Lifestyle

What happens when a Tesla races on a track that has no electricity?

Published

11 years ago

April 24, 2014

This was the ultimate test – taking our 48 Tesla to a race event that was so remote that it had no electricity. The track is Chuckwalla Valley Raceway on the border of CA and AZ. The track had no electricity so as one might imagine our main goal of the event was to survive.

The Circuit

Chuckwalla Valley Raceway is a recently built track that’s 2.68 miles long with 17 corners of different configurations. Every apex is marked with a cone which we found very helpful on late apex corners. This is the least EV friendly track we’ve been to due to the simple fact that the track is in such a remote location and far removed from any sort of electric vehicle charger.

The Tesla Model S

The Model S handles this track quite well since most of the turns are flat with no banking. Straightaways are fairly short but with enough room for passing. Power limitation is still an issue and limits acceleration after two laps.

Also see: The Tesla Racing Series

The Fun

Our very favorite part of the track was the 180 degree turn #13 that has a 10 degree bank. It’s similar to Fontana’s turn #1 and we found it to be a good part of the track to practice on since there’s no retaining wall to crash into if you do happen to make a mistake.

The R1 tires provided just enough tire grip and allows for a slight drift around the corners. The traction and stability controls could not catch it so and it made for the most fun driving experience.

If you are coming from the south, we highly recommend taking CA route 74. It’s a small road that winds through the mountains and provides a breathtaking view from a 3000 foot elevation.

Charging and Power Consumption

The track consumed approximately 13 miles of rated range per lap, or 3 miles of rated range per actual mile. A 6-lap session cost approx. 75 rated miles. Power consumption was approx. 780 wh/mile.
The track does not have electricity, which makes it very challenging for an electric car to say the least.

The closest RV park nearby is called Green Acres and they have a 240V 50Amp NEMA 14-50 outlet which the owner was kind enough to let us use. It’s 4 miles between Green Acres and the track and we needed to make 5 round trip journeys between the 2 places.

The location is remote with limited charging options around. The nearest supercharger at Quartzsite, AZ is 75 miles away, and because the last leg of the trip is over a mountain, you need to have at least 100 miles of rated range to account for the unforeseen.

We were only able to complete about 15-20 laps over 3 sessions and spent 2.5 hours recharging after the last session. We needed to ensure that we had enough juice to reach the next Tesla Supercharger station.

By the Numbers

Track Length: 2.68 miles
Top Speed: 104 mph
Run Group: Purple (Solid Intermediate) with “Speed Ventures”
Best Lap Time (only one session available): 2:20 (for comparison, the fastest car in the class was 2:08 and the slowest – 2:27)

Lifestyle

Tesla owner highlights underrated benefit of FSD Supervised

Published

1 month ago

January 31, 2025

Simon Alvarez

Credit: Tesla

Elon Musk has been pretty open about the idea of FSD being the difference maker for Tesla’s future.

If Tesla succeeds in achieving FSD, it could become the world’s most valuable company. If it doesn’t, then the company would not be able to reach its optimum potential.

FSD Supervised’s safety benefits:

But even if FSD is still not perfect today, FSD Supervised is already making a difference on the roads today.
This was highlighted in Tesla’s Q4 2024 Vehicle Safety Report.
As per Tesla, it recorded one crash for every 5.94 million miles driven in which drivers were using Autopilot technology.
For comparison, the most recent data available from the NHTSA and FHWA (from 2023) showed that there was one automobile crash every 702,000 miles in the United States.

This morning, Tesla FSD proved to be an absolute godsend. I had to take my brother-in-law to the hospital in Sugar Land, TX, which is 40 miles away, at the ungodly hour of 4 AM. Both of us were exhausted, and he was understandably anxious about the surgery.

The convenience of…
— JC Christopher (@JohnChr08117285) January 29, 2025

FSD user’s tale:

As per an FSD user’s post on social media platform X, FSD Supervised was able to help him drive a relative to a medical facility safely even if he was exhausted.
During the trip, the driver only had to monitor FSD Supervised’s performance to make sure the Tesla operated safely.
In a vehicle without FSD, such a trip with an exhausted driver would have been quite dangerous.
“This morning, Tesla FSD proved to be an absolute godsend. I had to take my brother-in-law to the hospital in Sugar Land, TX, which is 40 miles away, at the ungodly hour of 4 AM. Both of us were exhausted, and he was understandably anxious about the surgery.
“The convenience of sending the hospital’s address directly from my iPhone to my Tesla while still inside my house, then just a single button press once inside, and 40 miles later we were precisely in front of the hospital’s admissions area.This experience really underscores just how transformative this technology can be for society,” Tesla owner JC Christopher noted in his post.

