So many people out there still think they need 400-500 miles range, like a gas car.
Let's use 1:1.5 real:rated, and say 400 rated range, that's 267 miles. If this is your daily (leadfoot) driving, figuring 5x weekly for 52 weeks, that's nearly 70,000 yearly miles - excluding weekends. I thought the average in the US was 12,000. I drive about 24,000 miles a year, charge my 85kWh to 80%, and rarely see below 80 rated remaining.
You might need that kind of range if you can only charge once a week. I guess this would apply to apt/condo dwellers (outside CA?). Sure there will be outliers who regularly drive 400 miles in a day without being near a SC, but I'm sure that's not the case for the vast majority.
People are used to filling up about once a week, and that's what they relate to. Charging daily is not an intuitive concept. You don't fill a gas tank daily because it's inconvenient. Even at 80%, I have about a half of my week's required range available; but I only need today's miles today.
I could have gone with a 60kWh. Some of my reasons for going for the 85 were the warranty and longevity. Long after my range has degraded (15-20 years?) I will still be able to drive the SC highway. (Let's talk replacement cost and range, 20 years from now!)
The 60 has plenty of range for most people, and I almost went with that myself. Let's face it, most of us went out of our comfort zone to purchase a MS, and 85kWh is a luxury most of us can manage very well without.
Honest question for other 85kWh owners: how often do you see below 50 rated miles remaining (from 90%)? If it is rare, then a 60kWh may have been enough for you too - strictly from a range perspective.