$50,000 for the car and about $6,000 for 150,000 miles worth of fuel. No "tune ups," oil changes, no brakes needed in those first 150,000 miles. Maybe 2 sets of tires. Total cost: $57000. That's 38 cents per mile.
Any vehicle getting 30 mpg will cost $20,000 for fuel; $7,500 for 50 oil changes and services; $1000 for 2 brake jobs; and $1,000 for 2 sets of tires. That's $29,500. To beat the Tesla on total operating cost the car has to cost less than $20,500 and be the same size and similarly equipped. Good luck with that.
The math gets even better for the Tesla if the driver already has solar, wind, or small scale hydro power to charge with.
Most people end up installing a Tesla charger in their home, which can cost several thousand dollars, especially if they need a new electrical service box. Yes, I know you don't technically have to, but most people will so they don't have to wait 8 hours to charge on 120V.
Modern cars don't need oil changes every 3000 miles. It hasn't been that way for 20 or 30 years. Either 5000 or 7500 miles is standard.
The cost of the cheapest new Tesla I could find online was $47K, which has a very low range of 272 miles. Most people would get at leadt the Long Range version which is closer to what you'd get in a gas engine sedan. That's $56K. Plus sales and whatever other taxes are charges in the state. And Tesla prices for several models are $100K and higher. I'll concede that prices have only recently gone up a lot.
At the end of the day, the Tesla is in the same class as a Toyota Corolla or a Honda Accord. An entry level Corolla is $21K and an Accord is $25K. The Model 3 might be slightly more comfortable than those vehicles, but it's not that big of a difference. Since most people finance their vehicles, you've got to add in that cost for the comparison.
The battery warranty only goes to 120K, so there's a chance you'll need the change the battery before 150K miles, or live with a really reduced range. That's a pretty big expense. Used to be around $10K, but it's bet its $25-20K now. I'm not sure what people do at that point, and whether the car has any resale value left at all. There isn't a lot of info on high mileage Tesla's out there because they haven't been around a long time. The battery replacement issue is a huge wildcard for price comparison.
That's why I think people are crazy for buying a Tesla. It'll take at least 100K miles (and that's generous) to save enough in gas to make up for the initial higher cost. And most people that buy nee cars don't keep cars that ongoing, so they have to rely on a decent trade in value. And there's a ot of risk that used Tesla's will be in demand.
Until you post wrong think online and they brick your car. They are nice tho, if you can get a loan for it. It's cheaper over the long run, if you were already looking to replace your car. Batteries are expensive but they're supposed to last, what 300K miles or something.
If you think they haven't been able to brick your gas car for the past 3 decades you're on drugs. Check out OnStar, buddy.
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