8 March 2017

There’s a way to get from Canberra to Sydney that’s better than flying

| Jane Speechley
Join the conversation
12
TeslaRoadtripDecWeb-1

If you’re regularly commuting to Sydney or Melbourne, you’re stuck for an unusual last-minute gift, or organising cars for a wedding or formal, you’re going to want to read this…

How much would you pay to get behind the wheel of one of the most widely admired and technologically advanced vehicles in the world?

How does $349 sound?

TeslaRoadtripDecWeb-2

That’s the offer from Eveeh Cars, a new business that’s recently been established in the nation’s capital, which allows you to hire the futuristic Tesla Model S for a few hours, a day, a few days or longer.

Eveeh (pronounced ‘E-V’, as in, electric vehicle – geddit?) is the brainchild of Slava Kozlovskii, an engineer from St Petersburg who studied at the University of Technology in Sydney.

Slava created his Australian-first business because he’s intrigued by the concept of a driverless future, he’s concerned for the environmental impact of motor vehicles, and he’s interested in the role clean(er) technology can play in reducing our horrific road carnage.

And he’s chosen to centre his operations on Canberra mainly because of the ACT Government’s forward-thinking approach to electric vehicles.

Our location also positions us well for a Sydney-Canberra-Melbourne route, which is where Eveeh is concentrating its efforts at the moment.

Slava kindly loaned his stunning black Model S 70 to The RiotACT for an afternoon, so we could check out the convenience and feasibility of a round trip to Sydney and back.

TeslaRoadtripDecWeb-5

First thing you need to know is that driving a Tesla is not like driving any other kind of car – and it’s incredibly cool.

Start with the ‘key’, which is shaped like a small, stylised version of the vehicle. People who appreciate good design will love the clever simplicity of this: click on the roof to lock and unlock the car; press on the bonnet to open the bonnet; press on the boot to open the (you guessed it … ) boot. Such beautiful logic!

IMG_0558

Most people who see our Tesla for the first time remark that it’s bigger than they expected. A full five-seat sedan, it also benefits from the storage space you gain when you don’t have to make room for an engine. Think clever compartmentalised storage, a huge boot, plus a whole ‘nother storage trunk (or ‘frunk’ as they like to call it) in the front.

The spacey feel of the interior cabin is also helped by the dashboard design. Forget all those fiddly dials and switches that you’re used to, and imagine replacing them with one big touchscreen. That’s the future of motor vehicle interiors, and that’s the Tesla reality today.

TeslaRoadtripDecWeb-6

The lack of engine also means lack of engine noise, though you definitely hear enough road and tyre noise to remember you’re actually driving.

The most likely noise you’ll hear though, is a surprised gasp and a ‘woooo!’ from your passengers once you put the Tesla’s incredibly slingshot acceleration into practice. I could go on about it, but the fact is – like me – you really will have to experience it for yourself to believe how remarkable it is. WHOOSH.

Too much time spent taking workmates around the block meant that we not only had time to travel just to Goulburn and back, but throw in a few photo stops along the way, and we got to experience a little ‘range anxiety’ as well, as our battery monitor had us on 4% on arrival.

Notably, the Tesla is smart enough to actively manage its own power consumption. About half way along our trip, it started shifting into a lower power mode to make sure we reached our destination (this included advising a lower speed and not allowing us to use the Autopilot, for example).

Charge points are popping up all over the place – in public space and at many hotels, for example – and Tesla has them mapped into its on-board navigation, so they’re easy to find. It was only our own cheekiness that put us at risk of an unscheduled highway pit stop.

Many of these public and private charge points are convenient, but are slower than the Tesla Supercharger points, like the one we used in Goulburn and the newly opened one in Ballarat.

To take our near-empty battery up to around 80% took about 50 minutes. The charge cable locks in place when you lock the vehicle, so as weird as it may seem, you can do what we did and walk away to have a meal somewhere while your car is charging (hello, Paragon Cafe!)

TeslaRoadtripDecWeb-18 TeslaRoadtripDecWeb-19

And yes, you can charge from your home power points as well, but expect it to take a good 8-10 hours or so.

The Tesla is comfortable and fun to drive around town, but it definitely excels on the highway, making for a very comfortable and enjoyable road trip.

Of course, the Tesla is most famed for some of its quirky features, and if you’re feeling brave, you can try out the aforementioned (and rather infamous) Autopilot feature.

