1.TRIPS TAKE LONGER. Motoring the 600 miles from KC to Denver takes about 8 hours in a gasoline powered car. In a Tesla, you’ll be stopping for about 45 minutes at each of the 5 superchargers along the way so add almost 4 hours onto your trip. That said, trips are incredibly fun and the distance is broken up by opportunities to stretch, eat, and take a walk.
2.SOME DESTINATIONS ARE OUT OF REACH. We were forced to leave our Tesla behind when planning a trip to North Dakota, one of the few states without superchargers. That said, we’ve taken it all over the Midwest without issue; even to Scout camp in smalltown USA.
3.PLAN TRIPS POORLY = FIASCO. A 3 hour road trip turned into a 10 hour fiasco when I failed to follow the car’s recommended route, skipping a key supercharger stop. The fact I failed to account for the wind, sleet, plummeting temperatures, and the need for heat, wipers and lights didn’t help. We languished at a small-town slow charger for most of the night. That said, this has been our only issue traveling via Tesla.
4.INITIAL COST IS HIGH. My Honda Fit was $16k. Our Tesla P85D was $113k... tax and fees alone amounted to almost $10k. While you can obviously find cheaper/used Tesla’s, it’s no Yugo when it comes to initial outlay of cash.
5.AUTOPILOT IS CUTTING EDGE / RISKY. The automated driving aids in a Tesla are remarkably helpful, safe and effective when paired with an attentive, responsible driver. I’ve learned what road conditions are ideal for autopilot. Get complacent or cocky, however, and you put yourself at risk.