Why I let everyone who sits in my Tesla EV drive it

Wednesday, 13 April 2022

Haider Khan lets people drive his Tesla Model 3 to show them how cool EVs can be.

OPINION: I came up with this thing due to a friend who casually threw me the keys to his brand new Aston Martin DB7 many years ago, while I was living in Dubai.

Now, before you roll your eyes about expats and living in tax havens, and of course, everyone driving flashy cars, let me correct you.

Not everyone drove flashy cars there.

Anyway, when we returned home four and a half years ago, we were carrying the guilt of driving big gas guzzlers, and knew it wasn't the right thing to do, certainly not in New Zealand.

So, as a family we decided upon being a one car family in mid 2017.

I drew the short straw, so to speak, and used public transport virtually exclusively for work commutes until December 2021, which is when I took delivery of our Tesla Model 3.

You will read lots about the Tesla experience, but I will only say that their marketing to you at an emotional level, is an art.

* Elon Musk says Tesla will build vehicle designed to be a robotaxi

* Our EV has saved us huge money and not restricted our active lifestyle**

After my order, which luckily allowed me to order under their existing inventory option, I spoke to an agent. 'Congratulations Haider, you have been matched to your Tesla,' they cried.

Matched? What is this? A Tinder for Tesla owners, I wondered?

The best quip from them was when they contacted me pre-delivery and said, 'we can't wait to unite you with your Tesla,' like two lovers meeting after being away from each other.

Now, back to the story of how everyone who sits in my Tesla, has to drive it. This was also driven by how easy my own test drive was.

Setting up to experience the Tesla was a pleasurable experience.

The tech, the safety, the sensors, the smooth, and if you like, explosive acceleration, all make the experience amazing.

I have now lost count of how many of my friends, family, work colleagues, and neighbours have driven my car.

They have experienced their first time in an EV, my Tesla Model 3, and I have been there to experience it with them.

I wish to drive up EV adoption. Allowing others to drive my car has also helped me to be detached from the ownership pitfalls in a stoicism sort of way.

My own experience is that we are saving over $500 a month in fuel and other expenses.

The electricity cost per night is $1.80, which provides around 25 per cent charge back into the battery.

The key is to turn the display to a per cent display, rather than kms. It's a mindset shift when owning an EV.

I have chosen Electric Kiwi as my electricity company of choice.

I love the EV experience of the Tesla, the auto pilot which comes standard,, the entertainment experience, which for me is Spotify mainly.

At the free chargers in and around Auckland, I tend to catch up on YouTube videos.

I have had hardcore car-nuts who love big horsepower, through to my steady-as she-goes 85 year old father-in-law, who have loved experiencing my Tesla. The smile on their faces always gives it away.

Many years ago, I posted on LinkedIn that my next car would be an EV. I remember someone commenting that statistically it wouldn't be the case.

I am glad to have bucked that one.

Thanks also to my wife, who during the August 2021 lockdown in Auckland, asked me as to when I would be buying my Tesla, and then went on to ask if it was when I would be 75 years old.

That was the buying signal I needed, and having just turned 50, I thought why not, as I have always wanted one, and the numbers stacked up.

Hopefully by buying one, I will play my part in the future of EV adoption in Aotearoa.