Model 3

Fortunately, the Tesla Model 3 is not only about apps and data, but also about driving. The Tesla Model 3 is a really nice driving machine.

Tesla Model 3 as a used car

Posted 20/07/2024 by Terje Bjørnstad

Here's what makes the Tesla Model 3 a good choice as a used car - a few things you should know about the model and what you should look out for when you've bought one.

First, a brief summary of the advantages and disadvantages of the Tesla Model 3:

Benefits

Good range in all conditions.
Good grip with favorable weight distribution and four-wheel drive system.
Good driving characteristics with a fairly firm chassis.
Only car brand with its own global charging network.
All the cars are connected.
Continuous software updates with improvements in range, performance and functionality.

Considerations

Limited space, especially for larger parcels.
A lot of noise for an electric car to be.
Sitting comfort on the level.
Poor rear visibility.
Makes unexpected braking.

Model 3 is available in 3 versions

The first version was produced in Fremont, California. These have chrome strips around the side windows, under the mirror housings and around the cameras. In 2020, Tesla started production of cars at a completely new factory in Shanghai and the first cars arrived in Norway in September 2020. Model 3 had then received several upgrades. On the outside, the chrome strips were replaced with black decor. In addition, the cars were equipped with a heat pump, sound-insulating windows, a new center console and electric closing of the boot lid. The cars also had their range extended. Under the shell, a number of small improvements were made, among other things to simplify maintenance.

From September 2023, the Model 3 was further reworked. The cars got new front and rear lights, as well as other changes to reduce air resistance. Improvements were also made to the noise insulation. Tesla's solution to replace the levers for turn signals and gear selection with push buttons on the steering wheel has received a lot of negative attention.

The quality deficiencies

When Tesla started car production in California, several minor quality defects were discovered on the cars - such as human hair in the paintwork, components that were poorly adapted and so on. When Tesla opened its new factory in Shanghai, the quality deficiencies reappeared. Several experienced problems with paint and finish, as well as problems related to the new heat exchanger.

There are few car brands that are discussed as much on social media as Tesla. Many share experiences, advice and tips. My tips about the Tesla Model 3 as a used car are based on my own and acquaintances' experiences.

Own experiences

We have a 2020 Tesla Model 3 in the house which will soon turn 60.000 km. So far, it has been reasonably operational. The car has been followed up by Tesla to fix two known manufacturing defects. I myself have changed the fresh air filters and windscreen wipers. Recently, the window regulator on the front right side was replaced by Tesla. After 4 years, it is recommended to change the brake fluid. The new car warranty expires in one year. I am currently keeping an eye on the following issues:

water in the right rear light
abnormal amount of rust in the front upper wishbones.

Well-built and up-to-date

Tesla Model 3 and Model Y share the same technology. Together, they top the sales statistics for electric cars. Many cars mean proven technology. Fredrik Grufman, who drives Grufman Car just outside Stockholm, states on his YouTube channel that "Tesla Model 3 is an ENORMOUSLY well-built car". You can therefore count on these cars to be up-to-date for many years to come.

But they are not flawless. Errors and damage can easily become very expensive to repair. That is why the insurance premium is high. Fortunately, there are now several workshops outside of Tesla that are authorized to repair Teslas. It is rarely beneficial to be tied to the brand's workshops when you own a car that is starting to age.

Life expectancy

When the first Teslas appeared, many predicted that they would have a short lifespan. Expired batteries and rust were mentioned as examples. As the first cars were produced in 2018, no one can give an exact answer as to how long they will last. The batteries wear out both according to the number of charges and over time. For now, there doesn't seem to be any reason to worry. There is also no reason to believe that the cars will rust more than other cars, although that remains to be seen.

Funderud Antirust offers a solution for rust protection of Teslas, including a do-it-yourself package. It can extend the life of the car, but it can also lead to a breach of Tesla's warranty provisions. However, if you opt for full rust protection carried out by a workshop, you can get an extended rust warranty.

Buy

Checkpoints specific to the Tesla Model 3 as a used car:

Check varnish. Many cars have lost paint along the sides by the canals.
On early cars, the boot lid could come into contact with the bodywork. Check for damage and rust around the boot lid.
A little moisture in the rear lights is unfortunately common (not to be avoided), but check whether there is water in the reflectors or whether the glasses are covered in steam.
Check the doors for rust and creaks.
Check messages on the screen, or "Service Alerts" history. Here you can find both innocent warnings and more serious errors.

Windscreen and glass roof may be exposed to stone chips. Check for signs of water ingress.
Be extra critical if you are considering buying early 2019 cars and the first cars from Shanghai that arrived in late fall 2020. The 2019 model has a serious problem with the brake pipes. To replace it, the main battery must be dismantled - about 30000 kroner. Many owners of the 2021 models from Shanghai have had problems with the air conditioning/heat exchanger.
With a curb weight of 2000 kg and engine power of +/- 500 HP (Tesla Model 3 Long Range and Performance), tires and undercarriage can be exposed to extreme stresses. Pay attention to signs that indicate an aggressive driving style - for example, abnormal wear on the steering wheel, pedals and tires.

To own

Splash pads
Early models had no mud flaps or splash protection from the front wheels, and it didn't take long before the first warranty claims came from owners where splashes had washed away paint on the ducts and front part of the rear fenders. The cars were eventually fitted with hard plastic splash guards. In addition, new car buyers are given rubber mud flaps which they can fit themselves to protect against splashes from the front wheels. My own experience is that the hard plastic splash guards provide satisfactory protection under normal conditions, and they are not unsightly. On the contrary. But if the car lacks these, you should buy them through the Tesla App or other suppliers. The rubber mud flaps from Tesla certainly provide great protection, but they are too long and you have to cut a good chunk off so that they don't slide down the speed bumps. The fact that Tesla supplies extra mud flaps probably exempts them from later compensation claims. Fit the mud flaps uncut if you drive a lot on dirt roads.

