I reserved a Model S on 1/23 and already got the Finalize button (that was fast!), but I'm having a hard time deciding if owning the Model S is going to be practical for me.
I currently rent an apartment in downtown Austin and have no plans of buying a house soon. My building does not have any charging stations, but there are several within a couple blocks of my apartment. I only commute about 10 miles roundtrip each day, so I was thinking that I could charge overnight once a week at one of the stations near me and be fine.
However, after doing more research, I found this on http://www.teslamotors.com/models/facts:
Battery lifetime is affected by both age and the total amount of energy it delivers over time. The Tesla battery is optimized for nightly charging: topping off frequently enhances the longevity of your battery.
So, now I am wondering if not charging every night is a realistic plan. Is it possible to only charge once every 3-5 days or less without hurting the battery? Will this significantly decrease the battery longevity?
I'm sure others who live in the city are struggling with similar problems. There are only 3 or 4 apartment buildings in Austin with charging stations. All of them are high end luxury apartments. While I'm already paying pretty high rent, I'm certainly not looking to increase that along with my Model S purchase!
Does anyone have experience with owning a Model S without a charging station at home? I really want this car, but I'm not ready to move out of the city and buy a house just yet. Thanks for any thoughts or advice!
@ Robert22
Thanks! Question.. Could they be suggesting plugging in often to alleviate the "dreaded" leach draws that reduce range while parked?
@Super
I'm sure Tesla has no objection to the fact that constant charging in any weather condition would reduce or eliminate "leakage" mitigating criticism from owners and reviewers. An oft repeated phrase I heard many times in my discussions was "The battery will protect itself". This battery is one of the smartest devices currently available to the public. If you abuse it, it phones home and asks for help. I think it probably takes a rare kind of determination/ ignorance to significantly damage it.
Robert22
+1, and kudos.
Very clear summary. TM's battery management system builds on the strengths and obviates the weaknesses of LiIon. So it comes down to two commonsensical guidelines: don't deplete or overcharge often. All the rest is minor detail.
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