My Tesla Model 3 thoughts after 2 years and 50,000 KMs – 2 years review

Looking back at my 10,000KM review and 1 year review, I still stand by what I’ve said about the car. The positives and the negatives are still the same after 50,000KM driven in 2 years. If you’ve read my previous posts, the below will sound repetitive but it is just to show how I am still thinking about the car after 2 years. Some of the positives and negatives are not only for Tesla but for Electric Vehicles in general. This is not only my first Tesla but also my first fully Electric Vehicle so my experience is also in what driving an EV and especially in Hong Kong is all about.

Positives:

1.) Amazing drive. Although, I’ve changed my suspension to KW suspensions, the stock car is already handling very well but with the KWs she is handling beautifully now. The acceleration is unlike any combustion car I’ve driven. The power is available across the whole driving experience from stop to start and at higher speeds. The power comes immediately when you step on the pedal. No piston, no spark plugs, no turbos, no additional mechanical movements other than the electric motor, the drivetrain (without the engine) and the wheels.

2.) Amazing looks. This is of course subjective but I still think the Model 3 is the best looking Tesla out there. I do think Tesla Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen should be given credit. He did a fantastic job in making Mazda cars look cool again. He is doing the same with Tesla. The aesthetic of the Performance version does make the car look even better with the 20″ wheels and rear wing but you could easily make these upgrades yourself with a basic version. With my KW suspensions, my car is set up at about 30mm lower which improved the center of gravity and gives it a better stance visually as well.

3.) Technological marvel. From the Tesla electic motors to the Tesla battery pack, Tesla has been at the forefront of bringing electric vehicles to the mainstream market. You are driving a car that has been thoroughly thought-out and designed for maximum efficiency with today’s technology. The Tesla Operating System that is managing the user experience and functionality of the car is always evolving. For example, during these past 2 years, Tesla has added additional features to the car through over the air software updates similar to your smartphone. The user interface of the control panel has also changed a couple of times during these past 2 years. You are driving a car that is always evolving.

4.) Tesla Supercharging Network. We all know that even though Hong Kong is a small city, the number of electric vehicles in Hong Kong are growing tremendously. A majority of EV owners do not have their own charging facility. The Tesla Supercharging Network gives Tesla owners an option to charge their Tesla anytime and almost anywhere in Hong Kong. As of April 2022, there are 49 Supercharging stations in Hong Kong with 237 Superchargers in total. Yes, it is not free of charge like regular EV chargers but Tesla introduced a discount from 21:00 to 08:00 where the charge is 50% cheaper from $3.10kWh to $1.55kWh. With the discount, a “full tank” of my Tesla will cost HKD$116 which will give me around 450KM of range. This gives you an option unlike other EVs in the market where there are no dedicated charging facility for them even if you want to pay for it. (This might be incorrect as I believe I’ve seen a dedicated Porsche charging spot for their Taycan but nothing to the scale of the Tesla Supercharging Network.

5.) Made for city driving. This is not only for Tesla but for all EVs in general. We all talk about range anxiety when driving a EV because gas stations are everywhere but not for EVs. Hong Kong is such a small area that we will not be driving hundreds of miles to another city. We are basically city drivers and we will never have to think about where to charge the car. Yes, you might need to wait or you might need to figure out where is best to charge your car with your own routine and lifestyle but you will never run into a situation where you have 1% battery left and 100KM left to the next EV charging station because you are driving interstate on a highway. This will never happen if you are driving in Hong Kong. If you are willing to pay for Tesla Supercharging, you can charge anytime right away.

6.) Fuel Saving. This is without doubt one of the main reason why we drive an EV together with being environmental friendly. I have already gone in depth to answer the question of how much we actually save on fuel if we drive an EV in Hong Kong. It shouldn’t be surprising as Hong Kong is the most expensive place in the world to get gasoline.

7.) Autopilot. The Autopilot in the Tesla is actually pretty good. Although I have to admit I haven’t tested other car manufacturer’s autopilot and how they differ from Tesla’s. The basic autopilot that comes with the car could maintain its speed and follow the car in front with a set distance and at the same time follow the curves of the road (Autosteer) on most of the highways and tunnels in Hong Kong. You still have to keep “pressure” on the steering wheel but the car will basically drive itself and follow the road. It does have some issues with buses in the tunnel where the lane is a bit narrow and the car would like to slow itself down when there is a bus on the other lane. There are also instances where the car will brake and slowdown even with no cars around (aka “Phantom Braking”). Although, a number of software updates made it much better. The Autopilot is actually “engaged” all the time to detect dangers ahead of you as the car is equipped with emergency braking if it detects you will have an imminent collision ahead of you. You can set the sensitivity of this in the control panel. From my experience, it could be quite sensitive and actually could become a danger for the car behind you.