Learn how to reset the screen
Many people find that the screen or functions of the infotainment system do not work properly. It may happen that the screen goes black. I myself experienced that one day the radio did not work with a message about a DAB error. The solution was to reset the screen. This is done by putting the car in Park, keeping your foot on the brake and holding down both buttons on the steering wheel until the screen goes black and then holding them down for at least 30 seconds - or as long as it takes for the screen to return.

Check Service alerts
Service alerts are warnings and messages about errors. They don't have to be serious, but they can be. The messages remain visible on the screen only as long as the error condition is present. But they never completely disappear. You can read the message log by clicking on "Control" and then the message icon (bell) at the top of the screen.

Learn service mode
Service mode is a setting that gives access to read and change vital data on the car. It is harmless to enter service mode as long as you do not change anything. One of the functions provides access to read the state of the low-voltage battery. There are many YouTube videos showing how to enter service mode and what functions are available.

Get to know YouTube videos
There are an impressive number of YouTube videos showing how to fix things on a Tesla Model 3 or Y. The only thing you need to be careful of is finding a video that mentions from model year. Before you start fixing anything on the car, you need to get a pry bar to pry out plastic studs. There is a lot of plastic that is held in place with rivets and clips.

Tire fix and pad for jack
It does not come with any spare wheel, jack or tire fixing kit with Tesla. In the event of a puncture, you must contact emergency services via the Tesla app. It may be a good idea to get a tire fix kit with a compressor and foam. Please note that original Tesla tires cannot be filled with foam. They are already filled with an insulating material. If the air leak is small, a compressor can help you move on. If you get local help to fix a tyre, it can be nice to have a pad with you for the jack mounts.

Tesla 3 Long Range

Inspection of the rear seats while we test drive.

Tesla purchase limped at the finish line

Tesla against "smoke"

Tesla charging at Electra

See

Tesla removes distance sensors

Posted 04/12/2022 by Terje Bjørnstad

Tesla has announced that Model 3 and Y produced from October 2022 will no longer be equipped with either radar or ultrasonic distance sensors. They are to be replaced with a system based exclusively on cameras, the only ones in the world.

Tesla chooses its own path

Elon Musk has stated that a camera-based surveillance system can do as good a job as the human eye, while condemning LIDAR - the system that all other car manufacturers rely on. Tesla has so far used ultrasonic distance sensors together with cameras. Since the sensors are mainly used for parking assistance, the loss should not result in any change to the safety level. Unfortunately, Tesla customers with brand new cars will not have access to the parking alarm, self-parking or summon functions for the time being. This will be supplemented in later software updates.

Musk claims that the camera-based system, Tesla Vision, will be far less expensive than laser and radar-based systems – and make cars cheaper for most people. He predicts that LIDAR will lose steam Tesla Vision and mentions several reasons. Among other things, camera-based systems will provide better accuracy, for example being able to distinguish between a plastic bag and a bump in the road, and more easily see which way the object is moving. Furthermore, camera-based systems will be more precise and dynamic than LIDAR, which is based, among other things, on static map data.

Unjustified sudden stops

In several forums it is now being discussed whether new Teslas are as safe as before. It is reported that several cars without sensors have made unmotivated sudden stops - so-called phantom braking. One wonders whether all previous safety functions will continue to function, for example warning for oncoming traffic when turning left at an intersection.

TO DEAL

LIDAR-based systems are based on a dense belt of laser signals where the return signals indicate the distance between the objects. The density of the signal flow makes it possible to draw the contours of each object, but gives little information about what lies within the contours. LIDAR's strength is that it provides reliable distance measurements and size of the objects - and can tell with a high degree of certainty whether you are on a collision course with something. RADAR follows the same principle as LIDAR, but transmits radio signals instead of laser. The radio signals can reach greater distances, but give a less accurate picture of the objects.

Tesla Vision

Vision-based systems are based on two-dimensional images of the same thing that we see with our own eyes, actually better than the human eye can, including in poor lighting conditions. The disadvantage is that the solution does not provide any exact distance measurements. It makes high demands on software and computing power. Image processing is demanding, and there is a risk that the processing takes a disproportionately long time when many, rapid and large changes occur at the same time, which is predictable in critical situations - when it matters most.

One such case is when someone walks out into the road just after you have turned the car into a side street.

Then everyone missed

In 2019, AAA in the USA tested several car models that all failed in this situation. They let a doll cross the road just as the test car turned the corner. None of the cars in the test were programmed to handle this situation. Car manufacturers understandably prioritize the same tests as Euro NCAP and IIHS because it is de which assesses the car models' safety level. Euro NCAP tests various scenarios with collisions from the rear between vehicles. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) covers more scenarios than Euro NCAP, including left turns into crossing traffic and incidents between cars and pedestrians. It is especially the last that seems to cause the most problems.

AAA tested these scenarios in 2019

American Automobile Association (AAA) is the American equivalent of NAF. The tests they did in 2019 were of the same type as the IIHS performs, but not exactly identical. They show that the cars are not (were) as safe as the results in Euro NCAP and IIHS indicate. The AAA tests included the following:

Children who are thrown between two street-parked cars while the car is traveling at 32 km/h. 90% failed.

Children crossing the road at the same time as a car turns around a street corner at 32 km/h. 100% failed.

Two pedestrians walk next to each other while a car approaches from behind at 32 km/h. 80% failed. The same test gave even worse results in the dark.

In 2019, the Tesla Model 3 did neither better nor worse than the other models.

Both?

The problem with Tesla Vision is that the system should interpret 2-dimensional images into 3D. It often goes wrong, as for example when I recently drove on a Class B motorway where the white border strip had a thin strip on the outside - perhaps from a mis-marking. The Tesla interpreted this as a high edge and marked it on the screen. Every time I approached the curb at 100 km/h the collision warning screeched. LIDAR would understand that this was no physical obstacle. LIDAR, for its part, can alert the driver when leaves or light plastic are blowing over the road. Tesla Vision supported with LIDAR would be an ideal solution – at least on more expensive Tesla models. But it is unlikely to work since the company manager has ruled LIDAR north and down?