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

Lifestyle

Tesla Optimus “stars” in incredible fanmade action short film

Published

2 months ago

January 14, 2025

Simon Alvarez

Credit: @SoKrispyMedia/YouTube

There are few things that prove an enthusiast’s love towards a company more than a dedicated short film. This was highlighted recently when YouTube’s SoKrispyMedia posted a 10-minute action movie starring Optimus, Tesla’s humanoid robot, as well as several of the company’s most iconic products.

The video:

Shot like a Hollywood action flick, the video featured a rather humorous plot involving a group of thieves that mistakenly targeted a Tesla Model 3 driver.
The Model 3 driver then ended up speaking to Tesla for assistance, and some high-octane and high-speed hijinks ensued.
While the short film featured several Tesla products like the Model 3, Superchargers, and the Cybertruck, it is Optimus that truly stole the show.
Optimus served several roles in the short film, from an assistant in a Tesla office to a “robocop” enforcer that helped out the Model 3 driver.

Future Robo-cop @Tesla_Optimus

full video: https://t.co/TXpSRhcP5K pic.twitter.com/YFHZ7siAP7
— SOKRISPYMEDIA (@sokrispymedia) January 12, 2025

Cool inside jokes:

The best Tesla videos are those that show an in-depth knowledge of the company, and SoKrispyMedia definitely had it.
From the opening scenes alone, the video immediately poked fun at TSLA traders, the large number of gray Tesla owners, and the fact that many still do not understand Superchargers.
The video even poked fun at Tesla’s software updates, as well as how some Tesla drivers use Autopilot or other features without reading the fine print in the company’s release notes.
The video ended with a tour de force of references to Elon Musk products, from the Tesla Cybertruck to the Boring Company Not-a-Flamethrower, which was released back in 2018.

Check out SoKrispyMedia’s Tesla action short film in the video below.

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

Lifestyle

Tesla releases Cybertruck metal key card—because why not?

Published

2 months ago

December 31, 2024

Simon Alvarez

Credit: Tesla Shop

Tesla definitely seems to be determined to release the coolest lineup of accessories for its coolest vehicle. As could be seen in an update to the Tesla Shop, the electric vehicle maker has now launched a metal key card for the Cybertruck—because why not?

Cybertruck keys:

The Cybertruck, similar to Tesla’s other vehicles, is shipped with a regular key card.
The vehicle could also be accessed and locked through a phone key.
As per the Cybertruck’s Owner’s Manual, the all-electric pickup truck is capable of supporting a total of 19 keys.

The Cybertruck’s Metal Key Card:

Tesla’s Cybertruck Metal Key Card functions much like the vehicle’s regular key card, but it is finished using premium stainless steel
As per Tesla’s description of the item:
“Convenient, durable, versatile. The Cybertruck Metal Key Card is a premium stainless-steel alternative to our traditional plastic key cards, making it easy to access your Cybertruck without your Phone Key. Ideal for when your phone is unavailable or when sharing your vehicle with a friend or valet.”
The Cybertruck Metal Key Card costs $60.
In comparison, the Cybertruck’s regular key card is sold for $40.
The Cybertruck Metal Key Card comes with the metal key card itself, as well as a bifold key card wallet.

Tesla Cybertruck merch push:

Being the company’s most eye-catching vehicle, it is no surprise that that Tesla has been releasing quite a lot of merchandise inspired by the all-electric pickup truck.
These include a $250 levitating Cybertruck model, as well as a $35 Cybertruck wind-up racer, both of which are out of stock.
Tesla also sells the $35 “CyberMug,” a $40 “CyberStein,” and a $50 “CyberVessel.”
Other Cybertruck-inspired merchandise are the $60 Cyberwhistle Stealth, and the $50 CyberOpener.