Tesla Vehicle Questions, Answered

[VolklKatana]

After trading in my pickup for a Model S last week, I quickly realized that it really would have been nice to have a forum to ask questions about things that I didnt know about Tesla's. My goal here is to have a thread for people to ask their questions (no question is stupid), and have these questions answered by those that have Tesla's already or are able to answer without speculation.


For example, A really helpful thing for me to know prior to driving the car off the lot would have been...
Wow do you reset the computers. Turns our that holding both scroll wheels resets the main display and holding the 2 buttons above the scroll wheels resets the Inst. cluster display.

A second question would have been, how long does it take to have a Tesla (purchased from non-Tesla Dealer) added to your Tesla account? Answer: up to 3 business days.

Third question, will having a Tesla on your account help you move up the CT order queue. Answer: After calling Chicago showroom, No, on previous versions this had some weight, but now it is simply based on region.

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[alan auerbach]

After trading in my pickup for a Model S last week, I quickly realized that it really would have been nice to have a forum to ask questions about things that I didnt know about Tesla's. My goal here is to have a thread for people to ask their questions (no question is stupid), and have these questions answered by those that have Tesla's already or are able to answer without speculation.


For example, A really helpful thing for me to know prior to driving the car off the lot would have been...
Wow do you reset the computers. Turns our that holding both scroll wheels resets the main display and holding the 2 buttons above the scroll wheels resets the Inst. cluster display.

A second question would have been, how long does it take to have a Tesla (purchased from non-Tesla Dealer) added to your Tesla account? Answer: up to 3 business days.

Third question, will having a Tesla on your account help you move up the CT order queue. Answer: After calling Chicago showroom, No, on previous versions this had some weight, but now it is simply based on region.

Thanks for finding out, and telling us, that the order queue will be regional. Any chance you could follow this up with the showroom for more details?

 

[VolklKatana]

Thanks for finding out, and telling us, that the order queue will be regional. Any chance you could follow this up with the showroom for more details?

They said that with the early models, owning a Tesla moved you up the list. But that hasnt been the case for the last couple vehicles. I dont think it took more than a few weeks before the Y was being shipped across the country to different regions.

 

[VolklKatana]

Question: How does mobile service work?
Answer: my vehicle is out of warranty but process should still be the same.

1. Click service in Tesla App
2. Select the part or area of your vehicle that needs service, location to see if mobile service is available, date, time and contact info.
3. Receive text confirmation
4 'Preparation' status as your service is reviewed
5. Receive cost estimate to be reviewed, approved, or declined
6. Repair takes place around scheduled time, as long as vehicle is accessible, Tech can gain access to your vehicle remotely
7. Payment for work done

 

[Mini2nut]

We really fell for the Model S after we got to take one home for the weekend and test drive it to our hearts content. It's a super sweet automobile.

Were you pleased with the Tesla trade in offer on your pickup?

 

[VolklKatana]

We really fell for the Model S after we got to take one home for the weekend and test drive it to our hearts content. It's a super sweet automobile.

Were you pleased with the Tesla trade in offer on your pickup?

I absolutely love it so far, such a classy vehicle! And even with nearly 100k miles, its as silent as the day it came off the line (i assume) as there are no squeaks creaks or anything like that!

I did not trade the pickup to Tesla. I bought the S off another dealers lot who had gotten it on trade and traded my truck in to them. I didnt quite get what i wanted for it but, the offset in gas and the maintenance that was needed on the truck easily make up the difference.

 

[rudedawg78]

I do have some questions for you guys.

I have never owned a Tesla before and the Cybertruck will be my first experience with an electric vehicle.

Charging... When you buy a Tesla, does it come with the charger you install at your house or is it extra? Also, does that charger require a special voltage plug that I will have to have an electrician install? Lastly, how long is the charging cable? Since the CT can't fit it in the garage, I picture a cable coming from the garage and connecting to the CT. Hoping the cable will be long enough to allow for some flexibility.

Thanks in advance!

-Ernie

 

[VolklKatana]

I do have some questions for you guys.

I have never owned a Tesla before and the Cybertruck will be my first experience with an electric vehicle.

Charging... When you buy a Tesla, does it come with the charger you install at your house or is it extra? Also, does that charger require a special voltage plug that I will have to have an electrician install? Lastly, how long is the charging cable? Since the CT can't fit it in the garage, I picture a cable coming from the garage and connecting to the CT. Hoping the cable will be long enough to allow for some flexibility.

Thanks in advance!

-Ernie

Having just gone through this with my S, I have these answers readily available...

It comes with its own power cable that fits a NEMA 1450 (dryer outlet)plug and a couple of adapters, one that can plug into any wall outlet that would give you 4 miles of charge per hour, and a J1772 adapter which many destination chargers use. (charge rate varies by circuit amperage and wire gauge) The cable is 18' long.

If you want to install a charger at your house, there are many options out there and you do not need to use the Tesla option. I just had a JuiceBox 40 delivered today, which runs on a 50A dedicated circuit and has a 25' cable. I installed the circuit and charger myself as I am relatively handy and knew how to wire a breaker. If you dont know how to do it, HIRE SOMEONE, you can die messing around in a breaker box... I went with that charger because i get a $250 rebate from my utility company and a $300 federal tax credit for purchasing one that is Energy Star certified, (the Tesla wall chargers are not). Also, my thought was that if/when EVs catch on, it would be nice to plug in a family/friends vehicle at my house when visiting.

