I’ll have to be honest and admit back when I was in high school or so, I was enthusiastic about electric cars and his seemed like some of the best. He was also opening up the charging standards so that there could be a mixed playing field. Back then, I was likely ready to dismiss small critiques as the retaliation of the fossil fuel industry.
Take it from an old man, at a certain point you will grow beyond having to feel “embarassed” by your former self, because your ego won’t be tied to it.
Old man here as well. I follow the doctrine of non-repudiation: I did a lot of stupid things when I was young. But I own them and don’t hate my former self for doing them. Mind you, I didn’t hurt anyone (except emotionally, and not intentionally) and wasn’t a criminal. If that were different, maybe I’d have to process it differently.
I think you can understand something without embracing it or condoning it. I did a few bad things, it’s understandable that kids with that age and upbringing will, as long as you own what you did, put right what you can and atone for the rest, there’s no need to hate yourself.
All your reasons were valid though. Teslas were the best electric cars for a long time, probably not so anymore. Tesla as a brand has done good things, like you say opening up their charging standard which is superior to all the other competitors.
Personally, I wouldn’t get a Tesla because they are sort of like the apple of car companies, e.g. anti-consumer and anti-repair. Plus, Musk owning it is another big negative.
Tesla was a long way ahead of the competition for a very long time, to the point where they were the only option for a vehicle that was genuinely a replacement for a combustion vehicle.
Without them, I very much doubt EV market share would be anywhere near what it is today.
It has been, but the leaf was very much a “second car” for a very long time. They had relatively short range, an air cooled battery, and as a result couldn’t be charged particularly fast. The battery would also overheat if you tried to charge it multiple times.
Tesla, on the water, had a water cooled battery pack, and could be fast charged multiple times per day, and much faster than other vehicles, meaning a road trip was actually possible.
The Leaf was cheap. It introduced many to EVs. They are super common third or fourth hand now. It was aimed at the other end of the market than the Tesla.
Range is important, but so is cost. Teslas are too expensive for Leaf owners.
My 7 seat EV only does at most 150 miles. But even now, two years later, there isn’t anything else that comfortably fits 7 adults. Let alone not over twice the price. So 200 miles seams ok to me.
I agree standard charger connectors are important. But CHAdeMO is standard, just not in Europe or North America. Can’t blame the Leaf for not knowing that would happen.
The Leaf is also one of the very few cars, least in the UK, which can be using bidirectionally.
https://www.indra.co.uk/v2g/
I don’t own a Leaf, but I respect what they did. You see loads of them here.
I’ll have to be honest and admit back when I was in high school or so, I was enthusiastic about electric cars and his seemed like some of the best. He was also opening up the charging standards so that there could be a mixed playing field. Back then, I was likely ready to dismiss small critiques as the retaliation of the fossil fuel industry.
God I hate old me.
You’re always supposed to hate or be embarrassed by the old you; that means you learned. It means growth. It’s a good thing.
Take it from an old man, at a certain point you will grow beyond having to feel “embarassed” by your former self, because your ego won’t be tied to it.
Old man here as well. I follow the doctrine of non-repudiation: I did a lot of stupid things when I was young. But I own them and don’t hate my former self for doing them. Mind you, I didn’t hurt anyone (except emotionally, and not intentionally) and wasn’t a criminal. If that were different, maybe I’d have to process it differently.
Probably not that much different tbh.
I think you can understand something without embracing it or condoning it. I did a few bad things, it’s understandable that kids with that age and upbringing will, as long as you own what you did, put right what you can and atone for the rest, there’s no need to hate yourself.
All your reasons were valid though. Teslas were the best electric cars for a long time, probably not so anymore. Tesla as a brand has done good things, like you say opening up their charging standard which is superior to all the other competitors.
Personally, I wouldn’t get a Tesla because they are sort of like the apple of car companies, e.g. anti-consumer and anti-repair. Plus, Musk owning it is another big negative.
Just like model ts were the best for a long time because they were the only ones.
Tesla was a long way ahead of the competition for a very long time, to the point where they were the only option for a vehicle that was genuinely a replacement for a combustion vehicle.
Without them, I very much doubt EV market share would be anywhere near what it is today.
Don’t know about that. Leaf has been pretty important as well.
It has been, but the leaf was very much a “second car” for a very long time. They had relatively short range, an air cooled battery, and as a result couldn’t be charged particularly fast. The battery would also overheat if you tried to charge it multiple times.
Tesla, on the water, had a water cooled battery pack, and could be fast charged multiple times per day, and much faster than other vehicles, meaning a road trip was actually possible.
The Leaf was cheap. It introduced many to EVs. They are super common third or fourth hand now. It was aimed at the other end of the market than the Tesla.
Even now, the Leaf only goes 200 miles. Less than a 2018 Model 3. Not good enough.
I agree, Tesla was the viable option fora long time. The charging network is part of that even still.
The NACS connector is a big deal.
Range is important, but so is cost. Teslas are too expensive for Leaf owners.
My 7 seat EV only does at most 150 miles. But even now, two years later, there isn’t anything else that comfortably fits 7 adults. Let alone not over twice the price. So 200 miles seams ok to me.
I agree standard charger connectors are important. But CHAdeMO is standard, just not in Europe or North America. Can’t blame the Leaf for not knowing that would happen.
The Leaf is also one of the very few cars, least in the UK, which can be using bidirectionally. https://www.indra.co.uk/v2g/
I don’t own a Leaf, but I respect what they did. You see loads of them here.
Leaf’s tech was a joke for a long time.
Yes, because it was cheap.