Do not try this at home!

Testing automatic emergency stops is not something you should do at home. Leave it to the pros. I must admit, however, that I have seen emergency stops a couple of times in connection with pedestrian crossings where there is a close distance between pedestrians and cars. The situations have arisen when I have walked in a row towards the pedestrian crossing with dogs and stopped to let the cars drive over first - both times with eye contact with those behind the wheel. I don't know if it's my brisk walk or the dogs' movements, but the cars chose to oversteer the drivers in such a way that the people sitting in the cars were hanging in their seat belts, terrified. A special feature of the emergency stop is that the wheels are not locked after the sudden stop before the driver puts his foot on the brake. In the shock, it usually takes a couple of seconds. Only then can you go over.

Facts IIHS

The IIHS (Insurance Institute of Highway Security) includes the following tests between vehicles and pedestrians.

Children crossing the road behind two street-parked cars. The test is carried out for 20 kmh and for 40 kmh.

Crossing adult person. The test is carried out at two speeds, 20 km/h and 40 km/h.

Adult person parallel in the same lane. The test is carried out at two speeds, 40 km/h and 60 km/h.

IIHS tests in 2019 and 2022

Tesla Model 3
In 2019, the car failed quite badly when crossing children. Only a minimal speed reduction was recorded in both 20 and 40 km/h. In the case of an adult pedestrian in the same lane, the car slowed down so much from 60 km/h that it only swerved into the pedestrians. In 2022, Tesla passed all tests without hitting any of the pedestrians.

Volvo XC40 (LIDAR)
The tests in 2019 and 2022 gave exactly the same results. The Volvo passed all the tests, but ran into pedestrians on two occasions.

Hyundai Kona (LIDAR)
The results for 2019 and 2022 are almost identical. Hyundai passed tests carried out at low speed (20 km/h). At 40 km/h, the car was unable to slow down sufficiently and hit the victims at 11 km/h. With an adult pedestrian parallel in the same lane, the car slowed down from 60 km/h to 37 km/h before it ran into the victim. In tests like this, the cars get points for detecting the pedestrian and managing to reduce their speed. Hyundai scored worse than Tesla and Volvo, but was still rated "Advanced".

See

CBS News from October 2019

Replaces ultrasonic sensors with Tesla Vision

Why Tesla Won't Use LIDAR

Tire fix

Posted 26/03/2021 by Terje Bjørnstad

My wife called me from our local supermarket. She was standing in the innermost part of the parking garage with a flat deck. It was the which was on the screen. Puncture - right front tire pressure was 0 PSI.

When was the last time you punctured?

I'm sure many will answer "never". In fact, it happens so rarely that most of us no longer drive around with a spare wheel. Many do not even have a tire repair kit with them, - nor a jack and wheel winch. If you get a flat tire inside the Oslofjord Tunnel on a Friday afternoon, good advice can be expensive.

The Tesla 3 is not equipped with any puncture aids. No tire fix. Flat tire means to call Tesla - who requests a tow truck. But the recovery vehicles do not enter the parking garage. So I thought it might be nice to get the car out of the parking garage.

But how would I get air into the tire?

The Tesla 3 must have a tire pressure of 42 psi. I came to think that it's about the same pressure I have in my bike tires. As cyclists, we have to have a proper bicycle pump in the garage - the kind that stands on the floor and has a tire pressure gauge.

Would it work on the Tesla?

"Crazy man!" someone probably thought, when they saw a guy pumping up the Tesla with a bicycle pump. There is more air in one car tire than a bicycle tire. To prevent the pump from getting hot and burning up the rubber gasket, it pays to take a couple of breaks along the way. But, keep in mind, it worked fine! I drove home and parked outside. Since the air was slowly seeping out, I didn't dare drive to the deck hotel on the other side of the Oslofjord tunnel.

Flute

I have not yet acquired either the jack or the adapters between the jack and the jack mounts. Thus, I could not dismantle the wheel myself and have it fixed at a workshop. I had to call tow truck. Embarrassing. Really embarrassing.

puncture — Someone must have lost a screw...

Fixed "on site"

The tow truck found the cause of the air leak. Not hard to see! A screw was firmly embedded in the tread of the tire. Fortunately, we didn't have to transport the car anywhere. The tow truck had equipment to plug the tire now and then, - and had clearly done this many times before. A few minutes later the tire was fixed. External plugging may not be as good as plugging from the inside, but then at least I can get to the tire change and permanent fix on Vianor in a couple of days. Let me also mention that we fortunately punctured one winter tires. Factory-fitted tires from Tesla are filled with noise-absorbing foam. It dampens the noise, but presents problems when plugging.

Fake error messages

I asked my wife if she had not received any warnings before the tire went flat?

- After 300 meters I got a message about low tire pressure, but you said that I should just drive on and tell you when I get home.

It is not unusual to receive a message about low tire pressure at one time or another. Those of us who drive a lot with a rental car experience this quite often. False tire pressure messages are a problem.

Another common problem is that the winter tires are not able to hold the air. This makes it necessary to top up the air several times during the winter.

tesla tire pressure — Swipe from the right edge of the window over to the left to see the tire pressure. The figures do not become visible until you have driven a few hundred meters - and do not stabilize until the tires are warm. You cannot blindly trust the car's measurements.

Winter tires that leak air

Our last two Audis have released air constantly from the winter tires since they were new. It is annoying to top up with air, so gradually you fill in a little extra so that the air pressure will last a few days longer. In the old days, we had a tube fitted to the tyre. You don't do that anymore. Nor can you count on the dealer following up on the matter as a problem. They just replenish air. It is probably not just Audi/Møller who have problems with this. Paradoxically, it just seems to be overpriced alloy wheels - and wide, low-profile tires - that don't hold air. Earlier cars with narrow winter tires on steel rims never let any air out.

