S85 Owners: Do you wish you had bought S60 instead

[EarlyAdopter]

I think it can be summed up as the following.

Number of people who bought a 60 and end up wishing they got an 85: some.

Number of people who bought an 85 and end up wishing they got a 60: none.

 

[woof]

When I put my deposit down, oh so long ago, I was sure we would get the 40 kWh pack as the others were even more expensive and even at 40 kWh this would be the most expensive car we ever got. Then when it finally became time to order we were told the 40 wouldn't be available for a long long time, so we ordered the 60 kWh. Then came the great SuperCharger enablement announcement which meant moving up to the 85 kW for just a bit more (as SuperCharging was pre-enabled on the 85 kWh.) So we spent even way more than we ever considered on the 85 kWh pack.

Even after all that, in no way do we regret it at all. The larger pack plus the SuperCharging network has made the Model S our every day car, even for long distance trips. Not once have we regretted having the larger pack, nor have we regretted spending extra for it.

 

[artsci]

You're kidding, right? Except for the cost difference is there any other reason? I don't think so.

 

[SCW-Greg]

I have a standard 85, and, I have never SuperCharged to date. The reason I bought the larger pack is for longer life, the pack may lose %20 of it's range over 5-7 years, mine was originally 265 miles, I am already down to 254 miles with a full charge at age 11 months, that's a little over %4 loss so far. Even with a %20 loss of range (265 * .80), I'll still have around a 212 mile range in 7 years or so, and that will be enough for anything I need to do. If you start with the 60 (205 mile), figure what a %20 loss of range will look like in 7 years (164 miles).. That's the main reason I went with the bigger pack... That and the cross country SuperChargers are really being designed for the 85 pack initially, 60s won't really be able to drive cross country for several years, if ever. Even though I haven't used SuperChargers, I just went on a trip to Cleveland, OH, had to rent an ICE for now.., eventually that route will be covered by SC's

P.S. I second Mario's post above as well, Winter use in New England in cold temperatures uses a lot of power for pack heating and heating the cabin, another reason to go with the larger pack.

Extensive testing is showing the batteries are holding up much better than that, at least with the Roadster. Evidence indicates even with daily driving consuming 80% charge that the batteries should last 10 years with (perhaps) a 20% drop. Also keep in mind, with several of the OS updates, TM has been refining how the pack is measured. Combine that with the occasional rebalancing the pack needs, low temperatures in the Winter... means we don't have any real measurement on true degradation for the Model S yet.

Plug In America Forecasts 10-Year Lifespan For Tesla Roadster Battery

Back on topic: Wish I had the price of a 40kWh, but the range I have with my 85. No regret on getting the 85kWh pack. Wish I could afford the P85+.
I'm with EarlyAdopter's assessment.

 

[cmorn]

Originally ordered S85 switched to P85. two years ago I thought I would order a 40. However with superchargers, only an 85 should be considered. I commute 3 miles each way - 10k per year. P85 for me. Loving it, just passed 1200 miles.

 

[qwk]

I think some comments are a little exaggerated and are people defending their purchase. I personally don't think the upgraded warranty alone is worth $10K for example. (Would you really have paid $10k for it if it was an option?)

They are only exaggerated if your pack is fine. $45k is a lot of coin to drop on a non-warranty repair. 8 years is a long time to accumulate mileage, especially in a drivers car like the model S. To sum it up, look at the cost of the roadster exteded battery warranty, and tell me if you would rather do that, or pay $10k for supercharging ability, 60-70 extra miles range added to your car, an 8 year no mileage restriction warranty, and now better tires. It's a no brainer.

 

[Puyallup Bill]

Two years of driving the limited range LEAF and the fact that we would no longer have an ICE vehicle made the 85 kWh battery and dual chargers a no brainer. Never gave the 60 a second thought.

 

[arondaniel]

So here's a minority opinion in support of 60kwh:

* With 60kwh, you get better energy efficiency, about ~8%.

* The cost per additional mile on the 85kwh is pretty steep at ~175$ (from ~208 to ~265 miles). (~140$ if you buy supercharging on the 60).

* With the 85kwh you have to drive > 170/200 miles to access its increased range. (~170 to get past a 60kwh theoretical "no battery degradation" threshold, ~200 to get past the 60kwh max range.) IMO, that reduces its practical value because I don't drive that much or assign much value to always having ~100 miles of extra range available.

Despite information to the contrary (60kw upgrade to 85kw, Was told by multiple Tesla Sources not possible at this time.) I believe it will be possible to upgrade when the time comes. Why?

* The batteries on our cars are consumables and they will *ALL* need to be replaced eventually.

