1. Where Do You Charge That Thing?
It’s a question every tesla owner gets. There once was a great mystique as to where these sleek cars juice up. Now, as Tesla’s charging infrastructure expands yearly, there are visible chargers along practically every major interstate, along with certain malls, businesses, etc. Where you’re going to charge your car is one the most important things to consider before buying a Tesla. If you live in a house, you can charge in your garage or use an outdoor outlet. You may want to upgrade your outlet to a 240 volt outlet (depending on how quickly you want to charge). If you are in an urban area with a parking garage, Tesla has urban chargers in some areas. They are slimmer and bit more compact than the regular superchargers, but they get the job done!
2. Low Maintenance
If you’re someone who enjoys the hunt of going from shop to shop, searching for the best deal on parts and auto body work, Tesla may not be the move for you. The Tesla service center basically acts as a one stop shop for all your service needs. While maintenance on a Tesla is SUPER low (pending accidents or damage to parts), if you do need to tune something up, like your brakes, Tesla takes care of all of that in house.
3. Over-The-Air Updates
They essentially enhance the UI (User Interface) and give you new features that you didn’t have before. This is fantastic, but it can also drastically change the look and feel of your UI and the way you interact with your vehicle. Similar to getting an update on your computer or your smartphone. Most tech junkies seem to love this, but those that prefer a static system that never changes, may want to consider this before making the leap.
4. Brace Yourself For Attention
Everyone wants to know more about these all electric cars, moving closer and closer to fully autonomous capability with each software update. If you’re looking for a discreet car to easily drive under the radar, a Tesla is not it. Even if you’re not intending to grab attention with your Model S, X or 3, people can’t help but do a double take and then instinctively ask you every questions they’ve wanted to know (including lots of questions about Mr. Musk). Brace yourself!
5. Know Before You Go
While having a Tesla has made life cleaner and more efficient, having an EV (electric vehicle) is a lifestyle change. Yes, supercharging is fast, but you still have to factor in that time to charge. Luckily, the software takes care of letting you know how much of a charge you’ll need (and where the superchargers are located) to get from point A to point B, also how long you’ll need to charge for round trips. If you’re a super spontaneous traveler with not time constraints, that’s awesome. But if you have meetings and lots of time sensitive appointments, you need to be aware of how much time you may need to charge and factor that into your ETA.