28th March – Visit to TESLA showroom – the FUTURE of EV’s
Last Thursday about 25 Rotarians, guests and the A DG Gary and his wife, had the pleasure of visiting the Tesla showroom in Bunda Street, Canberra City, and participate in a very frank and informative presentation by the area Manager, Richard Thompson, and his staff, Sally, Harry, and Sahid (amongst others), who had forestalled their Easter get-away for us to meet at 5.15pm. Two vehicles were in the showroom for us to get in, open things, and ask the questions we all pursue when checking out a new car. However the sit down presentation over nibbles and drinks raised the most vexed questions like re-charging arrangements, repairs and maintenance, life of batteries, driving quirks in an (almost) fully automatic vehicle, the environmental side-effects of large scale production of these vehicles, safety, and the life long costs compared with comparable Internal Combustion Engine vehicles (“ICE”).
I think were convinced that despite the higher initial costs of these vehicles, when you take into account he significantly lower costs of fuel/electricity, the almost zero maintenance costs, and the overall more satisfying driving experience as a consequence of zero road noise, lower centre of gravity and so better handling , and computerized systems to get you to your destination quicker and safely, these cars represent more of a lifetime quality of life experience than the alternative.
The presentation was a helpful addition to our learning experience over the past few weeks when we have been seeking to learn more about the electrification of transport, its affect on the environment and climate, and how we need to change to meet the challenges ahead.
Overall a very worthwhile meeting and we thank Richard and his team for the effort they put into it.
Bill Andrews