No solution found

The problem is probably due to the fact that many rim and tire solutions have not taken salt and dirt into account. If you consult a tire store instead of the car salesman, you can certainly be recommended winter tires and rims that can withstand salt better than others. Here there is reason to believe that the problem of air loss increases the less rubber there is between the rim and the road surface. So if you don't want to drive on narrow, tall winter tyres, it may be unavoidable to check and refill frequently.

Alternative tire fix

Finally, let me recommend a proper bicycle pump - floor standing with pressure gauge. Should you lose air in a tire overnight, you can top up the air so that you can at least move the car, perhaps drive to a petrol station or tire repair shop. If you lack a tire repair kit, you can put a box of tire foam together with the bike pump in the boot. Fine-fine tire fix. But don't blindly trust either the tire pressure shown in the car or the bicycle pump.

Keep checking the air at the gas station!

See

pump car with bicycle pump — Why do brake discs rust?

How many kWh does the Tesla 3 lose in the blast cold?

Posted 03/02/2021 by Terje Bjørnstad

preheating tesla 3 — Battery loss in the cold

Electric car owners in cold regions certainly have good access to electricity where they park. But what happens if you are visiting and have to leave the electric car overnight in the freezing cold without access to electricity?

Looking for the cold

It was reported -16 degrees, but already after Lillehammer I saw that the degrees crept down to -18. It looked promising for a cold test. In Gudbrandsdalen, temperatures can vary with local conditions. I was on my way to check the holiday home before the winter holidays. Thawing water pipes, turning on the heat, shoveling, putting up firewood, chasing away mice, as well as other necessary caretaker tasks. It takes time to fire up a house with an inside temperature of 4 degrees. The cold did not disappoint. During the evening and night, the outside temperature dropped to -24,9 degrees.

The cold steals kilowatt-hours

I parked the Tesla with 80% on the batteries after charging on Øyer. The remaining battery capacity decreased in line with the falling outside temperature, but stabilized at 73% when the thermometer stopped at -24 degrees. During the night, 7% of the batteries had evaporated in the cold - of Tesla's 75 kwh, this amounts to 5,25 kwh.

Lightning-fast heating of the compartment

Ready to leave, I started heating the cabin by preheating the batteries at the same time as scraping the windows. Scraping wasn't really necessary. The car warmed up long before I expected - much faster than in modern petrol cars. After I had turned off the water in the laundry cellar, loaded the luggage into the car and locked the house, the car was wonderfully warm and ice-free. Almost 15 minutes had passed.

Just driving?

The heating had taken another 2% of the batteries. They were now down to 71%. In total, the night had cost 9% of the battery capacity (6,75 kwh). But I was a little too quick on my feet to get off. The app that heats up the car shows a battery symbol with an ice rose when it preheats the batteries. It switches off when the temperature in the batteries is 19 degrees. I preheated for 15 minutes. Ideally, I should have continued preheating until the battery symbol went out. Preheating the batteries is not only for comfort, but to make the best use of the remaining battery capacity. If the batteries are too cold, they will not accept charging from regenerative energy. It therefore pays to preheat the batteries even if the car is not plugged in. I could have preheated for maybe 30-60 minutes. All monners leave. 15-20 minutes drains maybe 2 percent of the batteries, but makes the batteries give more range when you start driving.

Preheating the batteries

The pre-heating in the Tesla 3 uses the electric motors to produce the heat. The heating of the batteries is water-based – coolant that passes through all the cells. The pre-heating does not drain more power from the batteries than quiet driving, so you can start the pre-heating in good time. When you come from petrol and diesel cars, you are set on getting off as soon as the routes are ice-free. But preheating electric cars does not generate any toxic gases or noise. You can optionally start pre-heating without the air conditioning - or low temperature in the passenger compartment and gradually turn up the heat to save the batteries.

preheating tesla — Tesla Supercharger on Øyer. -16 and wind made it colder than it looks.

Slow charging in the cold

Although the batteries had not reached ideal temperature, they worked fine from the first kilometer. Consumption was the same as the day before. After 1 mile of driving, I set my destination to a charging station to buy coffee and sausage - and test charging. Tesla preheats the batteries before arrival, which in my case was calculated for 10 minutes. The batteries thus received additional preheating to cope with the cold. But the batteries were probably not quite ready to receive electricity. It took a few minutes before charging started, and then with low power. Although I was the only customer at Tesla's Supercharger facility, the maximum charging power did not reach more than 27 Kw during my little lunch break. The day before, the batteries received 87 Kw. But I didn't really need much power, so when the break was over, I moved on.

No big increase in consumption

The experts warn against higher electricity consumption in the cold - up to 41% higher than in summer. My winter consumption on the section Oslo - Øyer this trip was 25% higher than the lowest record measurement from September last year - and about the same level as other measurements made in warmer temperatures under alternating driving and driving conditions. Nor did the trip up offer any surprises in terms of range. I don't know if it is of great importance, but I drive with a thick sweater and an indoor temperature between 19-20 degrees. It is possible T-shirt and 25 degrees could have given other experiences.

Don't forget to preheat the batteries in the cold!

thaw thirteen — Water vapor looks dramatic in the cold. From here The Tine plant at Tretten.

Tesla Owners Club Norway: Battery heating

See

Temperature control of electric car batteries — Active battery cooling?

Life with Tesla 3

Posted 24/10/2020 by Terje Bjørnstad

We jokingly refer to it as "The parasite car". The last bill from Fjellinjen was only NOK 56.

It costs us a small smile to have been able to buy a car with almost 500 HP completely tax-free, and cruise freely around the country while others pay the bill. Tesla has recently announced that they have lowered the price by 35 and are also equipping new cars with a heat pump. If you are considering buying an electric car, it might be a good idea not to wait too long. It is probably only a matter of time before the authorities introduce VAT on electric cars.

