Tesla Model S P85+ review, test drive

Driving down the M3 motorway to Southampton, range anxiety set in early. I’m revelling in the Tesla’s instantaneous and shattering performance, which is juicing the battery at a rapid rate. But there’s no need to panic yet. Across the ferry and with a detour to Ryde on the Isle of Wight, we are now just 20km from our hotel and the range left is almost double that. But what kept me calm was the reassurance that the charming Chale Farm Inn, our stop for the day, had an accessible charging point. Once we got there, we are told this is the first time an EV has been charged in this remote part of Britain. According to the on-board computer, it will take a good 15 hours to give me 150 miles of range. To leave the Tesla charging uninterrupted means walking instead of driving to a nearby pub for dinner — a small price to pay for absolutely pollution-free motoring. And it didn’t cost me anything too. Approximately 100 pounds in fuel were saved thanks to free electricity wherever I went. (I did offer a token payment to the hotel for charging my car but the manager refused to take it.)

Now I can’t wait to try out the just-launched all-wheel-drive P85D which gets a more powerful 515kW motor and a stated 0-100kph time of 3.4 seconds. Maybe I’ll take it to Scotland with a few overnight stops — to recharge — on the way. To hell with range anxiety.