I think that addressed your question, happy to answer any other questions I can!

 

[rudedawg78]

Having just gone through this with my S, I have these answers readily available...

It comes with its own power cable that fits a NEMA 1450 (dryer outlet)plug and a couple of adapters, one that can plug into any wall outlet that would give you 4 miles of charge per hour, and a J1772 adapter which many destination chargers use. The cable is 18' long.

If you want to install a charger at your house, there are many options out there and you do not need to use the Tesla option. I just had a JuiceBox 40 delivered today, which runs on a 50A dedicated circuit and has a 25' cable. I installed the circuit and charger myself as I am relatively handy and knew how to wire a breaker. If you dont know how to do it, HIRE SOMEONE, you can die messing around in a breaker box... I went with that charger because i get a $250 rebate from my utility company and a $300 federal tax credit for purchasing one that is Energy Star certified, (the Tesla wall chargers are not). Also, my thought was that if/when EVs catch on, it would be nice to plug in a family/friends vehicle at my house when visiting.

I think that addressed your question, happy to answer any other questions I can!

You definitely did answer all my questions. Thank you for the quick reply!

 

[VolklKatana]

Has anyone here taken delivery of a new Tesla and know what that's like?

 

[ajdelange]

Yes. I believe 20% or so of the posters here are Tesla owners.

 

[ajdelange]

The vehicle comes with a Universal Mobile Connector (UMC) into which a multiplicity of adapters for wall receptacles of various kind can be plugged. What is included with it has varied from time to time but at the least you will get a J1772 adapter (which doesn't plug into the UMC - it goes on the end of a J1772 charger hose to allow it to plug into the car) and an adapter to allow the UMC to plug into an ordinary household outlet. They used to furnish an adapter for the relatively common NEMA 14-50R receptacle but had stopped doing that. Go to the Tesla store and look under Charging for individual adapters and adapter kits. The UMC is intended to travel with the car and a bagful of adapters to allow you to charge under a variety of circumstances. I am a good boy scout and travel with a whole bunch of these but have only ever had occasion to use the CHAdeMO adapter (which is sold separately for about $350 ?) which I have used fairly frequently as I travel (or did last year) in Quebec which seems to have a CHAdeMO charger in every village of any size at all. I even used it in the US once. All the rest are backup which seems to be less and less necessary as the charging infrastructure expands.

The CT is going to consume more electricity than the current model Teslas so that if using the UMC, at home or on the road, you will want one of the higher rate adapters. The 14-50 is probably the best bet if you only want one.

The UMC cord is pretty long but even so I consider a heavy duty RV extension cord (with 14-50 connectors) a comforting part of my on road kit.

A "Destination Charger" is a Tesla HPWC (High Power Wall Charger - even though it isn't a charger at all - that's in the car) installed by the owner of a business who wants to attract Tesla drivers. As such it does not require a J1772 adapter. You will find HPWC listed on the Tesla Store site.

Teslas can be charged from CHAdeMO chargers (with the adapter) or J1772 chargers (with the adapter) but not from CCS chargers. Also vehicles that use J1772 can charge (with an adapter) from HPWC be it a destination charger or one located in your garage.

When it comes to what to do in your house the options are myriad as is the number of places you can find advice on the internet. But it is the internet - be careful.

 

[VolklKatana]

Here is the charger I installed yesterday, charges at about 30miles of range per hour (@40A) on my 50A circuit. Plenty quick for my needs now with the S and the CT in the future! Have to use the J1772 adapter and as you can see its plugged into the NEMA 1450 I installed as well.

 

[ajdelange]

I don’t want to launch yet another thread about charging but I will mention one thing a prospective CT owner should be aware of. The CT is bigger than other Teslas and because of this it uses more energy to go a mile than the others do. Because of this some choose to install home charging equipment that will deliver the maximum the CT will accept from a 240 V circuit. That requires a supply circuit rated for 60 A which must be hard wired. This allows 20% more miles to be taken on in a given time period. Not a game changer but something to consider.

 

[TyPope]

I do have some questions for you guys.

I have never owned a Tesla before and the Cybertruck will be my first experience with an electric vehicle.

Charging... When you buy a Tesla, does it come with the charger you install at your house or is it extra? Also, does that charger require a special voltage plug that I will have to have an electrician install? Lastly, how long is the charging cable? Since the CT can't fit it in the garage, I picture a cable coming from the garage and connecting to the CT. Hoping the cable will be long enough to allow for some flexibility.

Thanks in advance!

-Ernie

I'll save you some time... the High Power Wall Connector is separate. The charger is actually built in to your car from the factory. Most people (me included till just recently) think of the wall connector as the charger. It isn't. Tesla sells them for about $500 and they are pretty neat. I got one for my wife to make owning an electric as simple as possible. It has a button on top that you push and the charge door pops right open for you. The Teslas all come with a charger cord that plugs into a regular 110 outlet. If you have a 110 outlet available, the car will charge about 4 miles worth for every hour it's plugged in... not too fast but probably fast enough for a regular commute. If you are at work 10 hours a day, that gives the car up to 14 hours to charge which will add up to 56 miles a day. As long as your commute is less than that, you are covered. If it's more, you'll need to either use the Superchargers or a 220 outlet or HPWC (That Tesla "Charger" thing they sell on their site) or another car charger and adapter.