Back when I got my licence, the only electric vehicles were forklifts, and Tesla was a mad inventor who gave his name to a fancy sparking coil thingie.

In recent times, cars powered by the sun have become mainstream, if somewhat rare. Don’t go getting all bolshy about coal fired recharging either. It a load of old codswallop. Most, if not all, is now renewably sourced from gentle breezes, the ocean, or a lovely summer’s day.

It may seem an age since we were last able to drive further than the mail box, but road trips were once commonplace.

In fact, we were able to take a turn into the rolling hills, replete with row after bountiful row, of fruit-laden grape vines. It turns out there are quite a few of them once you get past the sandstone walls around Sydney.

Contrary to popular belief, electric cars are perfectly able to make trips of several hours, in quiet comfort. They don’t fall apart at every corner, nor do they cry foul at the city limits.

Our Model S dispatched the trip to Drover’s Rest quicker than you can say “how much range is left.” Once we all stopped watching the range, we started enjoying the trip. Best of all, no bits of old dinosaur were harmed during the making of the journey

We topped up the charge once or twice, but range anxiety mattered slightly less than our choice of booze with dinner.

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ABOVE: Tesla through the years

What The Boys Said:

Casper:

I’ve never been in a Tesla before. Tesla’s looked great but they weren’t up to a road trip, or so I thought. Sure, Tesla’s are sexy, except for that god-awful SUV thing. That’s a monstrosity. Models S and 3 are very pretty.

I sat in the back with Max, and I’d like a bit more room, and black upholstery instead of white. White felt very cold and made my very afraid of my bright red jeans leas they leave stains. I like Apple CarPlay better than the Tesla system, but the sound is most excellent.

Until now, I thought a V8 was essential for max fun, the P100D would flog most V8’s at the lights. Once going, the big Tesla wants to keep on going, and with no gears to worry about, is smoother than silk.

Favourite Tesla: Model S

Max:

I love Tesla, and have done since the very first open top model. It takes a bit to get used to no knobs. I like knobs. I like the way they feel with you touch them. I like the way they move, and that they leave you in no doubt that you’ve given it a jolly good fiddle.

There is nothing worse than reaching for a knob, and finding the space knob free.

The big tablet is great for finding things easily, but you have to take your eyes off the road to use it, and every single control is there. You find yourself wandering aimlessly through menu after menu looking for some obscure function. As it is all software, ol’ mate Elon could shift things around any time he likes, probably from his mobile.

I saw a meme on Facebook about a Tesla being picked up by a tow truck running diesel. “so what,” I said. “It is what every other car on the road is towed by, why should a Tesla be any different.” That shut down that stupid argument quick smart.

Favourite Tesla: Model S

Ethan:

Open the Tesla’s throttle up at your peril, especially in Ludicrous Mode. You’ll need a spatula to get your face off the back window, but it’d worth it. I took the hot yobbo from the vineyard out for a drive. Aside from the obvious allusion to “any port in the storm,” there are many other reasons to impress a young farm hand. After all, he is the one who’ll be arranging the place to my home charger when I buy my own Tesla!

The drive itself was gorgeous. The power is instant, and all of this talk of rare metals, charging and so forth, really gets on my tits.

Favourite Tesla: Model S

Alan:

It has become obvious the world cannot keep going the way it has been.

Charging has become more ubiquitous, and there are rumours that Tesla will open up its chargers to the general public. Why not? Teslas use other chargers.

The model S remains my preferred model. Model 3’s offset driver screen, and full glass roof, do not sit well with my preferences. That’s not to say I wouldn’t take one as a gift of course. We found the power of all Teslas to be sufficient, even the single motor models.

Quality control has been an issue for some owners, who have told us that substantial parts needed repair. This didn’t stop them from loving their car, and once a buyer has gone electric, they tend not to go back to a traditional mode of power.

Cost remains a barrier for most buyers, whether Tesla or any other brand, and this cost won’t come down without government support, or until batteries become cheaper. The latter has seen drops over 20 years, and we can expect that to continue.

I would happily have a Tesla and would even consider a 2nd hand one. New customers once received free Super Charging, but that is no longer the case. Other sales sites have all models listed, including a 2014 Model S for $65,000. It would be interesting to see what that battery range is.

Currently, the Australian site has only Model 3 for sale. Model S and Model X are unavailable, and there are no used Tesla’s via the company site.

Finally, Charge Fox has the largest network of charging, and currently has the fastest chargers at 350KW VS Tesla’s 232kw. It can charge to 80% in as little as 15 minutes, depending on the brand and model.

I like the look of Tesla sedans, but the SUV look awkward despite their fancy doors.

Favourite Tesla: Model S

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