Electric Car News

[PeoplesElbow]

Exactly why I'll never own a BEV for anything but a daily commuter. Long distance travel would be so irritating.

I Sold A Tesla Model 3, and Now My Customer Has Buyer’s Remorse and Wants To Return It After Owning It One Day Because of Charging Issues

Have you ever purchased a car and immediately known it was the wrong decision? If so, you know how Andrew feels. He bought a 2022 Tesla Model 3 and had buyer's remorse the day after he bought it. Here is his story and what all Tesla buyers need to know.

www.torquenews.com

 

[glhs837]

Exactly why I'll never own a BEV for anything but a daily commuter. Long distance travel would be so irritating.

I Sold A Tesla Model 3, and Now My Customer Has Buyer’s Remorse and Wants To Return It After Owning It One Day Because of Charging Issues

Have you ever purchased a car and immediately known it was the wrong decision? If so, you know how Andrew feels. He bought a 2022 Tesla Model 3 and had buyer's remorse the day after he bought it. Here is his story and what all Tesla buyers need to know.

www.torquenews.com

I mean this kids case is a bit of an outlier. Everybody's use case is different. Two basic rules for anyone considering it. That literally five minutes of research would tell someone.

1. Never buy an EV unless you have charging at home. Pretty simple.
2. Analyze your travel needs against the charging times, If you are exceeding your cars range 2-3 times a week, might not be for you. Vehicle choice matters here, a LOT. The bottom end Model 3 gets around 270ish. The Long Range gets you over 380 miles.

Wife and I went to Seaford DE last weekend, day trips both. Out and back in a 300 mile range EV, no charging required. Today we went up to pick up some seats for one of my project E36s in Ridely Park, DE. That would require one 35 minute charge in the 315 mile range Model 3 Performance. And in a nine hour driving day, we for sure take breaks. Of course, not many five seat family cars that do 0-60 in 2.9 seconds get great range either.

Now, if you are taking one or two trips to say New England or Florida a year, depends on how much you enjoy the rest of the year just never visiting a gas station, . Here to Nashua you spend 55 minutes charging, one 25, one 20, and on 10 minutes. Again, for us, that would cover rest breaks just about right. We generally don't drive nine hours non-stop.

Like towing, most folks object with crazy ideas about what they do when in reality very few folks tow crazy with an F-150 or take multi hundred mile road trips more than once a month at most.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

I mean this kids case is a bit of an outlier. Everybody's use case is different. Two basic rules for anyone considering it. That literally five minutes of research would tell someone.

1. Never buy an EV unless you have charging at home. Pretty simple.
2. Analyze your travel needs against the charging times, If you are exceeding your cars range 2-3 times a week, might not be for you. Vehicle choice matters here, a LOT. The bottom end Model 3 gets around 270ish. The Long Range gets you over 380 miles.

Wife and I went to Seaford DE last weekend, day trips both. Out and back in a 300 mile range EV, no charging required. Today we went up to pick up some seats for one of my project E36s in Ridely Park, DE. That would require one 35 minute charge in the 315 mile range Model 3 Performance. And in a nine hour driving day, we for sure take breaks. Of course, not many five seat family cars that do 0-60 in 2.9 seconds get great range either.

Now, if you are taking one or two trips to say New England or Florida a year, depends on how much you enjoy the rest of the year just never visiting a gas station, . Here to Nashua you spend 55 minutes charging, one 25, one 20, and on 10 minutes. Again, for us, that would cover rest breaks just about right. We generally don't drive nine hours non-stop.

Like towing, most folks object with crazy ideas about what they do when in reality very few folks tow crazy with an F-150 or take multi hundred mile road trips more than once a month at most.

That's some pretty short charge times. Are those actually realistic?

This past friday I was in LaVale MD, one thing stood ou to me, there is a Sheetz with a bunch of chargers there, it's almost always busy. Friday the was only one Tesla there, a white model 3 I think. We ate, about an hour and half later the same white car was there, still the only one there.

 

[glhs837]

That's some pretty short charge times. Are those actually realistic?

