UNDER THE HOOD: Two of the first Tesla Model S cars in New Zealand. PHOTO/BEN FRASER
UNDER THE HOOD: Two of the first Tesla Model S cars in New Zealand. PHOTO/BEN FRASER
When #LeadingtheCharge came through Rotorua to promote electric vehicle update, Rotorua Daily Post reporter Paul Mitchell got a chance to test drive the Tesla Model S.
THE future is here, it's just unevenly distributed.
There have been few times that has been more clear to me than sitting in the driver's seat of a Tesla Model S.
It's the most futuristic car you're ever likely to drive, considering flying cars are a really bad idea. Just think about all the idiots you see on the road - now imagine them flying over your house.
The first thing I noticed when getting in was the minimalist layout, the usual array of dials and buttons were replaced by a 17-inch touch screen.
Everything is controlled through that screen - GPS, music, air conditioning, front and rear view cameras as well as WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity. On top of that, you can display the car's energy consumption and set handling profiles, giving you a lot of control over performance.
Concentrating everything in the touchscreen makes the central console really compact, leaving lots of leg room.
Rotorua Daily Post reporter Paul Mitchell, left, with electric car campaigner, Nick Smith. Photo/Ben Fraser
The other thing about getting into a Model S is not only does it have keyless entry and start, there isn't even a key, just an electronic fob.
When you get close to the car it senses the fob and pops the handles, which are flush with the door when not needed, and when you sit in the driver's seat a sensor detects your weight and starts everything up for you.
Now I didn't see it, but apparently with the right software update the Model S is a robo-valet, it can open your automatic garage door, back out and pull up next to your front door with music, and air-conditioning set and ready for you to get in.
The anti-collision sensors the robo-valet uses is part of a system Tesla calls "autopilot".
It doesn't drive the car for you, but it's pretty close: you just set the speed and it maintains the speed, automatically slowing or breaking to keep separation with other cars. In this mode you can even change lanes just by indicating.
Now lets take a look under the hood - it's actually a boot.
The Model S keeps its electric engine on its rear axle, meaning there's double the room to fill up with tools, coats, and the other random junk that always turns up in car boots.
I drove the 85kw version which gives 380 horsepower and can boot you up to 100km/h in about five seconds, and unlike a petrol car you get maximum torque right off the line.
That's a decent amount of grunt, dead silent grunt.
That's something to watch out for, I kept finding myself giving it too much juice because I was unconsciously listening for the engine revs.
Another small adjustment was that lifting your foot right off the accelerator engages the brakes. I only touched the actual brake pedal once, when I parked up.
This means the Model S won't coast and it won't creep forward like most cars, but you can set up a profile to make it act like a regular car if you want.
This electric car isn't hairshirt environmentalism - it stacks up well against other high-end and luxury sedans in features, performance and comfort. Which is good because it's priced like one.
