David Noland, Contributor
Articles
-
Two weeks and 600 miles ago, I took delivery of a 60-kWh 2013 Tesla Model S electric sport sedan.
I won't dwell on the ear-flattening acceleration, nor the magic-carpet ride and handling, nor the...
-
Life With 2013 Tesla Model S: Getting Supercharged In Winter
As the brand-new owner of a 60-kWh Tesla Model S, I was eager to try out a Supercharger, the ultrafast 90-kilowatt DC fast-charging stations that Tesla is establishing along Interstate highways across the country. Model S owners--and nobody else--will be able to plug in and grab up to 150 miles of...
David Noland -
My 2013 Tesla Model S Electric Sport Sedan: Delivery at Last!
After 1,386 days of waiting, I first glimpsed my new 2013 Tesla Model S electric sport sedan at a local discount tire store. The Tesla Motors [NSDQ:TSLA] delivery rep who was bringing the car up from the New Jersey distribution center to my house in New York's Hudson Valley had called me from the...
David Noland -
2013 Tesla Model S Ready For Delivery: So Close & Yet So Far
After just about four years of waiting, my 2013 Tesla Model S has arrived. Almost. The call from the Tesla delivery rep came on February 4, the last day of the two-week delivery window promised back in December. My car, with metallic green paint, 60-kilowatt-hour battery pack, black leather...
David Noland -
Tesla Model S: Glitches, Quirks, and Peccadilloes Roundup
To put it mildly, the Tesla Model S has been a resounding success. The New York Times has called the all-electric luxury sport sedan a game-changer, comparable to the Model T Ford. It's won virtually every 2012 "Car of the Year" honor, including the only unanimous Motor Trend award in the...
David Noland -
Tesla Model S "Delivery Roulette" Annoys Some Owners, Thrills Others
When you walk into a crowded deli in New York City, you take a number. Rather than jostle in line and try to elbow (or charm) your way to the front, you take the number from the dispenser on the counter and wait till that number is called. First come, first served. Even among rude, pushy New...
David Noland -
Sharp-eyed Tesla Model S buffs may be wondering why the mid-range 60-kWh car, which costs $10,000 less, is rated more efficient than the top-of-the-line 85-kWh model.
The EPA said last week that the...
-
Tesla Model S 60-kWh Delayed To Jan: Bye-Bye, 2012 Tax Credit
Well, it looks like there won't be a Tesla Model S under my Christmas tree after all. Even more annoying, that means I'll have to wait until April 15, 2014, to take advantage of my $7,500 electric-car tax credit. As Model S reservation holder P717, I'd hoped to take delivery of my car this month...
David Noland -
Tesla Model S Buyers Face Year-End Deadline: $7,500 At Stake
More than 13,000 people have put down deposits to join the waiting list for the Tesla Model S electric sports sedan. Each of us eagerly awaits delivery of our much-decorated, cutting-edge car. But as 2012 winds down, several hundred of us at the front of the queue are especially antsy. It's not...
David Noland -
2012 Tesla Model S Signature Series: Is It Worth The Premium?
The first 1,000 or so 2012 Tesla Model S electric sport sedans to be delivered to U.S. customers will be fully-loaded, limited-edition "Signature" cars. But as delivery dates slip due to early production snags, some owners of Signature cars--called "Sigs" within the Tesla clan--grumble that they're...
David Noland -
Tesla Model S Service Contract: $600/Year, Or Warranty Voided
One big advantage of electric cars is reduced maintenance. With no internal combustion engine, there is no oil to change, no exhaust system, no transmission, no myriad of moving parts to break or wear out, and no air or fuel filters to clog up. With regenerative braking, brake pads last virtually...
David Noland -
Free Supercharging For 60-kWh Tesla Model S: How A Lucky Few Got It
It looks like Tesla may just have done it again. Compared to Nissan's challenged public responses to hot-weather range-loss problems in its Leaf electric car, a recent move by Tesla to offer free Supercharging to early buyers of the 60-kWh version of its 2012 Model S looks like brilliant customer...
David Noland -
At last, my number's been called.
As the holder of reservation number P 717 for a 2012 Tesla Model S, I've waited more than three years after putting down a $5,000 deposit on the sleek, all-electric...
-
2011 Chevy Volt Owner Takes on the Electric Range Challenge
Last week, an article on this site asked, "How Far Can The 2012 Chevrolet Volt Travel on Electricity Alone?" As a Volt owner, I felt duty-bound to answer that question, and to take up the challenge of beating the 60-mile figure claimed by the driver of an Opel Ampera, the European version of the...
David Noland -
2012 Tesla Model S: Seven Little Things A Buyer Doesn't Like
Let's make one thing clear right up front: I think the 2012 Tesla Model S is the coolest freaking car in the history of Western Civilization. I put down my $5,000 deposit more than two years ago. I've chugged the Tesla Kool-Aid, extra-large size. But after a 7-minute spin in a dark green Model S...
David Noland -
2012 Tesla Model S: Will Winter Weather Ruin Its Range?
The first two 2012 Tesla Model S all-electric sport sedans to roll off the Tesla production line last month were shipped to Chicago, where they're presumably now tooling around in the Midwest's record-setting summer heat. But how will the cars' impressive EPA range of 268 miles hold up six months...
David Noland