Tesla Model 3 battery degradation tuning

[bwilson4web]

Originally Posted by Hersbird

So you are counting the maximum possible depreciation cost by trading in after one year as a cost against the Prius? Are you only allowing the Prius to be used in EV mode? That seems like an unfair use, the whole purpose is to use that 40 mile range 80% or the time but then let the gas kick in when you need longer trips. Otherwise you are hauling around that big engine for no reason.

The Prime EV range was 25 miles, not 40 miles. Worse, we had the car for two years and discovered it was sitting on the driveway as we were using the 72 mile EV range, 2014 BMW i3-REx. In effect, the 2017 Prime was a substantial capital expense that was not returning value.

Originally Posted by Hersbird

I just think in a fair comparison, normal usage, taking in all factors, no way the cost per mile on a model 3 is 1/2 a Prius Prime. Maybe pick something less efficient or more expensive car and you would get there, but a Prius Prime is not a high cost per mile car.

It is what happened to us. Others might get a better return. We didn't because our 2017 Prime was parked while we used the 2014 BMW i3-REx.

Originally Posted by Hersbird

Your Tesla is a $47,000 car, you don't get to reduce it's cost by counting the Prius trade value as some kind of offset. If the Prius was a mistake for you, if anything that cost goes onto the Tesla's cost, not reducing the Tesla cost. If you look at your overall cost per mile over the last 3 years you are basically doing terrible. My $3500 3/4 ton Suburban does better getting 12 mpg.

Our 2019, Std Rng Plus Model 3 cost $41,000 and replacement cost today is $37,990.

Capital has a cost that trading in the Prime salvage value, $18,300 significantly reduced the capital cost of our 2019 Std Rng Plus Model 3, $18.3 / $41 ~= 44.6% down to $41,000 - $18,300 ~= $22,700 for a new Model 3. The Prime cost ~$29,000 in Rhode Island.

We've run the experiment and the Model 3 returns the greatest value. The BMW i3-REx, next, our backup. The Prius Prime least so we traded it in for the Model 3.

Bob Wilson