2013 Tesla Model S Long-Term Road Test

Edmunds.comEdmunds.com Member, Administrator, Moderator Posts: 10,316
edited September 2014 in Tesla

image2013 Tesla Model S Long-Term Road Test

Edmunds conducts a Long-Term Test of the 2013 Tesla Model S and takes a road trip.

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  • cpd87cpd87 Member Posts: 4
    I was actually surprised when I was following one this morning (second one I've ever seen in Michigan). The dude was travelling at like 55 mph in the left lane, so I'm pretty sure he was texting or something, but when he finally saw me behind him he took off. Instead of silence like I expected, the thing actually had a really audible whirr (about the same sound level I'd expect from a regular ICE car). So no, this car isn't entirely silent, but it definitely accelerates quite hard.
  • fordson1fordson1 Unconfirmed Posts: 1,512
    "Hit the throttle in a conventional car and the soaring engine noise tips your hand." Tips your hand how? Like a tenth of a second before your car takes off? So what? The thousands of times I've hit the throttle to make a hole in traffic, I have never noticed any nearby driver hearing my engine rev and putting the kibosh on my move. You're reaching here.
  • juddholl10juddholl10 Member Posts: 84
    @Fordson

    Suspend your practicality for a minute and remember that these guys are journalists, not PhDs.
  • desmoliciousdesmolicious Member Posts: 671
    @juddholl10

    Yes, just like when one of them spec sheet complained about the 911.
    On the spec sheet it does not have much torque (relatively speaking) down low, which led to the complaint that it may be caught flat footed.
    But actually driving it, the tra
  • actualsizeactualsize Member Posts: 451
    @desmo. We did address our Jeep's cylinder head issues. Blogged on it extensively. Ours had the issue and our head was replaced. There are blow-by-blow descriptions of the dealer visit and photos after the fact. And then I bought it, unreservedly, and it'

    Twitter: @Edmunds_Test

  • actualsizeactualsize Member Posts: 451
    Glad to hear about standard mode on the highway. My trip to Monterey happened before the software was changed. Low mode was automatic at highway speed and could not be overriden. Along the way I developed the feeling that low mode was doing the ride no favors over expansion joints, cracks and potholes. Can't wait to try it out.

    Twitter: @Edmunds_Test

  • jvonbokeljvonbokel Member Posts: 14
    @fordson1 In my Tesla, the engine noise of other cars tips their hand early enough for me to thwart them with ease. It helps that I can accelerate faster than most other cars I've encountered on the road.
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