my ev bumper sticker

[Josh Landess]

Here's the bumper sticker I had made for my 2015 Tesla.  So far, it's
making it more bearable (for me) to drive around.

[Benjamin Nead]

Good one, Josh . . .

One I saw online with a similar sentiment read "Don't blame me. I bought it before Elon lost his mind." :-)

At the moment I'm preparing a presentation for Sustainable Tucson that will be a brief overview on buying a used EV: 

how it worked out for me several years ago and what new IRA provisions will mean for purchasers of more recently-made

EVs moving forward. I do wonder what's on Tesla's (or Elon's) mind these days, when they end up being the only EV manufacturer who "forgot" to file paperwork with the government to allow used copies of their cars eligibility for the IRA's $4000 used EV rebate . . .

https://cleantechnica.com/2023/06/26/tesla-forgot-to-submit-info-to-irs-for-used-buyers-to-get-4000-used-electric-car-credit/

I'm actually glad to here the evolving news regarding the sudden adoption of the NACS interface by other OEMs, as it is technically superior to CCS-1. But there is so much else about Tesla's approach to interfacing with the marketplace, such as FSD, right to repair issues - and, of course, Elon's "buddies" - that really turns me off.

Ben

[chris graber]

That is a funny bumper sticker! 

It's a bummer that Tesla didn't yet submit for the used EV rebate - it is a powerful tool. 

Chris

[Josh Landess]

Thanks Ben, I had little idea about the used EV rebate situation. I'll have to take a harder look another time, but noting this link seems like it might be helpful when I go to try and research it.
https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/used-clean-vehicle-credit

I'm mildly regretful that I posted my bumper sticker to your group, as I'm sure we al have our political views, and my post might be considered needlessly provocative, but I guess what's done is done.  Let me know please if I break a rule and I'll modify where I go with things.   Aside from political criticisms, my main concerns about my own EV decision-making involve that the model I own is coming up on being totally out of warranty.  I think we all "roll the dice" when we buy an EV, regardless of manufacturer.  It is a matter of spending the time to gage the odds and decide what is the best balance of risk/reward for each of us personally.

As well, for me, I need longer range and faster DCFC times.  This is balanced against a host of things I like very much about the Tesla I'm driving.  But for just this moment I mostly see the negatives and risks as 1st world concerns.

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[Benjamin Nead]

Hi Josh . . .

Sorry for the delayed reply here. The quick answer is that I have absolutely no problem whatsoever with anyone here noting the assets and/or deficits of high profile figures or organizations involved in or concerned with electric cars, be they celebrities, politicians, the media, tech entrepreneurs or manufacturers. This is especially true of someone who is as both influential and polarizing as Elon Musk. It's all part of the larger conversation, as far as I'm concerned. I think most agree that Musk's management of Twitter has been a disaster and his choice of political friends - who don't even seem to possess a pro-EV agenda - is puzzling and disturbing.

While Tesla is a hugely important and influential company, in that we almost certainly wouldn't have a mature worldwide electric vehicle marketplace without it, it's not without its faults under Musk's direction. My ongoing take is that the cars - while technically excellent - are still generally too large, too expensive and too luxury/performance oriented. It's going to be awhile before we witness Tesla offering, say, a $20K car. And even if they do, will it be as locked down as, say, a current generation iPhone?

It's now been largely reported that when things do go wrong, getting a Tesla repaired can sometimes be a challenge. Since Tesla is a closed loop system, third party repair shops can't conveniently access replacement parts or technical repair manuals. We've now seen YouTube videos of Model 3 owners who were told by the company that an out-of-pocket battery replacement costing $16K was their only option in some instances, where a cooling line repair costing around $700 at an independent shop (Rich Benoit's Electrified Garage crew here) gets these cars properly running again . . .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8-OkfCcRAo

The whole issue of Right To Repair is increasingly on my radar screen these days. Tesla certainly isn't alone here, but they're one of the worst.

Ben

[Josh Landess]

Good point about cost of repair.  I did myself experience a high cost $5k mostly to my insurance company to repair a damaged front bumper, mostly because of all the sensor tech.  Rich Benoit also talked recently about cost to repair a Rivian.  I didn't watch the video, but it's helpful to have as an example of a non-Tesla company that also seems to have designed in this issue.

Josh

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