Ok friends, a year has flown by! The year was 4-29-24 so I'm a couple of days late.
Stats:
Miles driven: 48,577
Charging cost: $2,922
Old Ram 2500 fuel would have been roughly: 2,729 gallons, or, at 3.25 about $8,869 in fuel.
Savings vs RAM: $5,947
Which is not fair. I wouldn't have replaced it with a RAM, I would have most likely chosen a CRV which is different. A CRV would have used about 1,675 gallons for a total of $5,443.75 a REAL DIFFERENCE of about $2,521.
If I didn't have to drive so far some days (300+ miles) the charge number would be way lower. About 1/4 of the energy I used came from superchargers, 3/4 from home. Home is .03, superchargers are .30, or 10x as expensive. If you only commute to a far away job, say 100 miles each way, you would never need an expensive super charger and always be able to charge at home super cheap compared to gas. If you commute only 10 or 20 miles one way, stick with gas, you don't drive enough for it to ever matter. What does gas cost? I have no idea.... I think it might be around 3.89 around here. Doesn't really matter, I don't buy it anyway.
So, in reality I saved 2500 in fuel and a bunch of oil change misery on saturday or sunday mornings here at the shop. I really can't tell you how much I hated that 45 minutes of oil change every month or so after working a 70hr week. Hated changing oil...
I paid about 10k more for the car than a CRV, so, in 4 years I will break even from that stand point.
I'm still on the original tires and will run them for about two to four more months, tire wear seems very normal. I bought a set of winter tires (which I always do) and ran them for two months, or about 10k miles. Car was the most stable vehicle I've ever driven in the snow. Almost magic...the traction control is miles ahead of RAM or Ford.
Do I still like my car? Not really. I LOVE THE DAMN THING. Do I want you to buy one? Hell no, I don't care at all what you do! Why? Because I'm not a control freak government monster, thats why. Why do I love it? Well, its taken so much of my driving work away. I arrive at both ends in a restful relaxed state. I just cannot put into words how good the lane keeping is...its darn near perfect now. When I first got the car it would get a little confused when coming into a small town that has parking along the main road and start centering between the sidewalk and middle...well, thats not good! But, about 6 months ago a software update made that go away.... now it keeps in the lane through small towns perfectly.
The FSD (full self driving) is amazing...I can go hundreds of miles on the highway without touching the car. $99 a month for that luxury.
What don't I like about the car? Government. The nags are all government mandated. I'm pretty good at keeping them at bay, but at least once a day I get the "put pressure on the steering wheel" nag. Bother. Also, charging for long trips sucks. Its a full 20 minute stop, which, almost all the time I'm doing email/texting with people as well as taking a leak, so actual "waiting"....its pretty minimal and I used to have to do the texting and emailing while driving down the highway, so its nice that I almost never have to do that anymore as its quite stressful not dying. These damn customers these days have ZERO patience....make them wait two hours and they are pissed.
I also love zero gas stations during my normal area when I travel less than 125 miles one way. That always just an in and out, no remote charging.
Charging network. The Tesla charging network is awesome. Not once have I had to wait so much as a second to "get gas". I've had exactly one charger not work and I just moved over a bay and notified Tesla through the app. That was in Fort Wayne, IN.
IMO, the charging network in the midwest needs about 10x as many locations before the average idiot can drive a Tesla. IF you always use navigation you will never have a problem, if not, you might end up with low charge and the nearest station is 35 miles out of your way! This has not been a problem for me as I'm not an idiot and I always use nav. Not once have I ran out of charge but one time I wasn't paying attention and missed the turn for the charger and had to turn back or I wouldn't have made it home. Charge times. My average charge time is probably about 7 minutes. It seems I'm either charging for 3 minutes to get home, or somewhere between 15-20 when I'm way out depending on charger locations. Charger locations are sometimes in a Mejier parking lot or some other store, this TOTALLY SUCKS. I HATE THOSE. I want chargers at a gas station right off the highway, I love those, quick in and out.
Range anxiety. I don't know what that is because I'm not an idiot. Not once have I been "worried" about range. Its math. Use the nav and the car does ALL the math for you....its idiot proof IF you aren't an idiot...but, most urbans ARE idiots, so, there's that. They really should stay away from the rural areas. Monsters live out here, stay away, its dangerous!
Maintenance. Well, I did have to put in a gallon of windshield washer fluid to go 48k...so its not exactly "maintenance free".
How much do I love the HEPA filtration? A lot. I haven't smelled a skunk, pesticide spray, cow shit or dead animal decomp since I got the car. Just my farts....
Any questions, feel free to ask. I'll report back if the thing breaks or a year from now.
J