2013.08.25 Tesla Test Drive

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File:Tesla-logo.jpg

Part of having the Dalzells visit was heading out to test drive a Tesla Model-S.

That I haven't done this already is a function of a couple of my personality quirks. First, and most obvious, is my debilitating shyness. Why it should be incredibly difficult to simply call and set up a test drive is a conundrum. Also, I've been avoidant of finding how just how much I might like the Model-S.

Which is silly, because I already have a strong aesthetic and philosophical admiration for the Tesla Model-S. It's very pretty. It is superbly engineered. It is designed, developed, and primarily produced in the USA. And it is the obvious and necessary next stage of evolution for personal automobiles. How could it get better? Aside from being the best car Consumer Reports has ever reviewed, or the safest car NHTSA has ever tested, I mean.

Well, it turns out, it does get even better in person. The visual appeal is matched by the tactile. But so much more than just the expected high build quality and intriguing interfaces. The actual act of driving the Model-S is revelatory. And the magical core of that revelation is the pedal on the right. Which is not to diminish the very direct steering, or the pleasantly firm brakes, or the taut and agile handling of the big car. It actually takes a few minutes to acclimate to the responsiveness and directness of the throttle pedal. Even driving a vehicle with vaunted responsiveness like my Porsche, I realize now how much translation and circumstance there is regarding the effectiveness of the throttle position. Not so with the Model-S - the throttle position is an immediate and visceral commandment about how much torque is being applied, both positive and negative (with regeneration). It is transformative for people like me - people who think of cars as extensions of our selves. It lets the Model-S be more me (and vice-versa) when I'm driving.

And I love it. Especially when the throttle is set to RAGE.

File:Tesla-testdrive.jpeg