Had a ride a in a Tesla P90D today

[Sagalout]

Friend of mine took delivery just before Chrismas after a 5 month wait.

Now, I've owned fast bikes - both superbikes and hyperbikes, but nothing compares to the sheer 'from a standstill' acceleration that I experienced today. My head actually felt dizzy, presumably with the G force. It's the 0-30 which is most astonishing, from then on a bike would start to catch up I think, but I can't get over the feeling of instantaneous speed. The videos online don't do it justice - you need to feel it in your head and organs!

The car as a whole was impressive. Nice finish (not Range Rover nice, but it is American!). So many gadgets - the lane assist was impressively accurate and smooth, basically driving the car around the curves of the M621 flawlessly with hands and feet off the controls.

It definitely felt like the future, but personally I couldn't live with the range just yet. Well, I could 95% of the time but wouldn't want the hassle of planning journeys further afield.

 

[Ricochet J]

This makes me happy. Personally looking forward to more automation.

 

[pepsilol]

Sat in a MS quite a bit. Interior is pretty crap and seats are awful. Headunit is ace though.

 

[Clarkey]

I had a little race with one of these not long ago, silly. I thought my old datsun was fairly spritely but he pulled away so fast it made me look stupid.

 

[Fr0dders]

It definitely felt like the future, but personally I couldn't live with the range just yet. Well, I could 95% of the time but wouldn't want the hassle of planning journeys further afield.

It will do supposedly 300 miles, so the 190 mile trip to london from leeds isn't a problem in a single charge. Heck it even leaves me plenty of juice to get to my hotel at london, and then at some point make a trip to say, the westfield centre, and then leave it there to charge while I do a bit of shopping. I'd say it's more like 99% of your trips it would be no hassle for.

I think that hassle would be very minimal on anything but a continental road trip to germany or something, and even then you'll find them on the continent and its just a matter of planning a route that goes by a supercharger station and planning to stop off for a few hours while it charges. You have to pull over and refuel when doing a continental road trip anyway. The disruption really would be minimal. If you have to get to europe by a deadline and can't afford to wait around for your car to recharge you'd just fly.

 

[Sagalout]

Yeah, I could get round it, but, for example, I have to travel from Harrogate to Northampton every now and again, which is about 165 miles each way. I hate stopping at services and would normally not bother, so to have pull over for 50 minutes on the way back would be annoying. Later this month we're going to Loch Lomond for a week. There is a recharge point at Gretna, but then I'm relying on being able to drag an extension cable from the cottage we're staying at, and I have no idea if that's feasible. Obviously I could hire a car, but if you spend £100k on a nice car, it's not ideal to have to hire s crappy hire car on one of your longest journeys!

Anyway, I have a V8 itch I need to scratch before I embrace the future so I'm test driving a 5.0 supercharged V8 Range Rover 405 on Saturday

 

[Dr House]

I have been running around in one recently and its crazy fast but the quality of the car is really lacking, just does not feel like a £100k car. I would have a Panamera any day of the week over this.

 

[danza]

I sat in one in Churchill Square mall, Brighton, and had a good look and feel around - it felt pretty cheap. Lowish quality materials with leather stuck over the top. It felt a bit flimsy. An E39 is better built, but then you are paying for something new and 'differrent' I suppose.

 

[mrk]

Reminds me of this, not P90 but P85, but still...

 

[Mickey]

Yeah, I could get round it, but, for example, I have to travel from Harrogate to Northampton every now and again, which is about 165 miles each way. I hate stopping at services and would normally not bother, so to have pull over for 50 minutes on the way back would be annoying. Later this month we're going to Loch Lomond for a week. There is a recharge point at Gretna, but then I'm relying on being able to drag an extension cable from the cottage we're staying at, and I have no idea if that's feasible. Obviously I could hire a car, but if you spend £100k on a nice car, it's not ideal to have to hire s crappy hire car on one of your longest journeys!