* Currently we have a limited battery supply and lower profit margins on the 60kwh. There is no reason for Tesla to sell me a 85kwh pack or encourage others to choose the 60kwh over the 85kwh. That will not be the case 8 years from now with battery Giga-factory in place and Gen III in full swing.

* I can't believe that a company that sells you a car with wireless software updates and Supercharging hardware -- just in case you choose to upgrade -- will make that very same car unable to accept a larger capacity battery pack. Makes no sense.

-Aron

 

[CalDreamin]

S85 here. 12K miles since I took delivery less than 6 months ago. I've made several road trips, which in total included 10 stops at Tesla Superchargers, an overnight range charge at an RV Park, and J1772 charging at hotels. The 85 kWh battery was/is definitely the right purchase for me, no regrets.

 

[jerry33]

Had there been a 125, I would have gotten that. However, the 85 will be fine once the Supercharger network is built out.

 

[tomas]

In a word, no.

No disrespect to 60s, I'm sure you had your reasons and you also should not regret.

 

[mitch672]

Extensive testing is showing the batteries are holding up much better than that, at least with the Roadster. Evidence indicates even with daily driving consuming 80% charge that the batteries should last 10 years with (perhaps) a 20% drop. Also keep in mind, with several of the OS updates, TM has been refining how the pack is measured. Combine that with the occasional rebalancing the pack needs, low temperatures in the Winter... means we don't have any real measurement on true degradation for the Model S yet.

Plug In America Forecasts 10-Year Lifespan For Tesla Roadster Battery

Back on topic: Wish I had the price of a 40kWh, but the range I have with my 85. No regret on getting the 85kWh pack. Wish I could afford the P85+.
I'm with EarlyAdopter's assessment.

I disagree. Early Adopters like Cinergi (Ben) are already seeing significant battery pack degradation. It's an unknown, and the design of the Model S and Roadster packs are vastly different, and you can't say because the Roadster packs are seeing little degradation, the Model S will be the same, they will not be.

 

[AlMc]

Same question/thread over on the TM forum: Same answer from me in both places. There is no bad configurations on the model S. This is a great vehicle whether you choose a 60 or 85.
However, I have seen/heard from several people who wish they had gotten an 85 who have a 60. I have never seen/heard of anyone with an 85 wishing they got a 60.

No offense intended for anyone with a 60 (or 40).

 

[B.TSLA]

my cars inability to charge to 265 any more, I cannot realistically make that day trip. As such I do wonder if I should have gone with a 60 and just kept it for my around town driving.

Hi Dave

A few questions
1) how long have you had your car?
2) What is your maximum charging capacity now?
3) How many time have you charged at the max capacity?

Thanks in advance!

 

[austinEV]

I got a P85, even though I typically drive about 30 miles a day. But, we occasionally drive from Austin to Dallas/Ft Worth (SC in Waco). The extra range gives you options... you can start out with less than a full SOC, like the time we had to drive around doing a bunch of errands before we headed to Waco. Then you can stop for less time, handy when the family is crabby and the Collin Street bakery is closed. (Sunday hours are brutal, FYI, 10am to 7pm) Or when you get to the relatives' house in DFW you don't have to insist on them moving out of their own garage to plug into the dryer outlet that night (a quick plug into an external 110 outlet gets you a little bit overnight.).

If you want to think of your Model S as your ordinary, daily driver to skeptical family it is best if you don't show up in a range panic every time.

Options...

 

[SFOTurtle]

How many 60 v. 85 threads do we really need? There are probably a half dozen threads going through the exact same question. If you search, you'll probably pull up a few hundred posts that basically go through the same mental process, with most people telling you to get an 85 and a few 60 owners who say they are perfectly happy satisfied with their decisions.

 

[MarkR]

I've got no regrets about getting the 85. I like having options and the 85 opens things up. At some point both the 60 and 85 batteries will degrade and want to extend the useful life of my car. Most of my driving is around town, but I don't ever want to feel limited by my car. The supercharger network will soon allow travel from Arizona to SoCal, but I still want to have the energy to drive around once I get there.

 

[TsRocket]

If you want to road trip, do the 85.

 

[Robert.Boston]

In New England, a 60kWh gets you there; an 85kWh gets you home. As the charging infrastructure becomes more robust, the 85kWh may be overkill, but until then, I view it as a necessity if you drive distances.

 

[breading]

If you want to road trip, do the 85.

I agree. I have a daily 30 mile round trip commute so I reserved planning to get a 40. Then, option creep set in and I am now the vey happy owner of a P85.

Not long after taking delivery we took a road trip from Kansas City to Indianapolis. This wouldn't have been possible with a 60. I've also driven from KC to Wichita and Springfield, MO. I loved being able to make these trips in my Model S.

Anxiously awaiting superchargers in the neglected middle of the country.

No regrets.