I drove a friend's the other day. I liked and and disliked it at the same time. I was very impressed by the tech stuff like the camera system and all the automated safety features. I was really not a fan of the feeling of the drive. It felt like riding on an electric monorail train (like BART in the bay area if you've ever ridden it), and the lack of shifts was very foreign. I would have a hard time adjusting to this. I must admit the car is definitely quick, but there's something about it that is not fun at all. Basically all modern cars have a lot of nanny features and are not visceral like driving an loud, older car with no traction control etc. The driving experience felt like driving a very fast golf cart, especially the auto-deceleration you feel if you let off the gas pedal. Stopping without hitting the brake pedal is exceptionally weird.

It actually has made me appreciate my car more. .

 

Yeah I felt the same when I drove my cousin's Model 3 over the weekend. Cool tech and neck-snapping acceleration but seems like a on trick pony to me.

 

the wife's daily is a BMW i3, at the beginning it felt odd but it's been my go to when it's available. One foot driving, no frequent trips to the gas station (it's the REX model with range extender and 2 gallons of gas), and instant torque makes local errands a blast. If my GS didn't have sentimental value, I would have sold it for another electric, they make practical sense as a daily.

 

I've driven all of the Tesla models except the X. I'm personally a huge fan of the driving experience and I like the lack of sound, lack of throttle delay, and lack of feeling the transmission shift. I also love the idea of a car not having to "warm up" to experience optimal driving conditions (not that it gets cold here in FL, but you know what I mean). I don't love the lack of interior luxury but I would likely sacrifice on that for the driving experience plus the unbelievable concept that the car will actually get better over time due to improvements in the software. I have friends that have owned their Tesla for 3+ years and they all comment on this.

 

You have to live with it for a bit to appreciate what it brings. Once you live with 1-pedal driving for awhile, the regular auto experience feels quite out-dated. You also get use to the speed pretty quick and going back to driving ICEs with transmissions feels like going back in time. I don't miss the sensation of shifting and not being in peak powerband at all.

 

I, like many on here, own a Tesla. Also, you experience is not limited to just Tesla, I would say what you experienced was that of any EV. Like kietlander said above, you get used to the one foot driving pretty quickly and you come to really like it over time. When I test drove a Model 3 Performance I didn't like it because I wasn't used to it and it kind of gave me a headache on the test drive. When you actually drive it more, it makes daily driving much better.

I just replied to another thread where I shared my thoughts on EV vs. ICE vehicles so I just copied and pasted it below:

While I love my Tesla for what it does and how it drives on a daily basis, especially the instant torque and how effortlessly it gets up to speed, I had my GTR out a couple times this weekend for the first time in months because of the crappy weather we've had and it just felt much more special and enjoyable to me. I know that it isn't really fair to compare a sports car to my Tesla but the exhaust sound, handling and rawness of the car was just more enjoyable to me for "taking it out for a drive just because." While it is waaaay slower than my Tesla, it just felt awesome taking it out for a drive.

While I've only had my EV for a couple months, I think I liked driving my ICE car so much because it felt primitive and nostalgic because it felt so different than what I was driving everyday. It felt so "old school" that it was cool. EVs just feel more futuristic and modern in comparison.

 

I went from 30 years of driving ICE to EV and loved the transition immediately. Definitely a different experience, but I love that instant smooth as silk torque, immediate ZERO wait for power and quiet cruise at 80 mph. I'll never buy a new ICE again in my life

 

I had a heavily modified, loud, hard suspension Lexus GS400 - owned it from 2002 to 2020. One or the best cars I've ever owned - the reliability, fun (after the countless modifications), the loud burbly exhaust (also modified) was just heaven to me.

In 2016 I drove a Tesla Model S 75D and after 10 mins I could not believe how I made a complete 180 degree to being absolutely smitten with the car - the buttery smooth, relentless, never ending thrust that facilitates lightning fast changes of speed and lane changes, one pedal driving (got used to that in less than 10 mins), no noise, no waiting for gear changes or the engine to spool to its optimal power curve.... I can go on all day...... That day I vowed to own one in the future.

Finally was able to afford one 2.5 years ago. Sold the GS and a 4Runner. Haven't looked back ever.

I've driven a Model 3 and X. Not a fan of either (3 feels small and a tad too basic, X just felt too overwrought - especially the Falcon wing doors.

I can never go back to owning an ICE car unless I win the lottery, then I'd get a 911 GTS.

 

The funny thing is, in the Bay area people drive their Tesla's annoyingly slow, doesn't matter what model. 60 mph on the freeway, 20 mph on the road. I'm just as annoyed by Tesla drivers as I am with Prius drivers...at least in the Bay Area

 

Most Tesla drivers try to get efficiency so they drive moderately. If you see the Dual Motor with red underline, those tend to hoon their vehicles pretty regularly or else they wouldn't have gotten the Performance model. Most other EV drivers don't drive them any different than a regular ICE.

 

Yeah, don't get behind an EV driver here going downhill. They try to get as much regen as they can, which means getting stuck behind them is a pain in the you know what. I admit that if I'm on a road with a steep downgrade, if no one is behind me I will try to regenerate as much power as I can, but if I see someone coming from behind I book it

 

You get used to the Tesla driving experience very quickly. As EZZ posted, traditional cars seem outdated is many ways.
After driving the Model 3 with its minimalist interior, high tech and voice controls, the Lexus GS and RX seem overly complicated and confusing.

Driving a Tesla, warts and all, is driving the future.

 

I've driven every model and enjoyed the drive in each, although the Model Y's suspension is a bit too firm. I just abhor their interior designs so they're a no-go for me. I love the EV driving experience overall though.

 

Regen is wasting energy. Braking is wasting way more, but coasting wastes nothing. You don't want to use regen for max efficiency.

 

EV engineers would disagree,