Tesla Model 3 Standard Range+ 6 month review

I have been driving my company Tesla Model 3 for 6 months now so here are my thoughts, after driving it for 9k miles.
Spoiler: I love it, but it's not perfect! Plus, some of it may have dropped off.
If you are interested in a Tesla of your own, please use my referral link and get awards like 3 months of Enhanced Autopilot. ts.la/paul56160
If you have, or are planning to have, an electric car, make sure you have the right electricity tariff at home, as it can save you LOTS of money! Seriously, I can't overstate the impact of shopping around and choosing carefully.
I recommend (and use) Octopus Go for electric car users (and hot tub users - see my other video).
To join Octopus, please use my referral link, below, and we both receive £50 EACH!
share.octopus.energy/red-foal...
Chapters
00:00 0 - 60mph
00:20 Introduction
01:02 What I like
02:40 Driving in the cold
03:10 Running costs
03:58 What I don't like
07:30 I broke it
09:18 Conclusion
10:14 Like and subscribe

[@phil_nicholls]

I think there may be something wrong with your Tesla. We have a Leaf on SalSac, just a 40Kwh version, and I have never seen range as low as 120 miles even on the coldest of days. It has dropped from 160+ in the Summer down to around 135 in the depths of Winter, just under a 20% drop - but I've never seen a 40%+ drop that you say your Tesla does. And we live in remote Northumberland - not exactly known for it's temperate climate - 1degree C would be considered a good day in the Winter!!! 😄

[@PaulsViewsReviews]

You may be right but I'm thrilled to say that I have been able to swap my Standard Range for a Long Range this last week. It's ace! Anyway, thanks for watching.

[@richardburke952]

Question Audi Q7 or Tesla Model Y ?

[@PaulsViewsReviews]

That is a fun question! They are very different experiences but, after 9 months with a Tesla, I would be hard pushed to choose a Q7 over a Model Y unless you absolutely needed 7 seats (not available on UK models yet) or a big towing capacity (1,600kg for the Tesla, so no big caravans or boats). The Y is spacious enough for 5 people and has a good luggage space, even if it's not quite as big as the Q7. I wish the Tesla had air suspension, as it can be a bit tough on bumpy roads, but, even so, the hatchback boot is a big step up from the Model 3 and, combined with the added height, arguably make it one of the most complete cars on the road (in my view, of course). I know you watched my Q7 video (thanks again) and I have answered your question about the MPG but, on the right electricity tariff, there is no competition between the running costs of the two; my Model 3 is costing about 1.25p per mile, if I charge it off-peak at home during the night (Octopus Go). The Q7 was closer to 20p a mile before the fuel prices went up! Great choice to have the opportunity to make. Test drive both and have some fun!

[@peromalmstrom7668]

You Review does not cover full life cycle considerations or real understanding with the comment upon, 'range anxiety'. The Review unfortunately does not cover, a daily day of milage and time spent at chargers. Range anxiety with EV's is misleading vocabulary, where the real issue is 'time'. The greatest gift we can give someone, is 'TIME', be it family, friends, work colleagues, strangers or ourselves. Range anxiety is used to describe 'time' worry, with time taken to gain enough power to continue on any individual journey and is what EV sceptics need convincing with. Available to study are warm to cold depreciation charts, average distance with X% charge getting a person from A to B. Not a single time chart, of time taken out of the day! Many who live and work in close proximity, would find it difficult to argue the 'money' saving element of an EV. Others, whose average day mileage is in excess of 300+ miles, loose much critical 'TIME'. Point being, the average review caters well for the main grouping of people who live, work, play all within close proximity. Those that don't, interestingly, have no compelling EV product or compelling review that shows 'TIME' is not the real issue. We now as a society, work hard to minimise plastic waste, where not so long-ago, it was the answer to everyday needs and cheaper than any alternative. That was until disposal was properly understood and deemed a major problem. No EV champion has documented a compelling argument regarding accepting current extraction of minerals by an impoverished work force, for the benefit of Western nations EV and battery lust. The good intent of planet saving ignores this small, but critical element and that is before we even come to talking about safe disposal of used batteries. Hopefully EV champions have researched how batteries minerals are being extracted, as well as how used batteries are going and are being disposed. Maybe they might even show as much interest, time and money into this dilemma, as they do to reportedly saving the planet, while saving money for themselves, all the while making others large sums of money. For every action, there is a reaction. If knowing this, it is incumbent upon humanity to not be so narrow minded and understand fully, the full life cycles and ultimately, the 1 thing more valuable than money, made or saved, 'TIME. The point being made, this is not an argument against of for, ICE over EV, or any other combination of thoughts. It is simply pointing out 2 factors, 'TIME' and understanding the full life cycle of a product, from extraction, production, usage to disposal, as these conversations and solutions are not being had or solutions being genuinely found. Tokenism needs to be understood for what it is.

