Aussie electric vehicle (EV) owner interview – I spoke with Kieran Andrews about his purchase of a Tesla Model Y 2022 and experience driving, servicing, charging etc. Kieran works for Chargefox.
EDITOR: I’m publishing a regular series of articles with the views of Australian EV owners about their EV ownership experience.
This will help fill an information gap as the majority of electric car news articles are about new car launches and there’s relatively little published about the longer term Australian ownership experience after you’ve paid for your electric car. Hopefully this shared information helps other Aussies make their own EV purchase decision.
Was your electric car bought or leased?
Bought new.
Please describe your purchasing / lease process experience … Easy, Mediocre, Frustrating..?
Easy. Didn’t have to go to a dealership and deal with that old school process.
What has the regular servicing / dealership experience been like?
Very easy. I can use the app to schedule and there is great messaging in the app.
Sometimes they have an earlier slot that they contact me about. Only have had 2 appointments.
How do you regularly charge your car for day to day usage?
Plug in to specially installed faster EV charger at home (set to use solar power or grid, whatever’s available).
What has your day to day normal charging experience been like?
Super easy. I have Amber Electric so I time when I charge my car to save money.
How do you charge your car for longer road trips on the weekend or during holidays? Do you prefer any particular brand of public fast charger during road trips eg Evie, Tesla, Chargefox and why?
Chargefox of course 😀 I like to test our customer experiences myself so I can help to improve it.
What’s the farthest road trip you’ve done in your EV and what did you learn from this experience that would be useful for others to know?
I have gone from Adelaide to Melbourne and back quite a few times now. I have the benefit of using Chargefox and Tesla chargers so I don’t have any anxiety.
I think the main thing I did on my first trip was to plan ahead and use apps like A Better Route Planner and PlugShare as well as the in car navigation.
I like having an electric fridge in my car as it means I can be self-sufficient and bring my own cold lunch and drinks for the journey.
Tips for young children, make sure you time their naps with the long parts of the journey. Charging is a great time to visit a local playground.
Does your EV have any special features like V2L reverse charging from the car to your portable/home appliances? If yes please share your experience using this special feature
No
If you have roadside assist included with the car purchase/lease and have had to use it, which company provided the service and what was that experience like?
Tesla standard roadside assist. Never had to use it. I also have RAA.
If you have had issues with your car and asked for these to be fixed under warranty, did the car brand do the right thing and fix it without causing you stress?
There was an issue with the door seal that they fixed at the first service without me asking about it.
What are the 3 strongest aspects of your electric car compared to other similar price electric cars available in Australia?
Software and infotainment system – best I have seen. So easy to use and I love having my Spotify music play the moment I open the car door. Being able to play games on the screen when waiting to pick someone up is a bonus.
Super charging network – just opens up a lot of regional areas for interstate travel. Hopefully more Site Hosts can add more fast chargers to the Chargefox app.
Storage space – The storage space in the Model Y is amazing. With the boot and frunk as well as sub boot. Great for a young family. I think only the Volvo compares in this regard.
What are the 3 weakest aspects of your electric car compared to other similar price electric cars available in Australia?
I would like a 3D car view to help with parking like other similar priced cars.
The rear-view mirror visibility is not great. The reversing camera makes up for this.
Would you buy or lease this brand of electric car again and recommend it to others?
Yes, and I have. My mother has a Model 3 based on my recommendation.
If you’re an Australian electric vehicle owner and would like to participate in this interview series by sharing your experience please contact me directly or add a comment below and let me know.
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