It's been just over one year since I dived into EV ownership, trading in the old internal combustion engine vehicle for an entirely new experience. Moving to electric naturally creates some uncertainty, as some media sources may have you believe there seems to be so much to consider; weather, range anxiety and charging availability. I certainly had doubts about the practicality of my situation, living in a apartment with no dedicated parking or home charging ability, but I'm happy to report that it's been easily manageable and actually improved my lifestyle.

Fuelling cost

In September 2021 the cost of petrol was relatively stable, but soon after, the shortages began with queues at the pump and a series of price hikes. The timing for me was incredibly fortunate, although I was just getting used to where and when to charge, the cost of filling up greatly decreased! I was used to spending £50 (which would easily have become £90 at the peak) for a tank that would get me around 400 miles, now I was paying £10 for 200 miles at superchargers and only £5 at my local leisure centre that has a public charger in the car park.

Tesla even provide a helpful comparison in the app to remind you of just how much you're saving!

It shows data from the last 30 days and I'd love to be able to expand the timeframe, but perhaps in a future update. Any way you slice it, that's an incredible saving, score one for electric.

Range and charging

The Standard Range Plus Model 3 from Q3 2021 officially states around 259 miles of range on a full charge, although I've found it to be more realistically around 200, probably owing to the colder climate here in the UK, combined with driving style and AC/heater usage. Despite this, I've never had a problem getting anywhere. In taking multiple road trips over that distance, the supercharging network is vast enough that virtually everywhere is covered. Stopping once or twice on the way for a bite to eat, a quick stretch and bathroom break easily allowed time to refill and get to the destination with room to spare. Charging from 10-100% takes about 40 minutes or if you're in a rush, 15 minutes happily provides over 50%.

Locally I have several public charging options and my regular choice is a PodPoint 7Kw stall. This can take around 6-7 hours to fill from near empty, but there's a large park en-route where I can spend some time outside or enjoy a comfortable 15 minute walk (or even quicker cycle) home. It easily fits into the schedule on a day when I don't need to drive and has also greatly improved my previously extremely sedentary lifestyle.

There's a certain skill involved in planning an EV trip as it requires thinking in reverse, to determine exactly how much charge you need to arrive with for the return journey and planning stops accordingly. Tesla has made this seamless and it can all be done with the route planner in the car, taking into account elevation, traffic and even weather to provide very accurate estimates.

For more complex journeys there's always A Better Route Planner.com that maps it all out for you and allows very granular control over each leg of the trip. It's ideal for other EV brands that must rely on public infrastructure, since they often lack this capability within the vehicle, but for all users it's great to be able to create and save the trip for later.

It’s worth mentioning that in England where the average day is cloudy at best, there is some loss of range in the colder months, a few percent or so. Unless scheduled in advance, the battery takes some time to warm up to receive the full benefit of regen braking and charging can be a little slower. The unique door handles are extremely aerodynamic being flush with the door, but on some sub-zero days I have had some trouble getting them open before thawing the ice that builds up around them.

Parking

As is common for city residents, there's very limited parking near me, sure there are a few free spots on some nearby roads depending on the time of day, but nothing reliable. In the end I opted for a more secluded space 5 mins walk away and sure it can be frustrating to not have the car right outside, but that is true for me regardless of vehicle. It's actually forced me to build some better habits, getting regular fresh air and exercise and rarely bothers me.

The local council offers EV owners a permit for free-parking in my area and I've made great use of it, saving even more money and time, never having to worry about buying a ticket. There are many other districts that offer similar concessions and it's a small, but noticeable win for electric.

One thing to bear in mind is that whilst Sentry Mode offers great peace-of-mind when leaving your car unattended and captures anything that happens to it on camera (you can even view it on your phone), it will drain the battery over time and if not plugged in at home, means there's less charge when you get on the road. To me it’s a minor inconvenience as it's already saved me immeasurable trouble with an insurance claim, after someone drove into my parked vehicle without leaving any details, I had all the evidence I needed on film.

Maintenance

As you'd hope with a brand new purchase, there's been no need for maintenance more than refilling the screen wash. The only difference being that I expect it to continue this way for many more years, I'll never have to think about an oil change again! Tyres certainly will need changing regularly and eventually brakes, but far less frequently than before thanks to regenerative braking instead. So far the build quality has proven to be as high as expected and very reliable - I've no complaints with the construction, fit or finish.

The only additions I've purchased are simple interior protections and I would encourage all to consider the following;

Screen protector

I installed a matte cover and whilst I love the silky-soft feel and moderate glare reduction, it does wash out the screen’s inky blacks. It’s only really noticeable when watching a movie, but I think I'd prefer the gloss finish in future to not detract from the quality Tesla worked hard to provide.

Cup holder insert

Keeps tighter grip on beverages and is easily removed to clean up any spills, this one doesn't sit entirely flush, but still looks fine.

Boot cover

This is essential for me as I'm regularly packing my bicycle into the back (yes the boot is big enough!) and keeping the plush carpet clean is a nightmare without easy access to a vacuum and water supply. This heavy-duty cover looks great, fits all the way up the rear seats to cover the entire bed when they're folded down and is easily wiped clean. The quality indicates it will last many years so I'm very happy with this and would recommend it to anyone frequently loading dirty luggage.

Lifestyle

Being part of the owners club has offered me opportunities to network in new circles, meet many lovely fellow owners and enthusiasts and attend various events which I wouldn't even have known about otherwise. I can certainly endorse the Tesla community and I'd hope that similar groups exist for other brands, but regardless, EV ownership naturally opens the door into renewables with home solar and battery storage being the obvious choice for those able to upgrade their home. Running an EV from your own self-generated power can be essentially free, so any higher upfront cost is more than justified and I can't wait till I'm able to take advantage of that myself.

There’s not many places a Model 3 won’t take you, as long as there are roads (for the most part) and the occasional plug. I’ve been to the end of the country and back with plenty of luggage and space to spare, and without any fears over range.

Comfort and safety

It can't be overstated how much of a pleasure it is to drive, the ease of only using one-pedal, Autopilot for long, tedious sections of motorway and the peace and quiet are indispensable. The massive instantaneous power on demand always puts a smile on my face and has been helpful to escape some of the hairier situations that inevitably unfold on the road.

It's difficult to explain to someone who hasn't experienced it, but suffice to say that travel is now always fun no matter the time or place and that's something I've never felt before - even with the freedom of a motorcycle, sometimes the weather gets the best of you. Aside from fun, but equally important, the knowledge that I'm transporting myself and loved ones in the safest car on the planet is a great relief.

I can honestly say without hesitation, assuming they keep doing what they're doing, it's likely that I'll be a Tesla owner for the rest of my life and will forever recommend them to friends, family and anyone thinking about a purchasing a new vehicle.

The world is already scrabbling for electric cars, the value of Internal Combustion Engines will plummet, whereas this second-hand Model 3 is worth almost as much as it was a year ago - how many new vehicles can say that? Overall it's probably the best investment I've made (excluding $TSLA), so far I've found only benefits and I don’t believe there is a bad time to buy one.

The First Year