This past friday I was in LaVale MD, one thing stood ou to me, there is a Sheetz with a bunch of chargers there, it's almost always busy. Friday the was only one Tesla there, a white model 3 I think. We ate, about an hour and half later the same white car was there, still the only one there.

I've never seen anything to indicate that they wouldn't be. Remember you never charge from 0 to 100. You're charging from 20 to 80 in the meat of the curve so to speak. It's incredibly unlikely that vehicle was charging the whole time it was there. It's much more likely they just went and did something and left it there.

Tesla can charge an idle fee, but that only applies if you have completed your charging session and the charging station is more than 50% full, which doesn't sound like it was the case here.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

I've never seen anything to indicate that they wouldn't be. Remember you never charge from 0 to 100. You're charging from 20 to 80 in the meat of the curve so to speak. It's incredibly unlikely that vehicle was charging the whole time it was there. It's much more likely they just went and did something and left it there.

Tesla can charge an idle fee, but that only applies if you have completed your charging session and the charging station is more than 50% full, which doesn't sound like it was the case here.

Oh ok, didnt realize the idle time was only if they were busy. There really isn't much to do there beyond go into sheetz or across the street to Burger King or Long John Silvers. I was really surprised because having an old handicapped woman with me lunch and bathroom breaks are very long compared to my usual 15 minute max stop.

Just looked it up these are 150kW max chargers.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

Added note, I make that trip fairly often, its about a 330 mile trip, going that way my hybrid always gets lower mileage than coming back this way, 38 mpg there and 42 mpg back this time of year.

If I wanted to get gas anywhere I could and be back on the road in less than 10 minutes, having limited charging options that I might have to wait for basically kill the idea of any BEV.

 

[glhs837]

Added note, I make that trip fairly often, its about a 330 mile trip, going that way my hybrid always gets lower mileage than coming back this way, 38 mpg there and 42 mpg back this time of year.

If I wanted to get gas anywhere I could and be back on the road in less than 10 minutes, having limited charging options that I might have to wait for basically kill the idea of any BEV.

330 the whole trip or just one way? I know Teslas know not only the mechanical condition but also how many chargers are available. More and more hotels offer "destination chargers that are level 2 and fine for an overnight charge.
But it does depend on where you go. My trip last August the Silverdale WA I couldn't rent a Tesla since there was no supercharger on the island. It was almost done when I visited, so this year I can.

The network keeps growing like crazy.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

330 the whole trip or just one way? I know Teslas know not only the mechanical condition but also how many chargers are available. More and more hotels offer "destination chargers that are level 2 and fine for an overnight charge.
But it does depend on where you go. My trip last August the Silverdale WA I couldn't rent a Tesla since there was no supercharger on the island. It was almost done when I visited, so this year I can.

The network keeps growing like crazy.

One way, west of Frederick the number of chargers go way down.

 

[glhs837]

Do you do the whole 330 in one shot, or do you stop for 15-20 along the way?

 

[PeoplesElbow]

Do you do the whole 330 in one shot, or do you stop for 15-20 along the way?

By myself I've done it in one shot. Now there are usually 4 pee stops, only certain places work due to good wheelchair access.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

Here is what I was thinking, lower milage but older BEVs would have more of an issue with battery segregation than high mile ones.

55,000 Miles In, I Absolutely Love My Tesla Model 3, But I Am Only Getting 145 Miles At Full Charge

55,000 miles in, my Tesla Model 3 still drives like a dream, but I am only getting 145 miles at full charge. Yet, I think there may be a fix Tesla owners need to know about.

www.torquenews.com

 

[glhs837]

Here is what I was thinking, lower milage but older BEVs would have more of an issue with battery segregation than high mile ones.

55,000 Miles In, I Absolutely Love My Tesla Model 3, But I Am Only Getting 145 Miles At Full Charge

55,000 miles in, my Tesla Model 3 still drives like a dream, but I am only getting 145 miles at full charge. Yet, I think there may be a fix Tesla owners need to know about.

www.torquenews.com

But that isn't the norm. Unless this person has taken the mitigation steps, we have no idea as to what's happening. Which is one of my issues with the "Lets take one persons experience and blow it up." sort of reporting. Lets face it, Torque News just trolls the Tesla forums and reddit subs looking for click worthy stories, meaning negative ones.

