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hiroshiy

Active Member
Moderator
Not sure how to create sub-forum for Japan so this makes a thread for Japan residents! I made a reservation for Sig P85 RHD so it will be delivered late this year (hopefully!). Let's discuss parking issues (width), toll collection (ETC) and charging spots.

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I've got a phone call from Tesla Aoyama (in the center of Tokyo) that they will start accepting test drives of Model S (for 30 minutes) from this week! I made a test drive reservation on the next Sunday and will check the car fits my condo's mechanical parking. Yes, in Tokyo, many parking systems in buildings are mechanical. My parking at the office is also mechanical, so I plan to move the parking where I can setup my HPWC connection there and to charge while I'm working at the office.
 
Parking spaces in Tokoyo tend to be very, very narrow. TMC needs to make the mirrors fold which would help a lot in tight parking places. I believe my MS is actually 2" wider than my Mercedes S550. Fortunately Tesla mirrors are very forgiving as I have already hit both the left and right mirrors driving into my garage with no damage.
 
This is awesome! I'm sure the Model S will be a hit in Japan, though the parking spaces are very narrow there. I drive in Waikiki everyday, so I'm doing what I can to generate interest in the Model S to the Japanese tourists :wink:
 
@spleen: Thanks. I'm not sure the "test drive car" is RHD alreday though :)

@Elshout: I agree... wait, the mirrors doesn't fold electronically??? so I'll need to fold them manually then. Unfold both sides when I leave home, fold driver side when I arrive at the office parking (for courtesy), etc...
The width problem of Tesla Model S is that tire to tire it's 194cm wide (76.4"). Japanese mechanical parkings usually have steel ribs to guide tires, so if the parking tray's rib width is narrower than 194cm, you can't park MS there or if you're lucky you get rim rash :)
Photos of mechanical parking: http://twd.ac/Zugio5
How they work: http://www.iuk.co.jp/parking/
# Click on the left side menu to see various types
My current car is also similar in size with S550 but at 190cm, MS is 4cm (1.6") wider!!

@StephenM: Thanks! Everybody will be *interested* as gas prices are high here and highways already have rapid charging stations, each every 50-70km apart. These charging stations are CHAdeMO standard, which Tesla will provide an adapter. I heard CHAdeMO has max 50-60kw so I hope Tesla also press CHAdeMO to offer 90kw version of the standard.
My ICE car runs about 4km/l (9.4MPG) in Metro Tokyo area and I have to pay $140 per tank fill once a week :) But as MS is too wide for Japan standard, I doubt it will be popular. In Tokyo, it won't fit typical condo's parking system. One evidence is that you can still reserve RHD Signature model so I guess they have <1K reservations as of now, which is very small.
 
As my condo parking is mechanical I'm looking for a non-mechanical parking near my office. I found one, and called Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) to order a separate electricity contract for my (not yet delivered for another 8 months) car. The parking space is owned by the building owner and I wanted to avoid any confusion about the amount of electricity I'll use. In Japan, in addition to per kwh rate, users need to pay base fixed cost, based on the highest usage during the last 12 months, and the usage is determined in 30-minute intervals... for example if I charge during the peak I'll push the building owner's base rate up.
TEPCO said if I setup CHAdeMO charger they can separate my bill but for HPWC they can't.

I'll find out cheapest CHAdeMO charger to separate the bill. Funny.
 
TMS Sideview Mirror I.jpg
TMS Sideview Mirror II.jpg


Hiroshisan,

Yes, the side view mirrors must be folded manually. I believe you gain almost 100 mm per side when the mirrors are folded. I haven't tried this yet but the backup camera is so good you might be able to use this instead of side view mirrors. I miss my visits to Tokyo, particularily the Yakitori!!!!
 
Hiroshisan,

Agree the mirrors look green-ish but they are silver like the rest of the car. I shot those photos with my iPhone, should have used a better camera. Tried using the Tesla backup camera (which can be turned on full time) rather than relying on the side view mirrors and it works great.
 
Today I test drove the Model S and it didin't fit my home mechanical parking, which can accept Merc S class and other large sedans. I think the parking system is designed to accept S class as the benchmark for the large sedans. The good news is that the MS had 21" tires, and when the Tesla sales guy measured tire-to-tire, 21" had 194cm, whereas 19" had 191cm, thus MS with 19" tires might fit. They'll see whether it's possible to let me test drive 19" as well in the future. FYI the mechanical parking used in my condo is kind of typical large sized, standard mechanical parking system in Japan, so this means 21" MS can't fit most condo's mechanical parkings and office buildings in Tokyo area. That's I personally think is a really bad news for them.
 
Today I test drove the Model S and it didin't fit my home mechanical parking, which can accept Merc S class and other large sedans. I think the parking system is designed to accept S class as the benchmark for the large sedans. The good news is that the MS had 21" tires, and when the Tesla sales guy measured tire-to-tire, 21" had 194cm, whereas 19" had 191cm, thus MS with 19" tires might fit. They'll see whether it's possible to let me test drive 19" as well in the future. FYI the mechanical parking used in my condo is kind of typical large sized, standard mechanical parking system in Japan, so this means 21" MS can't fit most condo's mechanical parkings and office buildings in Tokyo area. That's I personally think is a really bad news for them.
You may need a product like this to protect your rims as well: http://www.alloygator.com/
Related search that uses site keyword to find alloy gator on this site: Google
 
Today I test drove the Model S and it didin't fit my home mechanical parking, which can accept Merc S class and other large sedans. I think the parking system is designed to accept S class as the benchmark for the large sedans. The good news is that the MS had 21" tires, and when the Tesla sales guy measured tire-to-tire, 21" had 194cm, whereas 19" had 191cm, thus MS with 19" tires might fit. They'll see whether it's possible to let me test drive 19" as well in the future. FYI the mechanical parking used in my condo is kind of typical large sized, standard mechanical parking system in Japan, so this means 21" MS can't fit most condo's mechanical parkings and office buildings in Tokyo area. That's I personally think is a really bad news for them.

Wow, that is a big problem. My in-laws are from Saitama, and they were trying to buy a Toyota Supra many years ago, the salesman brought the car to their house parking stall and it would not fit. They ended up getting a BMW 3-series instead. Size will definitely be an issue in Japan for the Model S.
 
@StephenM: Oh, Supra is wide for Japan. 190cm width is the absolute limit but 180cm or less is better. I think MS is on the luxuary side, so a little bit wideness will be accepted though. BMW and Mercedes both make the lower class cars to be compatible with Japanese parking sizes.
@Jkem: Actually MS can't fit most of mechanical parkings so you won't get rim rash :) However there are a lot of coin-operated paid parkings with flaps, and THERE I think many people with MS get rim rash. At such parking you need to step over the flap and park, and you have to avoid the metal box on the side which controls flap movement. After you park the flap automatically rise to block the car until you pay. The box is hard to see and the space is narrow. With MS I think you will step lines on both sides of the car.