Anyway, I have a V8 itch I need to scratch before I embrace the future so I'm test driving a 5.0 supercharged V8 Range Rover 405 on Saturday

Wouldn't it only be around 20 minutes (maybe less?) charging needed? I was told around 20 mins for a 50% charge, 40 mins for 80%. You'd only really need to add around an extra 1/3rd charge for your Northampton trip. I agree the network isn't good enough going north yet though.

I'm currently scratching my V8 itch with the XFR, but would love a Tesla next. It's rare I do long trips anyway, but hopefully the supercharger network will grow fast enough that any worry would be gone in a couple of years when I'm ready to change

 

[mattcrane]

Watch this video Oslo to London in 2 and a bit days in a Tesla Model S P85.

The Model X is the one I fancy but no chance I will ever be able to afford one

 

[Voxination]

Anyway, I have a V8 itch I need to scratch before I embrace the future so I'm test driving a 5.0 supercharged V8 Range Rover 405 on Saturday

Pics needed, have major love for the L405.

Reminds me of this, not P90 but P85, but still...

I need one, might be the only time I'll ever make 4 girls scream at once

 

[Sagalout]

It's this one: http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201507205343220

Although I'm not certain on the interior colour as it's the same as my current car and quite fancy cream and wood, but there aren't many of these around (in my price range anyway!)

 

[acemastr]

Been in a P85D and can confirm it hurts your neck on take off

 

[Fr0dders]

Wouldn't it only be around 20 minutes (maybe less?) charging needed? I was told around 20 mins for a 50% charge, 40 mins for 80%. You'd only really need to add around an extra 1/3rd charge for your Northampton trip. I agree the network isn't good enough going north yet though.

I'm currently scratching my V8 itch with the XFR, but would love a Tesla next. It's rare I do long trips anyway, but hopefully the supercharger network will grow fast enough that any worry would be gone in a couple of years when I'm ready to change

bearing in mind of course that the route in question is only out of range for the complete trip. You could easily just do a quick charge at your destination in northampton.

 

[Sagalout]

In this case I couldn't - it's the University car park!

I don't disagree though that I could make it work, but I'd prefer to not have to plan every long trip.

Also, whilst Tesla sales are low I'm sure you could get a charge point no problem, but if they sell loads more it would be very annoying waiting in a queue to charge up!

 

[Frozennova]

In this case I couldn't - it's the University car park!

I don't disagree though that I could make it work, but I'd prefer to not have to plan every long trip.

Also, whilst Tesla sales are low I'm sure you could get a charge point no problem, but if they sell loads more it would be very annoying waiting in a queue to charge up!

In that case let me borrow it once in a while and you can charge it at my house, I'm a 10 minute walk from one campus and 15 from the other

 

[Fr0dders]

In this case I couldn't - it's the University car park!

I don't disagree though that I could make it work, but I'd prefer to not have to plan every long trip.

Also, whilst Tesla sales are low I'm sure you could get a charge point no problem, but if they sell loads more it would be very annoying waiting in a queue to charge up!

just get an extension reel and get one of the uni staff to let you plug it in and run it out of the window. It will be fine ! i'm sure everybody would love to hear all about the electric car you've got. People would love it.

When everybody gets one maybe not, as it won't be a novelty. But when everybody has one there will likely be a proper charging point for you.

 

[sigma]

The theme park ride called "Rita" at Alton Towers does 0-60 in 2.5 apparently. I recall that being pretty fun in a car that must be crazy

"Stealth" at Thorpe park:

Riders reach a maximum height of 62.5 metres (205 ft) and accelerate from 0-80 mph in 1.9 seconds.

 

[peige]

I think these look promising, my son is made over them and made me take him to the showroom at Gatwick to look at them.
The range thing is a worry, not really because its not enough but I guess more because its a change in mentality from the method of "refuelling" thats available throughout the country with no thought or planning to a method that needs to be planned and allowed for if your bending the range a bit.
98% of the time the range would be perfect for me, give the car another few years and it could be in the frame for me.

We might need a pool car at work soon, I'm thinking a Leaf will be perfect for job if the time comes.