (EVs) and to promote EV-friendly public policy for the benefit of all. The club is urgently working to help transition Connecticut to a carbon-free economy via electrification of our transportation system through awareness, education and advocacy. The transportation sector is responsible for 40% of greenhouse gas emissions in the state and switching to electric vehicles is key to achieving rapid and deep reductions.
9) - FLO Home
FLO Home is a residential Level 2 charging station designed to make your life easier. Smart and universally compatible, it is recognized for its absolute durability, the quality of its craftsmanship and its user-friendliness.
Map
Video
I've been thinking about self-driving cars for over 3 decades now, and it's amazing to see the technology first-hand. It's also incredibly far it's come in just these past 6 months, via free software updates. Teslas just keep getting better.
Photos
Took some pictures while at the event today, shared here.
Social
Free Supercharging: If you find this article of value and decide to order a Tesla, please consider using this ts.la/paul68544 referral link when placing your order so you and I both get 1,000 miles of free Supercharging. If you order Solar, it's a $250 award after system activation.
Disclosure: My family owns no stock in Tesla. Tesla doesn't advertise at TinkerTry, or anywhere else, and this is not a sponsored post. We financed the purchase of two Tesla Model 3s, replacing my 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid in December of 2018 and replacing my wife's 2005 Honda Civic EX in December of 2019. These big moves to an all electric household were an expression of our mutual desire to go green, avoid gasoline, be safe, have fun, and save money in the long run. Mostly for my job, I drive a lot, 25,000 miles in 2019 for example, and I thoroughly enjoy sharing what I've learned with you. I hope you can tell!
See also at TinkerTry
All Tesla related videos and articles:
- First year and 25,000 miles of Tesla Model 3 ownership went very well, far exceeding our expectations
Dec 23 2019
- Charging your Tesla Model 3 at home and on the road, with details to discuss with your electrician
Jan 30 2019
- Best road-tested Tesla Model 3 accessories for all-weather long-distance safety and convenience
Jan 05 2019
- Elon Musk's Powerwall, time-shifting the energy from that handy fusion reactor in the sky
May 04 2015
Video
See also
- Tesla Model 3 vs. BMW 330i vs. Genesis G70 Comparison: Who Builds the Best Compact Luxury Sedan?
1ST PLACE: TESLA MODEL 3
Unlike the G70, which got nearly everything right its first time out, the Model 3 represents a much more ambitious and polarizing effort. Nicknamed "a spaceship on wheels" by Reynolds, the Model 3's boundary-pushing technology was to be expected. But it was the revolutionary driving experience that pushed it over the top.
- Episode 200: My Elon Musk Interview
Jun 02 2018 by Ryan McCaffrey at Ride The Lightning podcast
- Bound: Hartford ↔ Boston In A Tesla
Sep 17 2018 by Zachary Shahan at CleanTechnica
- Air Sensor Toolbox for Citizen Scientists, Researchers and Developers
EPA - United States Environmental Protection Agency
- Welcome to the Village Green Project
a research effort to discover new ways of measuring air quality and weather conditions in community environments.
EPA - United States Environmental Protection Agency
- Greatest distance by electric vehicle, single charge - non-solar
Oct 16 2017 by Guinness World Records
Phil Huerter - It is great to be a part of something this big... what an excellent team we had, with the full support of ITAP, and all gunning to achieve this goal of a distance record that would help humanity say... Wow! Electric cars can drive 3 x's further than gas, be far less expensive to own and operate, and have a higher performance? Everyone should have the "EV grin".
