[pwinnski]

Get a 2022 or 2023 Fiat 500e, a delightful EV. You can't, Fiat stopped selling them in the US. My 2017 is great, though!

There are many different cars and trucks and vans on the roads in Europe that don't seem to be available for sale here at all.

There are many choices available in the US that are better than Teslas, but there are even more in Europe.

[survirtual]

Name one of these “many choices” under $60k.

I’ve looked at all of them and I am telling you, there isn’t another choice of an all EV that can go over 300 miles in a charge. The ones that claim have too many reports of rapid battery degradation after a year, and lack a meaningful fast charging network to go anywhere. Most have under 300 miles of range.

It is one thing to say “look at how many are manufacturing EVs”, and a whole other to say look at how many are manufacturing EVs ordinary people can get and use to drive across the US in an old fashioned road trip.

There are so many small details that have turned me into saying what I’m saying. Like being able to run climate all night in a Tesla and not freeze while in the middle of no where in winter, and sleep, while still having enough charge in the morning to make it to a charger. Or going into Death Valley and up a canyon, running nearly out of charge, hiking and enjoying the place, then almost completely recharging on the way down with regen braking. There are things I’ve done with this vehicle I wouldn’t dream of doing with others, years of trust built up in small capabilities most people wouldn’t think about or imagine are possible.

About the only vehicle I’d trade my Tesla for and take a chance on is a Rivian, but I want to see the longevity and support of Rivian play out before I’d get one.

[pwinnski]

Sure, it's easy to come up with a filter that automatically excludes a long list of great cars.

For example, are you aware that the cheapest Tesla available to me with a range over 300 miles is $56,160 plus tax, title, and license[0]? That's $20k more than I paid for my car! The seven less-expensive Teslas available can't do 300 miles on a single charge either.

I've got an amazing 2023 Chevy Bolt EUV that I love, that I bought for much less than any Tesla available within 200 miles of me, even the ones with a 267 or 272-mile range. And that's before the $7500 tax credit I'll get, which I wouldn't with a Tesla, so more than $18k less overall.

But hey, my EUV is only rated with a 243-mile range. Which is more than my Fiat 500e, and plenty long enough for road trips, given the ABRF app, but fails your filter.

I'm glad you're happy with your car.

0. https://www.tesla.com/inventory/new/m3?arrangeby=plh&zip=750...

[survirtual]

I’m glad you’re happy with the Bolt. I wanted to give the Volt a try before Tesla was more established, but my Honda Civic Hybrid did the job just fine.

300 miles is my floor because of how heavy my usage is. In a year, that 300 miles degrades to ~260 miles in an EV with current battery tech. I put about 70-100k miles/year.

Often times I have to max charge to make it in and out of places. Some places even a max charge doesn’t do it, so I come up with tricky solutions to make it work. I went one way into Big Bend, for example, and talk someone that works there into letting me use a 120 service outlet for 3 days. I hiked for 3 days there; went up to Emory Peak and all the surroundings. Beautiful spot. Returned to a fully charged vehicle.

I’d like vehicles I purchase to last at least 5 years. I think this Tesla will go at least another 100k miles before the battery degrades to the point of not being usable for long distance travel.

If I had started with even a 260 mile battery pack, I would probably already be at the limit by now — and I don’t have any data on battery longevity for any other EV used at the rate and intensity mine has been used. I would be surprised to find this kind of durability to be the norm in vehicles, it just doesn’t make economic sense.

[travisporter]

But several cars say they have over 300 range including Hyundai/Kia, Mach e. I’m curious because I’m in the market and agree Tesla is tried and tested. Just not a fan of the interior and touchscreen on my test drive.