Flick the wand on the left side of the steering wheel and you’ll switch on Adaptive Cruise Control – this is regular cruise control improved by the use of the forward camera and radar, and will keep you a safe distance from the car in front, automatically slowing down or even stopping as necessary.

Flick it twice, and you’ll be in full Autopilot mode that has the addition of auto-steering, which uses the camera to sense lines on the road and automatically keep you on track.

Keep in mind that Tesla knows just as well as you do, that the law says you have to keep your hands on the wheel. Leave them off for too long and you’ll get a flashing visual reminder. Ignore it, and the subtle flash becomes a more urgent beeping. Keep ignoring it, and your car will assume you’re either a total goose who shouldn’t be behind the wheel, or you’ve lost consciousness. Either way, it’ll slow down, pull over and switch on the hazard lights for you.

Fun and games aside, the big surprise for me was just how useful the autopilot really was. You can feel a little more confident in turning (some of) your attention to changing the music, checking progress on the GPS, or chatting with your passengers, without feeling as compromised while your hands rest gently on the wheel. Again, ideal for travelling with work mates when you need to talk shop.

Overall, it’s great to see the ACT Government’s approach to renewable energy actually translating to new and innovative businesses being set up in the Canberra region.

Given our ongoing focus, and the presence of several useful local charge points, it seems a no-brainer that ACT public servants and businesspeople would look first to hiring an electric vehicle for those relatively short commutes, before defaulting to flying (and all the fuss of navigating security and managing luggage that it entails.)

And if doing so gives you the chance to enjoy the thrill of driving a $140K Tesla, then it’s a win-win in my books.

TeslaRoadtripDecWeb-15

What do you think? Would you forgo the speed of a flight for a drive to Sydney in a Tesla? Is this an option you can see your employer or company taking up?

Photography by Samuel Broomy, @samuelbroombyphotographer on Instagram or www.samuelbroomby.com

Join the conversation

12
All Comments
  • All Comments
  • Website Comments
LatestOldest
ChrisinTurner7:30 am 17 Mar 17

You only got to Goulburn before having to recharge taking 50 minutes?

Jane Speechley said :

Acton said :

I think you write the most interesting and informative articles on this forum. It sounds like a wonderful car to drive and I’m sure it turned a few heads. However…..

“To take our near-empty battery up to around 80% took about 50 minutes.”

That is just too long considering it takes just 5-10 minutes to fill up a tank of petrol.

How long does it take, or how many kilometres would you drive, before the battery goes from 100-10%? Presumably more hills mean more battery usage.

How much does it cost to recharge a battery from 10-100%?

Currently it seems like one would have to very carefully plan a trip to ensure the battery lasts from one recharge point to another and that would also rule out side trips to interesting places without nearby recharge points.

Thanks for your kind words, Acton!

You can actually easily get to Sydney from Canberra without having to stop and recharge. We had just already pushed our luck a little too much, and also wanted the full owner experience of drive-charge-drive.

With the ‘stop revive survive’ message in mind too, it’s a good excuse for a decent break on a long trip.

I think charging will always take a little more time that filing up with petrol – but keep in mind that, at least for the moment and at Tesla Superchargers – it’s free! (some private charger operators will charge a fee for use ..)

When the batteries are no longer new, will you still be able to get from Canberra to Sydney without charging? Batteries age, even though they are still working. An example; my electric toothbrush when new went for two weeks between charging; now it’s done to one week. That is a problem with batteries.

Futureproof said :

As with most things green. it is too expensive for the common man. Hiring one – OK, but to buy one, well the North side of $150k is not cheap.

Any car with comparable features – like the higher end of the BMW 5 series range for instance – is also too expensive for the common man. This car is designed to be a practical showcase of what can be achieved with electric vehicles. It’s not designed to be affordable to everyone. Lower-spec EVs will be available for people with a smaller budget. The model S is for people who would be considering a Mercedes, a BMW, an Audi, etc.

Jane Speechley10:02 pm 13 Mar 17

Acton said :

I think you write the most interesting and informative articles on this forum. It sounds like a wonderful car to drive and I’m sure it turned a few heads. However…..

“To take our near-empty battery up to around 80% took about 50 minutes.”

That is just too long considering it takes just 5-10 minutes to fill up a tank of petrol.

How long does it take, or how many kilometres would you drive, before the battery goes from 100-10%? Presumably more hills mean more battery usage.

How much does it cost to recharge a battery from 10-100%?