Range

We have just been on a trip Oslo-Tønsberg-Oslo. The most expensive expense was parking. Tønsberg municipality has decided that all cars must pay the same parking fee – including electric cars. Electricity consumption and tolls are not much to talk about. It's just change. In contrast, practical range is of greater interest. Although the Tesla Model 3 Long Range has a battery capacity that others can envy, the practical range varies quite a bit.

Capacity at start	Capacity at end	Estimated range	Km driven	Driving route	Temperature	Lead	Speed
75%	19%	510	286	Fornebu-Skien return	17-18	Dry	Calm
83%	33%	420	210	Fornebu Islands	12-14	Dry	fast
90%	44%	433	199	Fornebu-Kongsberg and surroundings return	7-10	Dry	Normal
90%	36%	370	200	Fornebu-Tønsberg return	8-10	Rain	fast
98%	61%	400	148	Fornebu-Eidanger	9-10	Partially wet/dry	fast

We clearly see that the range decreases if you keep to 110-120 instead of 80-90 km/h. If we enter figures for driving over 20 miles, we discover something interesting. You get there faster if you "take it easy" and fast-charge along the way instead of maintaining truck-train speed. Over a stretch of 20 miles, you save 30 minutes if it is possible to maintain an average speed of 100 instead of 80 km/h. Then there is more than enough time to quickly charge the batteries up to the same level you had at the start.

Tesla's Superchargers

Tesla's charging network is one of the reasons to choose Tesla over other electric cars. The Tesla 3 can use the latest Superchargers (labeled "Model 3 Priority"). If you enter a Tesla charging station as a destination on the navigation system, the car will automatically warm up the batteries before you arrive. Then they take an optimal charge right away. Shorter charging time and less queuing. Tesla does not want charging queues. If you stand at the charging station after the car is fully charged, you have to pay an additional fee - and you get angry messages on your mobile.

Tricky with downtime

At Tesla's charging stations, you don't need a charging chip, app or payment card. The system knows who you are when you plug the charging connector into the car. Payment is made automatically. But - as we also experienced during the purchase process - Tesla's Norwegian systems are not particularly reliable. Already after two recharges, we were bombarded with messages that we had not paid and were banned from future recharges. One of the systems in Norway was down, and no one fixed it until the next day. Quite tricky if you are on a long trip.

Smile at hidden Teslacam!

Fortunately, the software inside the car works better. It is impressive that you can follow on your mobile where the car is at any time, how fast it is going and how much electricity is left in the batteries. Nice when you borrow the car. The built-in cameras around the car are also quite unique for Tesla. Tesla must be every private investigator's dream. No point in hiding with a telephoto lens. You can easily film everything without those around you knowing about it - and without being present yourself. The cameras can be started with the mobile phone. Just make sure the lenses are clean.

A small TeslaCam film from a visit to Tønsberg with Slottsfjellet in focus.

The Sentry feature

Best of all is Tesla's Sentry function, which detects if someone slams the door into the side of the car, or dents. You can also click the camera button manually, should something happen on the road. Film footage from the last minute is then saved, so you can study the film from all four sides of the car at your leisure. The only thing you need is a memory stick. Select "Security" in the menu and you can format the memory and decide when and where you want to take pictures.

Own dog mode

Another great Tesla feature is Dog Mode, which keeps the air conditioning running while the dog is alone inside a locked car. After you lock the car, a message appears on the screen explaining to passers-by that the air conditioning is on and that the owner will be back soon. By all means, don't forget to switch on Dog Mode even if you're only going out on a short errand. If you lock the car without having set it to Dog Mode, the car alarm will go off as soon as the dog starts to move.

Two to do list

Buy and install wheel covers for the winter tyres. They look extremely "sloppy", but extend the range at a time of year when every km counts.

Buy an adapter for jack mounts and a new garage jack to make it possible to change the wheels yourself. Tesla does not deliver winter tires with the car, but distributes them via a tire hotel.

Fit the mud flaps we got when we picked up the car. They are supposed to be a must on bad roads. Several Tesla owners have had their paintwork damaged due to mud and gravel from the wheels.

Buy a larger memory stick to be able to store more Tesla recordings from our trips.

Maybe it can be fun entertainment on dark winter evenings?

See

Tesla.no

Tesla against "smoke"

Posted 25/07/2020 by Terje Bjørnstad

In the search for a new reportage car, the choice fell today on the Tesla Model 3 Long Range. It must be done not to choose Tesla when driving an electric car to France.

Has a wall charger - looking for a car

If you have your own wall charger, you can drive cheaply with rechargeable cars. The lady of the house thought that the time had come to replace the hybrid car with a proper electric car. Her list of demands was simple. It must have the range to drive round trip Oslo Skien - mid-winter. And then it must not be too big and wide – not an SUV. I myself dream of driving an electric car to France one day. It makes all the arrows point towards Tesla. I still choose to keep an open mind. Actually, I don't like Tesla.

Interesting nyheter

"The new Corsa is nice". My wife likes small cars. I have to agree. It's been decades since Opel launched a car that looks this good. It looks bigger than its stable brother, the Peugeot e-208. The Peugeot has a more youthful and sporty feel than the more mature Corsa. But both cars are small cars with little luggage space. The high-built Peugeot e-2008 shares drivetrains with the e-208 and e-Corsa, but extra space steals 19 km of range. I'm happy to sacrifice that range for more space.

peugeot 2008 — Peugeot 2008. Off-road design with messy lines.

Range matters a lot

The battery pack in the Opel e-Corsa provides a range of 336 km (WLTP). The stated range for the larger Peugeot e-2008 is 320 km. Such ranges mean that the cars can function as car number 1 for most people. You will be able to drive Oslo Skien round trip on the same charge with a slightly economical gas foot, but hardly on the coldest winter days.