8.) Reliability & Maintenance. I might be lucky but the car has been extremely reliable for these 50,000KM. In fact, I haven’t gone for a service check yet which I should and I will but there is really not much to check except for the brakes which is probably one of the few consumable parts in the car as well as your tires. Once you realized there is no engine in the car with no engine oil, coolants and running mechanical parts, it cuts down on your maintenance costs tremendously.

Negatives:

1.) The Central Control Panel. There are no knobs and button in the car except for the touch screen control panel. I understand completely the concept of this as Tesla wants to make the Model 3 a car for ride sharing. It basically means anyone can drive a Model 3 or any Model 3 and all the setting will be saved on your phone/key and when you get in, all the settings will be personalized for you. However, by removing the most used knobs and switches such as the windshield wiper speeds control and air vents knobs, it does create issues when you are driving. Is not easy to drive on the road and use the touch screen. I’ve driven quite a but in the Tesla and I still find it difficult. Yes, there are work arounds like the voice control. You could activate the wipers or change the fan speed with voice control but it takes a bit of time for that to engage. Don’t get me wrong, the voice control is relatively good but nothing beats the speed of a physical knob or switch for some of these controls. I might be old school and I’ve driven in many different “normal” cars but I do not think I am the only person having this concern.

2.) A waste in Hong Kong. (Other countries as well) A lot of functions in the car are blocked in Hong Kong. This is not a fault of Tesla but a road safety issue in Hong Kong from the authorities which I can understand. Driving in Hong Kong streets are very different than in other areas around the world. First off, the toy box is basically no existent. There are no games or no web browser or Netflix or YouTube in the car. These come in standard when you purchase the car in the United States. However, yes, they are just “toys” but you are not getting everything you are paid for in the car. Hong Kong will never get Full Self Driving or even summoning. I completely understand why with the number of pedestrian and cars it would be impossible and dangerous. Yes, these doesn’t take away from your driving experience in general and it at no fault of Tesla. However, you are just not getting everything that a Tesla could do in Hong Kong. I am sure many countries outside of the United States do not have these available as well.

3.) The beautiful glass sunroof. The Tesla Model 3 roof is basically 2 piece of huge glass window that is slightly tinted. However, it almost acts like a glasshouse under the hot summer sun. It is beautiful but extremely hot in the summer. You can feel the hot air coming down on your head. The first thing most people would get is a sunshade for the glass sunroof. I have it but I find it a bit stupid that I need to use such a primitive but invaluable piece of equipment on the beautifully designed car.

4.) Battery drain. The 3rd point actually leads me into this 4th point. I need to run the car’s fan much higher and the temperature much lower in the summer. This actually eats into the battery similar to how it affects the range in another “normal” combustion engine car. The full charge might state 420KM but in essence depending on how you drive the car, you will not get the full 420KM. The car’s computer will always update this figure based on your current state of drive. There are multiple ways a Tesla would drain your battery like if you have Sentry Mode activated or not (Your car’s CCTV system basically) and host of other minor items which I will do another blog post on in the future. Although, air-conditioning and heating will drain battery on all EVs and not only Tesla.

5.) Charging. Yes, even having a choice to use the Tesla Supercharging network, there are just not enough electric vehicles charging facilities in Hong Kong. Electric Vehicle Charging is still free in most commercial and shopping mall facilities in Hong Kong but they are usually always packed. Tesla already have the luxury of the Tesla Supercharging network (for a fee) and also free Tesla Destination Charging facilities around Hong Kong but it is still a hassle to find a free charging station especially when you do not have your own charger at home.

6.) Charging Time. I think this is the most frustrating issue for all Electric Vehicles owners in Hong Kong. If you do not have a charger at home, you will need to really think about where to charge your car. Also, the idea of an electric vehicle is like your mobile phone. You usually charge overnight and hope it will last the whole day. It is the same with an EV. The best scenario is where you can charge over night where you will not be driving your car anyway and you are not required to wait for it to charge because you “should” be asleep as well in your bed while your car is charging. The issue in Hong Kong is that most people do not have a charger at home and you need to find time to charge. Is a completely waste of time when you sit in your car and wait for it to charge. Even if you are supercharging, you can sit there for 30 minutes to wait for your car to charge. The idea is not to make time to charge your car and not have to disrupt your lifestyle to charge your car.

7.) The seats. Yes, Tesla actually make their own seats compared to other car manufacturers. However, as a personal preference they are not the most comfortable seats in the world. I drive a lot and sometimes I can drive an hour nonstop and make many starts and stops during the day. After 2 years and 50,000KM, I still find the seat uncomfortable. I’ve driven many cars in my lifetime, Japanese and European cars, they might have the same seat OEM but they provide so much more back and bottom support than the Tesla. I just find the Tesla seats too soft for my liking. My back still hurts every time after I drive the car. I get used to it, yes, but honestly speaking they are just not comfortable for me.