[@_lslc]

Valuable points!

[@PaulsViewsReviews]

That is a detailed response! Therefore, I think it likely deserves the same. Firstly, thanks for watching. Secondly, while I wholeheartedly agree that time is indeed our greatest resource, I would have to politely disagree with the notion that the 'real issue is time' when specifically discussing the term 'range anxiety'. Whether this is correct or not is almost irrelevant, as 'real understanding', as you put it, still comes down to perception and, according to surveys highlighting people's range anxiety-related hesitations towards EVs, the vast majority of people are not voicing concern about the time they will spend at chargers; they get anxious about perceived limited chargers available and, as a result, the possibility of ending up stranded somewhere without power. It is, in actuality, no different from worrying about running out of petrol or diesel, so the fundamentals are the same, but people can see petrol stations everywhere while remaining largely unaware of just how many charging stations there are out there today (plus, while you would hope not to need it if you are in either an ICE vehicle or an EV, in addition to carrying liquid fuel reserves, roadside assistance vehicles do tend to have generators that can charge an EV enough to get to a charging station, should the worst happen!). However, if time spent charging is a primary concern for someone, the speed of a Tesla supercharger, for example, in full flow can alleviate some of that, as it can add up to 200 miles of range in 15 minutes. New and improved chargers are being added across all networks each day and, while the charging capability is getting faster, the ability of the cars to take that increased level of charging is also increasing, albeit not quite as quickly. For all the anxiety that people still seem to have, the developing capabilities of the cars are actually struggling to keep up with the speed of the ever-growing charging network, ironically. Of course, 15 minutes is longer than it takes to put 200 miles of petrol or diesel into your car, but the key difference is that you don't need to stay with the car while it is doing this so you can be going to the toilet or buying a snack WHILE it is charging, which would be incremental time spent if filling an ICE vehicle that you have to stay with the whole time, even before paying for your fuel and parking it elsewhere. If you fully charge the car at home (my Tesla Model 3 Long Range, which I have moved to since making this video, can complete 300+ miles on a charge without issue), I can start each day with a full 'tank' and would need maybe 5 minutes at a supercharger to get home with enough charge to maybe use the car later that evening, ahead of the overnight charge and next day's work. Therefore, the money-saving aspect for people making 300-mile journeys each day is pretty tangible, IF you can charge inexpensively. The life cycle of the products and the resources required to both obtain the components and, crucially, recycle, as opposed to disposing of, them are definitely an area that requires improvement, but the industry appears to be working to implement this. There are lots of great articles out there, but I would recommend reading this one from the RAC, which includes lots of credited data sources and a full exploration of the EV, from pre-production to post-usage: www.rac.co.uk/drive/electric-cars/choosing/are-electric-cars-really-better-for-the-environment/ As it states in there, 'reports suggest that material recovery can lead to a reduction in energy of 6-56% and a 23% reduction of greenhouse gases, compared with virgin material production. Car manufacturers have started to act. Volkswagen introduced a scheme in 2019 that it believes will see 97% of all the raw materials used in new EV batteries reused by 20407. A standardised recycling technique and testing of second-use applications for these batteries has the potential to significantly reduce the environmental impact of their production.' This is great news but the one area which we, as a planet, still need to improve is the source of the electricity we use. While countries such as Norway are setting the example (98.4% of their energy production came from renewable sources in 2021), many of the larger car manufacturers are based in the east and still use carbon-derived electricity. Fortunately, they appear to be actively working on it and have admirable goals (see this article for global comparisons: sustainabilitymag.com/net-zero/top-10-nations-that-are-leading-the-renewable-energy-charge-countries-emissions) As the world continues to transition to increased clean energy, the overall impact on all production, not just cars, will prove to be the 'game changer' for the planet, seeing emission drop, global warming slow down and, ultimately, extending the TIME which we, as a species, can enjoy our planet. Until then, and very frustratingly, countries that are largely undeveloped in terms of energy production will continue to burn fossil fuel to power their cars - it'll just be at the power station powering their home chargers, as opposed to on the road from their ICE vehicles. I hope this clarifies points that I did undeniably overlook in the video. Thanks again for watching and taking the time to comment.