Dale Bullock, owner of S&S Foods in Superior, Montana, stands by one of three recharging stations, installed by Tesla Motors, to allow owners of Tesla cars to recharge on road trips along I-90. Superior is about 60 miles west of Missoula. Tesla owners get free charging at the company owned rechargers for the life of their vehicle.
This is a photo of Tesla Motor's new Model 3-billed as a 'production model' priced starting at $35,000. Over a quarter million orders for the new model, to begin delivery in late 2017, were placed during the first two days the vehicle was unveiled. It features a 'windshield' from the edge of the hood and across the top of the car to the edge of the trunk. Tesla estimates the total price of the new models will be $55,000-60,000.
Reporter's note: On a trip to Seattle I made a fuel stop in Superior, Montana, about 60 miles west of Missoula on I-90. Behind the fueling area at the convenience store I noticed three small structures, looking somewhat like gas pumps. Signs by the odd looking structures read, "Tesla recharging station."
The convenience store owner, Dale Bullock, was working in the store and I asked about the charging stations. Bullock explained, "The charging stations were here when I bought the store. My understanding is Tesla Motors wanted to install the charging stations at the St. Regis Travel Center exit (a popular route for travelers headed from I-90 to Flathead Lake and Glacier National Park) but there were some installation issues where they wanted to put the stations, so they came to Superior. Tesla pays the store a monthly rental for the space and for electricity used at the charging stations."
In early April, 2016, Tesla Motors made an announcement regarding its new Model 3, described as an 'affordable' plug-in, all electric vehicle. Orders for the model were being taken, for a $1,000 fee, and the company received 232,000 orders in the first 24 hours. By the next day the number of preorders had reached over a quarter of a million.
I'd read newspaper accounts about the Tesla car and decided to educate myself a bit about the car and how it's been received by consumers. Readers may recall there were several instances of fires related to the vehicles and perhaps that is why I remembered the car-mostly negative at this point. I decided to learn more about Tesla Motors and their new Model 3. Here's what I found out.
History of the company
Tesla Motors is based in Fremont, California, where both its corporate headquarters and only manufacturing plant are located. The first deliveries of an earlier production model (Model X) were originally announced to begin in early 2014. That date was pushed back to late 2015 due to some technical problems with the gull wing doors. Commenting on the sales of the Model X in 2015, Tesla Motors' CEO, Elon Musk said, "We've basically sold out next year's (2015) production...It's somewhere in the, I don't know, 15,000ish range maybe 20,000ish. It's difficult to say exactly."
All Tesla cars are currently sold for delivery directly to customers from the California plant, though the company claims more outlets are planned. Part of the cost of earlier Tesla cars was a $1200 charge for delivery-each one delivered to the customer's door. From owners' posts on the internet there were some issues about delivery but most owners reported Tesla Motors made serious efforts to solve any initial problems from delivery.
Already auto industry experts are asking, "Can Tesla ramp up to meet the preorders and start delivering the Model 3 by late 2017?" A news outlet, conducting an "unscientific survey" of those who had preordered the new Model 3, concluded that only about 51 percent would follow through on the purchase. Unlike the original reserving system, the new model order fee can be refunded if canceled before a specified time, prior to delivery.
The Tesla all electric vehicle
With no dealership system (part of the April announcement about the Model 3 assured more outlets were being planned), most orders for a Tesla are handled via the internet-or phone. On the company's website when the zip code for Chinook is typed in to show a potential buyer's location, a message says "go to edmonds.com." Ultimately a series of web connections takes a potential buyer back to Tesla Motors, offering internet or phone contacts.
Under the original purchase process, a buyer had to make a nonrefundable $5000 deposit, likely weeding out the non-serious shopper. The new Model 3 is purported to cost a basic $42,000, but with added options, will realistically be around $55,000-$60,000. Among the available add-ons is a 'cold weather package'-highly recommended "for climates that regularly fall below freezing." That's another $1000 but the upside is "no need to warm up the vehicle." If you have a real need for speed, there's a high performance model that hovers around a $105,000+ starting purchase price.
Fueling and maintenance
First, there is the issue of how to recharge an electric powered vehicle. The average range for a Tesla is 250 miles before recharging (the new Model 3 is rated for a 215 miles, "fully charged"). Tesla Motors recognized the need for a recharging system on cross country trips. The company began installing a nationwide series of "super charging stations" along most major interstate roadways, at least west to east and along the two coasts. A super charging station allows a driver to recharge their vehicle in about 20 minutes. Most owners of Tesla vehicles have home charging stations, likely making regular, predictable commutes with no worries about exceeding the range of their vehicle.
In Montana there is a pretty good system of super charging stations along I-90. But if you are thinking about buying a Tesla, be aware the northeast section of Montana is basically void of charging stations-none from a line from Shelby south to Great Falls and east to the North Dakota state line. Montana has seven super charging stations along I-90, 17 additional randomly located public stations and four owned by individuals (the four residential charging stations suggesting at least four current Tesla owners in Montana).
To find a charging station a driver simply logs onto their vehicle's onboard computer and finds a charging station nearby, maybe. There is no cost for recharging at a Tesla charging station-it's all part of the total purchase price, for as long as you own the vehicle.
It's recommended owners have an annual inspection, every 12,500 miles, at a Tesla Service Center (couldn't find a map with those locations) and the inspection costs $600. Even if you don't live near a Center, it's still recommended to go there for inspections-read, a quick trip to California. The company has all sorts of extended warranty plans and service contracts you can purchase at the time you buy your new Tesla.
The big kicker is the battery replacement-which needs to happen every eight years and costs $12,000. One engineer-owner, doing the numbers, figured the battery will lose efficiency before eight years and would need to be replaced sooner to maintain the same performance level. He concludes the cost to operate a Tesla is not significantly less, even with free charging, than for a conventional fossil-fueled vehicle.
Tesla owners comment
Tesla Motors hosts a website where owners can share information and experiences. As would be expected, there's some negative but also many positive comments. Owners of Tesla vehicles seem less motivated by 'savings' than being the first to be a part of this new technology. Even somewhat unhappy owners seemed convinced the electric car is the wave of the future and as a Tesla owner they are a part of this new cutting edge movement.
Like every new technology that has come along, there will be some bumpy beginnings for electric vehicles. As readers saw with handheld calculators, mobile phones and home computers, there will be improvements in products and their delivery. Costs typically go down for the new products (like the 'cheaper' Model 3) and services. Perhaps the major question is "Will the Tesla car be the rocket that launches drivers in to a new "green-driving era"? It's definitely too soon for a final answer to that question.
For north central Montanans, if you want on the waiting list for a new Model 3, better get your name on the list. But keep in mind, be sure you can make it to the next recharging station-not easily done in our part of the country.