Development is going fast. The newcomers from PSA show today's high level. These are cars you can get on the road for under NOK 300. Two other newcomers to the electric car market, Mazda MX-30 og Honda and, by comparison, have far too little range – 200 and 222 km respectively. Range is as important for electric cars as "location" is for homes.

staff — Beautiful flower arrangements at Stabekk.

The yardstick

It is not fair to compare the Tesla Model 3 with the e-Corsa and the new electric Peugeots. Tesla is much more expensive. Nevertheless, it is a model that cannot be ignored. It is designed as an electric car from the ground up. Two engines and super low center of gravity with driving characteristics like a sports car. It offers ranges others can only dream of, as well as an international network of charging stations. Although many of the Teslas have had childhood illnesses, they seem durable once the problems are resolved. Tesla also has a very hard time low value loss.

Minimalism

Inside, the Tesla 3 bears the stamp of minimalism. It is unusual to deal with only one centrally positioned screen. I think this is an easy fix. The dashboard is a PC with a screen - not vulnerable electronic components scattered around within a dashboard that take hours to disassemble and reinsert. Externally, the Tesla bears the stamp of having been shaped in the wind tunnel. The omission of the grill increases the range by several kilometres. What is most important for an electric car? Tough grill or extra range? Minimalism in practice. No thing is there without having a function.

Tesla wins on range and charging outside Norway

The advantage of having your own wall charger is the comfort of always having electricity in the car and avoiding public charging stations. Also, electricity is cheaper there. The price for installing your own box is admittedly additional, but you get that money back on the day you sell the house. The point of wall chargers and long range is that you reduce the need to visit charging stations. If you are not extremely sporty and outgoing, charging along the road appears like a plague and a nuisance. I'm willing to pay a lot of money to avoid standing in a charging line along an access road on a Sunday night.

In Europe there are not many charging stations - at least not fast chargers. Driving an electric car in France and Spain can present challenges. Which charging stations are available? Do they work? Do they take our payment? Are they available? In my French city, there are two municipal charging stations with Type 2 connectors. The city's only two electric cars are permanently parked there. Tesla and the Volkswagen group are currently the only ones that offer (will offer) their own charging networks to ensure mobility over long distances.

- And the others?

The reviews are linked to our requirements and spring taste. These are therefore subjective notes that do not give a complete impression of the models.

Here is "The Good, Bad & Ugly"

The PSA group's new electric cars

The PSA group's drivetrain, based on the new 50 KWH battery pack, is used in the Peugeot e-208 and e-2008, Opel e-Corsa and DS3 Crossback. The range of the two crossovers is 320 km, the e-Corsa 336 km and the e-208 339 km. The batteries are water-cooled and can withstand fast charging, but the range will be limited to many. Both the Peugeot e-2008 and DS3 Crossback have slightly quirky designs that you may love or hate. The Peugeot e-2008 has created a front with far too many disjointed lines and angles. My guess is that a facelift will force its way before too long.

Opel e-Corsa

The designers of the Opel e-Corsa have done a good job, but when the digital screen in the instrument panel in front of the driver does not fit into the frame, you understand that components have been used that are obviously made for a different model than the Corsa. Studying this apparent blunder, I think: What other camels has Opel had to swallow to adapt to Peugeot's powertrain?

e-corsa dashboard — Do you see the error? The digital screen does not meet the targets. It looks retrofitted.

Volkswagen ID.3 1st

Production has been delayed due to Covid-19, but the cars can be ordered now. The 58 KWH battery pack provides an estimated WLTP range of 420 km. It is good. The new drivetrain is more advanced than the current e-Golf, including liquid cooling of the batteries and no restrictions with regard to receiving fast charging. The Volkswagen Group is the only car manufacturer besides Tesla with its own charging network. It's called IONITY and is currently under development in Norway under Cirkle-K. The charging network is far from fully developed. My guess is that it will take several years before it works in France.

Order now, or wait?

I am not sure that the Volkswagen group will be able to roll out the new cars without problems. Here at home, the problems can be exacerbated by the fact that the dealers (Møller Bil) lack knowledgeable mechanics. Today, battery cars often have to stand for days waiting for an available specialist. It is too early to order a new ID.3 now. I would wait until the dealers are prepared and the charging network is operational. It is being developed in full now.

The Korean models

Korean models with 64 KWH battery packs from LG Chem are in the top tier in terms of range. The Hyundai Kona has a WLTP range of 484 km, the KIA e-Soul has 452 km and the KIA Niro has 455 km. Kona's higher range shows how important it is to have an aerodynamic design. The range of Hyundai and KIA is on a par with the Tesla Model 3. Hyundai and KIA have delivered many electric cars to Norway - and there have supposedly never been any problems with the batteries. The 64 KWH battery pack has liquid-cooled battery cells that can withstand efficient fast charging. The disadvantage of Korean electric cars is that they are more "budget" than "premium". The seats in the Hyundai Kona and Ioniq look nice, but are not very comfortable on long journeys. The seats in the KIA e-Soul suited me well, but the special Asian look did not get a unanimous thumbs up from us.

Hyundai Ioniq

The Hyundai Ioniq comes with a smaller battery pack than the others from the Hyundai group. 38,3 KWH is enough for 311 km (WLTP) which is good for this battery size. The Ioniq has low consumption and is easy to charge. From 2020, the batteries are also liquid-cooled. The range is too short for us. In addition, the seats are relatively uncomfortable - especially on long journeys. In terms of price, it is on a par with the Opel e-Corsa and Peugeot 208, but in terms of space it is considerably larger. The Ioniq offers perhaps the most car for the money.

Renault Zoe

The 2020 model of the Renault Zoe received a mild facelift and larger battery pack. The capacity is now 52 KWH, which gives a WLTP range of a whopping 395 km. There are many Zoe cars on the road during the day - as rental cars in the Oslo area. WE fear that it may affect future trade-in values.

