Reader Anton V. To assist the German crew, traveled from Hanover to the World Handball Championship in Poland in a Tesla rental automotive. His document is devastating.
You have to plan a Tesla electric automotive trip in a different way. Friedrich Bungert/imago
From 2035, solely zero-emission electric automobiles might be allowed to be bought in the EU. But till then, many issues nonetheless want to be solved in order that electric automobiles are appropriate not just for the metropolis, but additionally for lengthy distances.
Anton V. (28), a reader of the Berliner Zeitung, lately drove in opposition to his will in this Tesla electric automotive from Hanover to Kattowitz (Katowice) and Krakow (Krakow) to assist the German crew at the World Handball Championship. Distance from Hanover to Katowice: about 800 kilometers.
He loved the video games in Poland, however driving the Tesla was a nightmare for him and his good friend.
Here is his story:
Last Thursday, me and my good friend, each avid handball followers, left early in the morning for the World Handball Championship in Poland. First we had to get a rental automotive. Traveling with Deutsche Bahn was not potential for us as we needed to attend a number of matches and had to journey between Katowice and Krakow. Our first goal on Thursday was the match between Qatar and the Netherlands at 15:30 in Katowice. Delay was not a part of our plans.
With a combustion engine, you do not have to fear about that
I used to be much more dissatisfied when the automotive rental firm could not give us the VW combustion engine we had pre-ordered: the automotive did not have the proper winter tire profile. As an alternate, we had been offered with the Tesla Model Y, which instantly gave me a foul feeling. Is it a joke if an e-car is sort of 800km away and thus far behind? I’ve additionally heard rumors that the battery capability is not nearly as good in the winter as it’s in the summer season. However, the supervisor assured that every little thing could be positive and talked about free charging at Tesla charging stations as a bonus. Eventually we had no alternative however to go away.
We had to plan our route in a different way now as a result of with an e-car you solely have just a few charging choices. With a combustion engine, you do not have to fear about that: you replenish at the subsequent fuel station and drive away. However, Tesla had to plan charging time in advance and distribute it alongside the route. At least the route operate helped us and confirmed all Tesla fuel stations on the map.
Tesla Model Y at a charging station.Anton V
Tesla had to cost after solely 250 kilometers
The journey has simply begun. However, after a while, in accordance to the German configurator, it turned clear that the automotive, which may drive about 520 kilometers with a completely charged battery, is barely ten p.c at a pace of 120-130 km/h after 250 kilometers. obliged. Of course, in winter you want a bit heating. The distance at the finish continues to be terrifying.
For the first time, we had to “refuel” at such a Tesla station on the A14 between Magdeburg and Leipzig. As promised, it was free, but it surely took about 50 minutes. We received right into a heat automotive so it was positive. When I had to replenish a second time close to Dresden, the lengthy charging time was a bit annoying. Because we had been solely on the street for about 5 hours and we had to cost half of them. The objective of getting to the recreation by 3:30 p.m. was turning into an increasing number of bleak. In the finish, we had been on the street for about eleven hours and spent about two and a half hours charging. We missed the 3:30 p.m. recreation. With the combustion engine, we may make the trip in eight and a half hours with a brief break.
Now we won’t cost at Tesla stations
But that was simply the starting of our Tesla journey. After simply charging the automotive for the first time in Poland, an error message appeared on the dashboard, asking us to save the fee technique in the Tesla app. However, the Tesla app can solely be utilized by the automotive proprietor, so we tried to contact the rental firm, the precise proprietor. But the firm couldn’t assist us. For us, this meant that we may now not go to Tesla charging stations, however had to go to public ones, which value cash and took numerous time due to poor energy. Instead of fifty minutes, I all of a sudden had to cost the battery for greater than an hour and a half. It made me understand much more that this automotive shouldn’t be going to be lengthy distance. You are losing an excessive amount of time that you do not have.
In addition, there are issues with the help methods, as a result of they don’t seem to be but matured, the automotive will robotically brake on the freeway, even when different automobiles usually are not seen in advance. At a pace of 120 km/h it is extremely harmful. With different German and Asian manufacturers with e-cars we have pushed, these methods work a lot better.
An absolute exception: the heating now not works
So on the manner again I had to make three huge stops to cost at a non-Tesla station for an hour and a half every time. Not lengthy after the final cost at Halle, one other error message on the dashboard was an absolute exception: “A/C, please wait.” The heating instantly stopped working – not a very good expertise at -2 levels. We had to put on the heat garments we had.
The show exhibits the capability of the batteries.MiS/imago
I ask myself: How is that this potential with a automotive with solely 5,000 kilometers on it? With a combustion engine, we may actually proceed heating. When we requested the supplier all these questions, he denied any fault and referred us to the producer.
My conclusion: An e-car might solely be good for individuals who commute in the metropolis or have their very own charging station at house. For lengthy distances, particularly in winter, an electric automotive won’t be for me in any respect. Such a automotive can not compete with diesel engines in any respect, nor can it compete with regular gasoline engines. In addition to the time prices, the monetary facet can be annoying: I had to spend 50 euros for one charging session, which in flip will attain 250 kilometers. I can get twice as a lot gasoline. These situations make it utterly unwise for me as a driver to drive such a automobile, however I belief combustion engines as a lot as potential.
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