Currently it seems like one would have to very carefully plan a trip to ensure the battery lasts from one recharge point to another and that would also rule out side trips to interesting places without nearby recharge points.

Thanks for your kind words, Acton!

You can actually easily get to Sydney from Canberra without having to stop and recharge. We had just already pushed our luck a little too much, and also wanted the full owner experience of drive-charge-drive.

With the ‘stop revive survive’ message in mind too, it’s a good excuse for a decent break on a long trip.

I think charging will always take a little more time that filing up with petrol – but keep in mind that, at least for the moment and at Tesla Superchargers – it’s free! (some private charger operators will charge a fee for use ..)

octagonalman5:04 pm 13 Mar 17

Elias Hallaj (aka CBRFoodie) said :

This is revolutionary. Once Eeveh or Tesla build an app where you can pay a uni student $40 to deliver this car to your door and pick it up at the end of the weekend, the convenience alone (compared to flying between Sydney and Canberra for the weekend) will push demand through the roof. Millennials (many who don’t own a car) and families who are looking for an excuse to rid themselves of their second or third cars will love it. It’s already competitive priced for two people flying between Sydney and Canberra and will only get cheaper over time.

Wouldn’t those families just use their first or second cars to get between Canberra and Sydney?

Like @Acton, I feel as though the recharge process will present scheduling difficulties which eat into the average speed or time for activities. When you’re driving you’ll still be getting stuck into Sydney traffic. Especially for daytrips, perhaps consider burning dinosaur juice to Campbelltown and switch for electric train if your destination is served well by the train network.

Serina Huang9:57 pm 11 Mar 17

I’m really fascinated by this …

I think you write the most interesting and informative articles on this forum. It sounds like a wonderful car to drive and I’m sure it turned a few heads. However…..

“To take our near-empty battery up to around 80% took about 50 minutes.”

That is just too long considering it takes just 5-10 minutes to fill up a tank of petrol.

How long does it take, or how many kilometres would you drive, before the battery goes from 100-10%? Presumably more hills mean more battery usage.

How much does it cost to recharge a battery from 10-100%?

Currently it seems like one would have to very carefully plan a trip to ensure the battery lasts from one recharge point to another and that would also rule out side trips to interesting places without nearby recharge points.

Jane Speechley said :

Of course, over time, the price of electric vehicles will continue to come down. And the new Tesla 3 coming out next year is going to be the most affordable option yet. expected to retail here for around the $60K-$70K mark.

I’d have one in a heartbeat, but I just find it ironic that the push for greeness can only be achieved with a fat wallet

Jane Speechley12:48 pm 11 Mar 17

Futureproof said :

As with most things green. it is too expensive for the common man. Hiring one – OK, but to buy one, well the North side of $150k is not cheap.

Good point, Futureproof. I think that’s why the option is hiring one is so exciting – it means those of us who’ll never have $150K to splash on a car can have the experience just the same.

Of course, over time, the price of electric vehicles will continue to come down. And the new Tesla 3 coming out next year is going to be the most affordable option yet. expected to retail here for around the $60K-$70K mark.

Eveeh, the company that owns this car, is also currently taking expressions of interest in a new exclusively-electric, ride-sharing program – part of the aim of which is to help offset the costs for those who have invested in an electric vehicle. If you’re interested, you should definitely get in touch with Slava!

John Thistleton12:09 pm 11 Mar 17

Love the idea of people coming into the leafy heart of Goulburn for a re-charge. Roses Cafe is an even shorter walk from the Telsa charging points than the famous Paragon.

Elias Hallaj (aka CBRFoodie)11:41 am 11 Mar 17

This is revolutionary. Once Eeveh or Tesla build an app where you can pay a uni student $40 to deliver this car to your door and pick it up at the end of the weekend, the convenience alone (compared to flying between Sydney and Canberra for the weekend) will push demand through the roof. Millennials (many who don’t own a car) and families who are looking for an excuse to rid themselves of their second or third cars will love it. It’s already competitive priced for two people flying between Sydney and Canberra and will only get cheaper over time.

As with most things green. it is too expensive for the common man. Hiring one – OK, but to buy one, well the North side of $150k is not cheap.

Daily Digest

Want the best Canberra news delivered daily? Every day we package the most popular Riotact stories and send them straight to your inbox. Sign-up now for trusted local news that will never be behind a paywall.

By submitting your email address you are agreeing to Region Group's terms and conditions and privacy policy.