Nissan Leaf

The Nissan Leaf with 62 KWH has a WLTP range of 385 km. Nissan's battery packs lack active battery cooling and may therefore be limited in accepting fast charging due to the batteries being too hot. Blockers for fast charging have also been added to the software - at least on cars manufactured before 2019. The problem is referred to as "rapidgate" because many believe that Nissan has misled its customers. Nissan has come up with a software update, but many still experience poor fast charging. The Nissan Leaf is an example of how battery capacity and range should not be overlooked.

Tesla Model 3

The Tesla Standard Range has a 60 KWH battery pack that gives a WLTP range of 409 km. Tesla Long Range and Performance both have a 75 KWH battery. The Long Range has a range of 560 km, while the model with stronger engines "only" has 530 km. Tesla has had far more childhood illnesses than other brands, especially on new models. The cars are sold according to a new sales model. You can complete the entire order online, including financing and insurance. Tesla does not accept trade-in cars, but offers an opportunity to list the cars on an exchange for 3rd party buyers. Trade-in prices are therefore lower than what brand dealers can offer.

tesla 3 a-pillar — Calm lines around the A-pillar.

Overview

Concern	Model	KWH	km (WLTP)	250 km on winter roads?	Drive to France?
PSA	Peugeot e-208	50	339	Maybe	in this
	Peugeot e-2008	50	320	Maybe	in this
	Opel e-Corsa	50	336	Maybe	in this
	DS3 Crossover	50	320	Maybe	in this
Hyundai	Hyundai Ioniq	38,3	311	in this	in this
	Hyundai Kona	64	484	Ja	in this
	KIA e-Soul	64	452	Ja	in this
	Kia Niro	64	455	Ja	in this
VW	ID.3 1st	58	420	Ja	In the future
Renault	Zoe	52	395	Ja	in this
Nissan	Leaf	40	270	in this	in this
	Leaf	62	385	Ja	in this
Mazda	MX-30	35,5	209	in this	in this
Honda	Honda and	28,5	220	in this	in this
Tesla	standard range	60	409	Ja	Ja
	Long Range	75	560	Ja	Ja
	Performance	75	530	Ja	Ja

See

buy tesla — All good things come in threes

Tesla Model 3 Long Range

Posted 28/01/2020 by Terje Bjørnstad

Fortunately, Tesla is not only about apps and data, but also about driving. The Tesla 3 is a really nice driving machine.

Raw driving experience

Electric motors deliver full torque at once. If you are a little heavy on the gas from the start, it is easy to get wheelspin. Not with the Tesla. It grabs spontaneously with both pairs of wheels and sends us rocketing forward. The computers on board redistribute the power in 1/10th of a second when needed. The center of gravity is very low and the weight distribution is perfect. "My" Tesla 3 Long Range is an early 2019 model with two electric motors – 204 HP front and 258 HP rear – totaling 462 HP. Today's Long Range model produces 476 HP - and the Performance a whopping 490 HP. The torque on "my" car is a solid 639 Nm. It should be possible to accelerate from 0-100 in less than 5 seconds. You don't have to drive far to feel that the Tesla 3 with Dual Motor can challenge the laws of physics.

Data monitoring

If you rent - or borrow - a Tesla, be aware that the owner can monitor everything. If you want to try a Tesla, you should have a serious purpose - not just robbing around aimlessly and without meaning. It was my wife who reminded me of it.

"For the weekend you can hire a car, because then we will visit Grete and Einar."

A Sunday trip to Tønsberg is a great opportunity to try a Tesla Model 3. The car that many praise to the skies. Then the following threat appeared on the mobile:

"If you drive over 130 km/h, the car automatically sends a message to Tesla and to the owner..."

I have long had objections to renting a Tesla. Partly because someone can monitor us, and partly because of my own data anxiety. I like driving better than tinkering with computers. And what do you do, by the way, when the data doesn't work?

Range

I had charged the batteries so that we had 340 km at our disposal before we left. The trip Oslo-Tønsberg round trip is approximately 200 km. The winter range with Tesla's 75 Kwh battery should be approximately 400 km. WLTP is over 500 km. After driving and charging, the Tesla calculated a theoretical maximum range of 470 km based on our driving pattern on a mild January day.

E-pedal

Tesla does not advertise w/ that, but it has an e-pedal like the Nissan Leaf and the BMW i3. You accelerate and brake with the same pedal. The computer reads the movements well. When you let off the gas careful, slows it down careful. If something comes up that makes you have to slow down more powerful, you lift the accelerator suddenly, - and then the car stops nicely by itself - at the same time as the consumption indicator lights up green. Win-win for traffic flow and consumption. The ordinary brakes were dosed well. Let me also mention the nice steering feel. It can of course be adjusted on the screen. "My" steering was somewhat sporty - but the steering resistance was far from constant and dead. I also liked the thick steering wheel.

The user interface of the future

Tesla 3 owners with a mobile phone and app only need to touch the door handle, and it unlocks and adjusts the seat, steering wheel and mirrors. The owner gets in, puts his foot on the brake and the gear lever in "Drive" - and sets off. I have seen that Volkswagen's new ID.3 should provide similar experiences. We are talking about the user interface of the future. On the way out towards Asker, we both sit and try to figure out how to switch on the radio. With my nose up at the screen, I feel that the steering wheel vibrates as we touch the edge. The central 15-inch screen takes some getting used to, especially when it also covers the most common buttons on the dashboard.

Over the plains

Could you imagine a Tesla?

I answer like that er, that I feel helpless in a car I can't fix anything on. But the Tesla gave a great driving experience. So good that I took a small detour down Bispeveien (RV35) from Kronlia - then a turn from Revetal to my childhood village, Ramnes. I have heard that this is Norway's third largest plain. In my childhood, I often crossed the plain on a bicycle, skis or kicks. Today, the distances seem shorter. I made a short stop to take some pictures. We are at the end of January and the fields have already got green shoots. A few decades ago, you would have seen a skinny, snotty boy kicking away on sparkling winter fields.

