What are you driving?
A Tesla X 100D in midnight grey with 22-inch black wheels.
I ordered it in September and it was delivered in November.
I purchased directly through Tesla. They have a vertically integrated supply chain, so sell directly to customers through their website and showrooms.
It wasn’t cheap, but worth it to have zero emissions, best-in-class road safety and innovative technology such as autonomous driving.
Is this your first electric car?
I have rented Teslas in the US but this is the first one I have owned. I am drawn to Elon’s vision for the future of transport. No one else has been able to make electric sexy like Tesla.
In saying that, I am looking forward to the release of the Porsche Mission E. I think this will be the first true Tesla competitor. Had it been available now, I would have considered it.
Where do you charge your Tesla?
At home in my garage every night. It takes about six hours to charge at home, and about an hour at public superchargers — that’s from a fully flat battery.
Because you are charging it every night, the car typically needs only about an hour of charging at the end of a normal day’s driving.
What is your Tesla’s range?
The range is approximately 540km. We have driven the Tesla up to Kerikeri. We charged it overnight at our destination. It comes with a remote charging pack if you want to charge it from a standard AC wall plug.
How does your Tesla suit your personality?
I love technology, particularly the implementation of emerging technology through innovative design to better the planet.
That’s Tesla in a nutshell and I think it’s a perfect reflection of my interests and personality.
Who else drives it?
My fiancee Camille loves driving it. I am counting down the days until she kerbs one of the shiny new wheels.
What do you keep in your car?
My car looks like a clearance sale at Rebel Sport. I always have my gym bag, multiple shoes for different sports, tennis racquets, golf clubs and a yoga mat in case the opportunity arises.
Because there is no combustion engine in front of the driver, a Tesla provides additional storage in the form of a front boot, which is great.
Anything else in your garage?
Our retro pushbikes, useful for heading down to The Pavilion in Mission Bay for Bloody Marys.
Is this your dream EV?
I think so. It’s fast, technology-led, beautiful, has a great sound system and offers a unique and delightful driving experience.
Any drawbacks to having an electric car?
For now the Tesla supercharger network in NZ is immature, so you do need to be careful and plan ahead if you are heading out of town.
What do you listen to when you’re driving?
I love Chance the Rapper, The Black Keys and Drake. My fiancee is Texan, so we listen to a lot of country music.
Is it strange driving such a quiet car?
I got used to it immediately, I love the tranquillity. It’s amazing the noise pollution that we are conditioned to.
Feedback from other people?
The Tesla X’s gull-wing doors get a lot of attention. I am constantly opening and closing these to help strangers create content for their Instagram stories.
The thing that surprises people the most about the driving experience is the front windshield; it’s a massive curved piece of glass that goes back behind the front seats.
When you are driving, you can look up at the sky. It makes you feel like you are outside the car.
Can you see yourself travelling in a driverless car?
Absolutely. Aside from the fact autonomous vehicles will save hundreds of Kiwi lives a year, I believe the ability to safely and passively transport will help people live more enjoyable lives.