Tesla’s Model 3 compact sports sedan is the company’s first attempt at a mass-market electric car.
It aims to compete with the Audi A4 and BMW 3 series. But unlike those cars, the Model 3 doesn’t consume a single drop of fuel.
It’s also been subjected to one pathetic setback after another.
It’s a complete joke if you ask me. And Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) has been taking the heat for it, too.
Hype has surrounded the car ever since it was announced back in 2015. But since then, it’s had one pushed back deadline after another.
I know that we’ve talked about Tesla and its production woes many times.
But the most recent blow came after Consumer Reports (CR) refused to grant the Model 3 its much sought-after recommendation.
Despite the Model 3’s record range per charge and agile handling, severe issues with its brakes, distracting controls, and poor ride quality have hurt its overall score with the outlet.
During the tests, CR found plenty to like about the luxury compact sedan, which starts at $35,000 but goes all the way up to $78,000. That includes its record-setting range per charge and its exhilarating acceleration and handling.
But the testers found flaws — big flaws. They included insanely long stopping distances in the emergency braking test and distracting controls that take the driver’s eyes away from the road for too long.
These specific problems kept the Model 3 from earning CR’s recommendation.
The Model 3’s stopping distance of 152 feet from 60 miles per hour was far worse than any contemporary car that CR had ever tested.
To put it into perspective, the Model 3’s stopping distance was about 7 ft. longer than the average stopping distance of a full-sized Ford F-150 pickup truck.
Yikes, that’s pretty bad. It’s not like your emergency brake is important or anything…
After the release of the test results, a Tesla spokesperson told CR that the company’s own tests had found stopping distances from 60 mph. to be an average of 133 ft.
The automaker also noted that stopping distance results are affected by variables such as road surface, weather conditions, tire temperature, brake conditioning, outside temperature, and past driving behavior.
Monday night, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said in a series of tweets the braking issue that CR identified could be fixed with a firmware update. He added that this update would be rolled out “in a few days.”
Musk went on to say, “With further refinement, we can improve braking distance beyond initial specs.”
As its name implies, CR‘s braking test is meant to determine how a vehicle performs in an emergency situation.
The test is based on an industry-wide standard procedure designed by SAE International, a global engineering association.
In its tests, the testers accelerate the car — in this case, the Model 3 — to 60 mph., and they then slam on the brakes until the vehicle comes to a complete stop. They then repeat this many times to ensure consistent results.
And between each test, the vehicle is driven approximately a mile to cool the brakes and ensure that they don’t overheat.
The test is done on CR‘s 327-acre test facility on surfaces that are dedicated to braking and are monitored for consistent friction.
“Before each test, we make sure the brake pads and tires have been properly conditioned,” says Jake Fisher, director of auto testing at CR. “We’ve conducted it on more than 500 vehicles, and we are always looking for consistent, repeatable results.”
Because of some minor inconsistencies in the test results, CR obtained a second Model 3 to verify its results. It has tested second samples before in the past to double-check its findings.
When the second Model 3 was tested, CR’s new results were almost identical results to the first.
CR’s experience with Model 3’s braking isn’t unique. Car and Driver in its published test of the vehicle noticed “a bizarre amount of variation.” This included one stop from 70 mph. that took “an interminable 196 feet.”
“I’ve been testing cars for 11 years,” Car and Driver Testing Director K.C. Colwell said in an interview with CR. “And in 11 years, no car has stood out with inconsistent braking like this. Some trucks have… It was just weird.”
Another major factor that compromised the Model 3’s road test score was its controls. The car places almost all of its controls and displays on a center touch screen, with no gauges on the dash and a few buttons inside the car.
This layout forces the driver to take many steps to complete simple tasks. Not to mention, it forces them to remove their eyes from the road for long periods of time. The CR testers found that everything from adjusting the mirrors to changing the direction of airflow within the cabin required using the touch screen.
The Model 3’s stiff ride, unsupportive rear seat, and excess wind noise at highway speeds also hurt its road test score. In the compact luxury sedan class, most competitors deliver a far more comfortable ride and rear seat.
The performance and ergonomic problems were a serious downside to an otherwise impressive performance sedan.
CR said last Tuesday that it would retest the braking distance on the Model 3 after Tesla’s promised software update. But the potential hit to sales from the magazine’s negative review has already weighed heavily on Tesla’s stock.
Shares of Tesla are down by more than $100 per share since September 2017 and fell an additional 3.5% to $274.67 on Tuesday.
The disappointing braking reports might not deter the most die-hard Tesla fans. But it’s definitely raised considerable doubts among the more casual buyers.
And the more casual buyers were the entire driving force behind creating the mass-produced Model 3 in the first place.
Not a good sign, Tesla — not a good sign.
That’s all for now.
Until next time,
John Peterson
Pro Trader Today