Back to the purpose

The detour over Heianveien had not gone down well with my beloved. We were 20 minutes late for lunch in Tønsberg, which was really the purpose of the trip. I silently thought that someone might be watching us with a hidden camera and wondering why the entourage had stopped in the middle of a field in the middle of nowhere. Just to look at the "gender", like? “Hey Bill, look! What's that guy from Norway doing?»

Not like other cars

Elon Musk realized early on that it was necessary to build up his own infrastructure around the cars, in the form of charging stations, cars that themselves communicate with the headquarters, apps and the like. It is only when the Teslas come into contact with other systems that things can go wrong. For example, if you fast charge at other charging stations. After charging has been completed in the prescribed manner, the Tesla may refuse you to remove the charging cable from the car. My son - who has driven a lot of Teslas - says that one of the charging companies said that this was a common Tesla problem. "Put the red emergency stop button on the pump hard, and the cable will release!" I found out that there is a secret rubber strap inside the padding in the trunk. With the middle finger, you can pry it forward - and voilà, the contact is released. I love low-tech solutions, but for uninitiated Tesla 3 owners such problems can ruin the day.

No stop button

When I had to return the car via the app to the car-sharing service Hyre.no, I received an error message that I could not return the car while the engine was running. On the Tesla 3, you don't switch off the engine. You put the car in "Park", get out and lock the car. The rental app therefore did not let me end the rental relationship until the immobilizer turned on a quarter of an hour later. This is not Tesla's fault, but a discrepancy between Tesla and the real world. Separate buttons for the handbrake and engine on/off are by no means necessary in 2020, but many expect such buttons to be in place.

Place

With a length of 4,69, the Tesla is the size of the Audi A4 and the BMW 3 series. You get the same impression behind the wheel as well. But the sitting comfort in the back seat is far from satisfactory for long-legged adults. It seems surprisingly cramped compared to the space you actually have, and I wonder if it might have something to do with how the seats are designed. The rear seat seems to have too low and flat a seat cushion, - and the seat backs on the front seats could perhaps have had a different, more space-efficient design. There is plenty of space in front, and you sit comfortably - that is, jeg sat very well, but my wife thought the seats were too hard in the stop.

Luggage compartment

The luggage compartment is divided into two, one at the back and one small compartment at the front - in what Tesla owners call the "frunken"? In total, there are 425 liters - 340 liters at the back and 85 at the front. The rear seats can be folded down (in 2 parts) so you can load through. The biggest limitation is the low height of the luggage compartment. On my way to drive my son to the train this morning, I discovered that there is only room for one regular suitcase.

Security

The Tesla Model 3 gets very good results both in tests carried out by Euro NCAP and the American IIHS. NCAP scores the Tesla as one of the best for 2019, along with the new BMW 3 series. The biggest demonstrated weakness is lateral collisions with posts. Then the driver suffers damage to the ribs corresponding to the level Marginal. Other tests are top class. In the safety assessment, I would also like to mention the digital 4-wheel system of the Dual Motor models. This is active safety at its best, as long as you don't get too cocky. I haven't had the chance to test it under demanding conditions, but I think it has to be the best 4-wheel drive system out there - perhaps better than Audi's original Quattro system. Last weekend we drove on a back road with almost blank ice and storm water. Would love to have the Tesla da.

NCAP Report 2019 Tesla Model 3

IIHS Test Report 2020 Tesla Model 3

Conclusion

The main reason for me to choose the Tesla 3 is the raw driving characteristics. For the same price as a good family car, you get a car that can compete with sports cars that "fart" between gear changes. The Tesla doesn't make noise and it doesn't smoke, and best of all – you can charge a full tank for a hundred on your own wall charger. The world's best range (with 75 Kwh) is reason number 2. With this car, you can get all the way to the cabin without charging en route.

Tesla is not like other cars and can present technical challenges in daily use - incidents that I experienced during my weekend. Fortunately, most of the challenges are well described on YouTube.

Everything is on the smartphone.

Facts about the Tesla Model 3 LR Dual Motor

Weights and Measures
Length, width, height: 469 / 185 / 144 cm
Wheelbase: 287 cm
Net weight: 1856 kg (without driver)
Max trailer weight with brakes: 910 kg
Boot: 425 liters (340 rear and 85 front)
Cw: 0,21

Drivetrain
Cars manufactured before March 2019: Electric motor 204 HP (front) + electric motor 258 HP (rear) = 462 HP (total)
Cars manufactured by March 2019: 476 HP (Long Range), 490 HP (Performance)

Performances (cars manufactured after March 2019)
Range (WLTP): 560 km (Long Range), 530 km (Performance)
Top speed: 233 km/h (Longe Range), 261 km/h (Performance)
0-100: 4,6 seconds (Long Range), 3,4 km/h (Performance)

charging
Tesla Supercharger (150 Kw, CCS): 45-60 minutes
11 KW (Type 2): approx. 7 hours
Concrete charging examples:
Quick charger 50 Kw (CCS) from 50% to 74% capacity corresponding to 27 Kwh: 48 minutes
Indoor wall charger 7,4 Kw (Type 2) from 26% to 90% capacity: 5 hours

Tires
Dimension: 235/40R19 96T
Type: Studless winter tires
Brand: Nokian Hakkapelitta R3 XL

Price and equipment
Base price: NOK 459 (Long Range), NOK 900 (Performance)
Lacquer supplement (Deep Blue): NOK 8
19″ sports rims: NOK 13
Towbar: NOK 8 (not on the mentioned car)
White interior: NOK 8
Autopilot: NOK 50

About the car
Owner: Private
Rented via the app Hyre.no
Model: 2019
Km driven: 227
Sources: tesla.com, vegvesen.no, elbilforeningen.no

See

Stian's Tesla filmed everything that happened for six hours outside of work