Tesla EV Benefits: Ownership Perks, Charging & OTA Updates

The Good Things About Tesla (Electric Vehicles)

Hello, this is Suzuki from Eco Drive.

Recently, I feel like there’s been an increase in news about electric vehicles (EVs).

There are various opinions about EVs, including their advantages and disadvantages.

This time, based on my experience driving my own Tesla, I’d like to talk about the good things about Tesla and electric vehicles (EVs).

Check out the video version of the first half here!

My Experience Driving My Own Tesla (EV)

I have experience driving three Teslas in succession in America.

The first was a 2013 Model S, next a 2014 Model S Performance, and then a 2021 Model 3 with FSD.

These were all purchased used, and I specifically chose high-mileage vehicles for experimental purposes.

Today, I’d like to talk about the good and bad points I’ve felt from driving these cars.

Excellent App, No Need to Carry Keys

The best thing I’ve felt from driving a Tesla is that I don’t need to carry keys.

With Tesla, your smartphone serves as the key.

When you install the Tesla app on your phone, you can use that app to lock and unlock doors, and the doors automatically open when you approach the car.

Additionally, this app is extremely capable – you can adjust the car’s interior temperature from a distance or close windows.

Also, you can check the car’s interior and exterior cameras on your phone, which is convenient when you have pets in the car, for example.

Comfortable Since You Can Drive with Just Your Smartphone

As a minimalist, I normally dislike carrying keys around.

In fact, I’ve introduced smart keys at home and don’t carry any physical keys at all.

My smartphone serves as all my keys.

I feel this style fits very well with my lifestyle.

I particularly disliked jingling keys around like with old gasoline cars, and I was the type to often lose keys.

With this personality, a key-free life is stress-free and very comfortable for me.

The Car Evolves Through Updates

Tesla has software updates, so owning a Tesla makes you look forward to updates.

Software is regularly updated via the internet, adding new features like autonomous driving capabilities.

For example, from updates I experienced while using it, the Easy Entry feature was convenient.

Easy Entry is a feature where the seat automatically adjusts to an easy entry/exit position when you open the door, and returns to the normal driving position when you close the door.

Such features are added through updates, making the car increasingly convenient.

I eagerly await updates every three to six months, and seeing how new features change has become one of my enjoyments.

Doesn’t Get Boring Even with Ownership

Tesla’s update feature sets it apart from other cars.

Usually, the options that come with a new car purchase remain unchanged, and you might get bored with the same features for years.

However, Tesla constantly adds new features through software updates, and the car continues to evolve beyond its purchase state.

This means you don’t get bored even while owning it, and can always experience fresh surprises and enjoyment.

This constant updating is one of Tesla’s major attractions, continuing to provide users with new experiences.

Save Time on Maintenance Compared to Gasoline Cars

One of the major benefits of owning a Tesla is that it also saves time.

This is particularly evident in car maintenance.

With regular gasoline or hybrid cars, oil changes are needed every three to six months, requiring time for maintenance.

However, with Tesla, there’s no engine, so oil changes are unnecessary.

Regular maintenance is limited to things like wiper replacements and tire rotations, which you can easily do yourself.

Therefore, not only do you save the trouble of going to a repair shop, but you also save significant time.

This becomes a very good benefit for modern people living busy daily lives.

Since you don’t need to make appointments and visit repair shops for oil changes each time, you can use that time for other things.

No Need to Go to Gas Stations

Obviously, owning an electric vehicle like Tesla means not needing to go to gas stations is a major benefit.

Since there’s no engine, there’s no need to fill up with gasoline, and as an electric vehicle, it operates solely on charging.

For city driving, if you have charging facilities at home or work, you rarely need to search for charging spots while out.

Home charging is particularly convenient – if you charge overnight, you can depart with a full battery in the morning.

It might be easier to understand if you imagine charging a smartphone.

Compared to regular gasoline cars, you can save the time of routinely going to gas stations, making daily life smoother.

Unless you’re driving long distances, you can mostly manage with just home or workplace charging, making it efficient both time-wise and economically.

Check out the video version of the second half here!

More Cargo Space Than Gasoline Cars

With Tesla, one attractive point is that you can carry much more cargo compared to gasoline cars.

Tesla cars don’t have engines, and there’s trunk space provided in the front as well.

In regular gasoline cars, the engine and other machinery are concentrated in the front.

However, in electric vehicles like Tesla, that space can be used as an additional cargo area called the “frunk.”

Furthermore, the rear trunk can also be used more spaciously since there’s no gas tank.

Also, the design without a spare tire creates extra space in the lower part of the car, allowing for unimaginably large cargo capacity from its appearance.

In this way, Tesla cars have more capacity than they appear and are very convenient for long-distance travel or carrying large cargo.

Experience the Latest Autonomous Driving

I’m driving a Tesla with autonomous driving features, particularly the “FSD” equipped model, and this dramatically changes daily life.

For example, in my case, just by setting the route from home to work in the navigation, the car automatically starts moving according to those instructions.

There’s no need to operate the accelerator or brakes yourself – it drives automatically to the destination.

Furthermore, Tesla’s software is updated about every three months, and the autonomous driving features are constantly updated with the latest technology.

This keeps the autonomous driving experience fresh, allowing you to directly experience technological evolution.

Unfortunately, FSD is an option, so not all vehicles have it.

Also, since you can’t experience it in Japan, it’s one feature I definitely want you to try if you have the opportunity to come to America.

EcoDrive offers rental cars equipped for FSD experience.

Please experience “autonomous driving” that can only be experienced in America!

Tesla FSD V13 Review: New Features, Safety & V12 Comparison

The Exhilarating Speed Unique to Electric Vehicles

Another major advantage that electric vehicles provide is the exhilarating sense of speed.

The high torque (rotational force) unique to electric vehicles supports this sense of speed.

The more you press, the more it accelerates quietly yet powerfully, making driving very thrilling.

The silent acceleration in particular is a major difference from gasoline cars.

While gasoline and hybrid cars limit output considering fuel efficiency, electric vehicles have fewer such constraints.

Since you can directly feel the torque, you can enjoy very powerful acceleration.

This exhilarating sense of speed is one of the unique attractions of electric vehicles.

Becoming Sensitive to the Latest EV News

By driving a Tesla or other electric vehicles (EVs), your interest in the latest EV news naturally increases.

Since you’re actually using one yourself, topics like battery technology evolution and how far you can drive on a single charge directly relate to your life.

Every time new technology is installed or performance improves, you become curious about how it compares to your car and what new technologies are being introduced.

In this way, owning an EV gives you the feeling of being at the forefront of the automotive industry, which has become one of its major attractions for me.

Access to EV-Only Parking

Owning an electric vehicle (EV) comes with the benefit of being able to use EV-only parking spaces.

This benefit might be particularly valuable in America.

It’s very convenient as many places like shopping centers and rinks have EV-only parking.

Unlike gasoline cars, EV-only spaces are usually located near entrances and are often available.

Furthermore, you can often charge your car while shopping, and some are even free to use.

This is a service provided because shopping centers want to attract middle-upper class customers who shop.

As a result, shopping centers increase customers, and customers benefit from convenient parking and charging.

Being able to enjoy such special treatment by owning an EV is one of its major attractions.