The big point in the article, and points to the author for including this sort of information.... But if this guy is jamming 85mph everywhere he goes, that might be the issue. All vehicles lose efficiency as you increase speed. And a 2022 isnt that old. There are 15 year old Model S's out there. And lots of eight year old Model 3s.

“Go to the service tab and do a battery health test. If less than 70%, you will get a new battery. Your car should still be under warranty for the batteries and powertrain. Check the Tesla app on your phone. It shows if you have a warranty and when it expires.”

Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive

8 years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first, with minimum 70% retention of Battery capacity over the warranty period.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

But that isn't the norm. Unless this person has taken the mitigation steps, we have no idea as to what's happening. Which is one of my issues with the "Lets take one persons experience and blow it up." sort of reporting. Lets face it, Torque News just trolls the Tesla forums and reddit subs looking for click worthy stories, meaning negative ones.

The big point in the article, and points to the author for including this sort of information.... But if this guy is jamming 85mph everywhere he goes, that might be the issue. All vehicles lose efficiency as you increase speed. And a 2022 isnt that old. There are 15 year old Model S's out there. And lots of eight year old Model 3s.

The reason I always believed that would be the case is that it is pretty much what happens to my RC plane lithium polymer batteries, use them a lot they will be fine, if they sit for months on end without use they will not provide the same oomph or runtime.

 

[glhs837]

The reason I always believed that would be the case is that it is pretty much what happens to my RC plane lithium polymer batteries, use them a lot they will be fine, if they sit for months on end without use they will not provide the same oomph or runtime.

I'm not sure that the sort of batteries that go into cars and live a pampered life with pumped coolant and pre charge conditioning have a lot of correlation with RC batteries.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

I'm not sure that the sort of batteries that go into cars and live a pampered life with pumped coolant and pre charge conditioning have a lot of correlation with RC batteries.

The chemical reactions are the same. Because there are only a couple cells they get individually balanced.

They like to be used and not sit. The NiMH cells that use to be used in hybrids translated over pretty well.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

Rivan had lower demand, I hope they make it I actually like looking at their vehicles. https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/02/rivian-reports-fall-in-first-quarter-deliveries.html

 

[itsbob]

That's some pretty short charge times. Are those actually realistic?

This past friday I was in LaVale MD, one thing stood ou to me, there is a Sheetz with a bunch of chargers there, it's almost always busy. Friday the was only one Tesla there, a white model 3 I think. We ate, about an hour and half later the same white car was there, still the only one there.

Depends on the type of charger. Many places have destination chargers (take 8 or more hours to charge from 20 - 90%), the Super Chargers and most Level III charges, 20 minutes from 10 - 80%, depending on the car.

We also make the drive from here to NH (Northern NH), and know where the good chargers are, and tend to find those in WalMart or Plaza parking lots.. plug in, bathroom break, and munchy run (or lunch). By the time we get back to the car it's done charging.

Mustang is SUPER comfortable, Blue Cruise is amazing, quiet.. and yes, we have two chargers at the house. One dedicated EV charger, and one adaptor for our 50 AMP RV outlet.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

Depends on the type of charger. Many places have destination chargers (take 8 or more hours to charge from 20 - 90%), the Super Chargers and most Level III charges, 20 minutes from 10 - 80%, depending on the car.

We also make the drive from here to NH (Northern NH), and know where the good chargers are, and tend to find those in WalMart or Plaza parking lots.. plug in, bathroom break, and munchy run (or lunch). By the time we get back to the car it's done charging.

Mustang is SUPER comfortable, Blue Cruise is amazing, quiet.. and yes, we have two chargers at the house. One dedicated EV charger, and one adaptor for our 50 AMP RV outlet.

Hard to beat a ford for comfort

 

[Kyle]

Hard to beat a ford for comfort

That’s how I feel about my truck.

 

[phreddyp]

That’s how I feel about my truck.

That's I feel about Cheryl.