Supercharging

Sloppy wet snow clogging

During winter in Oslo, Norway, when we get temperatures around -2 the snow due to salt on the round (called salting), the snow tend to behave like glue. It sticks to the car, specially around the tire-area. Here on my Tesla X, the whole wheelhouse has been filled with snow. This is something I have experienced more on the Tesla then what I did on the BMW X5. Seems like the material in the Tesla wheelhouse has a higher attach factor than on ex. BMW’s. During winter you experience here in Norway that Tesla is more a Summer car than a Winter car :)

Congrats to Elon Musk

An amazing SpaceX launch of their Falcon Heavy. I am impressed!!!!! Seeing the Falcon Heavy take off, see the reflight of the rockets (core rocket ended in the water). But still..So perfectly engineered!!! NASA have been assisting the project, but SpaceX have been innovative by using existing rocket technology and coupled it with new computer technology and developed a fantastic new solution that will reduce cost dramatically !! Hope to see the red Tesla Roadster in orbit in eternity:) We are now entering a new space age. Lead by private inventors, engineers and investors!!

WWW.SPACEX.COM

My Referral Code

For those of you that need a referral code to Get the benefits that this brings when you want to buy a Tesla S or X. Please use mine. Right now and in January, you get unlimited Supercharging. Use my code by clicking on the link below. Have two colleagues that have used it already, and have therefor 3 more uses. Can be used for Tesla S and X. Right now you get free charging, and in addition, the first who uses my referral code also get 4000 kr for either service or accessories:)

http://ts.la/torbjrn4656

Tesla and Cold Weather

In countries like Norway, where winter varies between +5 to -20, the windscreen wipers can get quite covered with ice chunks, which can be a nightmare when driving and the icy wipers don’t clean the windscreen properly. In Tesla X you can then turn on the wiper-heaters which will remove the ice. Go to CONTROLS and then COLD WEATHER. Turn on the wiper heater symbol. At the same location you will find steering wheel heater as well. And heaters for the second and third row seats.

Folding Wing mirrors in winter

In the wing mirrors (side-view mirrors) there is a small filt/cloth inside which is suppose to ensure the mirrors to slide easier when they turn. This is more important in California and dryer climate where there is more dust and sand in the air. In Norway where we have more humidity and cold weather, the cloth will swell and hinder the side-view mirror to rotate when you park the car or fold out when you start. Solutions: Either ask Tesla to remove the cloth/filt or disable the auto-folding of the side-view mirrors DURING WINTER. I removed the cloth today at the 20 000 km service :)

Tesla X, temperature and chipped windshield

Early spring this year, I went up to my cabin. The snow was gone, but it was still cold in the mountains. I knew I had a chip in my windshield, but didn’t think more of it. Sunday morning, before leaving, I decided to preheat my Tesla X. To my surprise when I entered my TX, the windshield had a crack cross the whole window, starting from the well known chip. Learnings: In Norway when the temperature is below 0 degrees, do NOT heat up your Tesla X if you have a chip/crack in your windshield. Due to temperature differences outside and inside the Tesla, the tension in the big Tesla X windshield cannot withhold the weakness in the chip/crack and it will develop easily. Normally this apply to all windshields on other cars as well, but the huge windshield on the Tesla X is more fragile to this. So, careful to heat your Tesla X in minus Celsius degrees. Check your windshield beforehand!!!

50 km trip with Tesla X

Short: Driving over the mountain from Oslo to Bergen. Started with 400 km on the battery. Recharged fully in Gol. That was enough to reach Bergen. After reaching highest point in the mountains, rest of the trip was done in “downhill”. Low battery consumption :) 500 km, no problem with Tesla X 90D :)

Tesla customer service

Tesla has received a lot of criticism for hardware defects and software errors. Since Tesla is a car with quite new technology and Tesla company, as a car producer on a global level, has just started, it's not surprisingly that the first models need improvements. All car companies have problems with new models. Remember Audi when they first introduced Q7.

Now I want focus on the Tesla service people. The first in line service crew. Customer reception and service advisors. They send frequent emails to remind us about the appointment. They meet us when we deliver our car, and they smile, are polite and patient, even though we can be annoyed because we shouldn't be there with a brand new car, with a price tag of over $100.000.

From the Facebook TMX Norway group, the Tesla X owners tell the same positive experience they've had with service people from Tesla service stations in Norway. My personal experience is with the Tesla Skøyen in Oslo. A pleasant experience from when I drive my TMX in, until I drive out again. 

Tesla service stations know about the problems. They are here to fix it, and from my experience with Tesla Skøyen, they strive to help the customer. Please give some GOOD feedback to your Tesla service station !! They earned it !! (at least in Norway) :)

Seasucker - Skirack

Autopilot

Electric Vehicles Share

The EV share in Europe now (December 2016) is 1.3%. In Norway it is 29%. In Oslo Electric Vehicles are very common. Next country after Norway is Iceland with a EV share in their country of 6.3% and Netherlands with 6%.

Read more: EV Statistics

WinterWonderLand Norway

Snow finally in the mountains in Norway :)

Wiper problems

In Norway, during winter, several Tesla (S & X) owners have problems with windshield wipers. Due to cold weather, the fluid from the wipers do not get down to the lower side of the windshield. Either because the nozzles in the wipers get blocked (freeze) and too little fluid get out or the fluid itself gets too viscous and the distance from the nozzles in the middle of the wiper to the bottom of the windshield is too far, before the wiper (on the driver side) wipe the fluid away.

Many Tesla owners in Norway have asked Tesla  Norway about a solution, and rumors are that a solution is on its way. Next winter, this will hopefully not be a problem :)

Tesla Trays - Handmade

Are you bothered by things falling down from the open shelf in your Tesla? I was sick of things falling out of the open shelf each time our Tesla accelerated. I just had to fix this and the Tesla-tray was the result. Perfect for sunglasses, keys and other small items. The trays fit both Model S and X and will stick in place even in Ludicrous mode :) Prices in Norwegian Krone.

Order here: Tesla Tray

New Autopilot software

Tesla Motors Inc. began rolling out software updates to customers with newer cars, bringing them to parity with owners who have what's known as "Autopilot 1" and setting the stage to ultimately unleash full self-driving capability. "HW2" Autopilot software uploading to 1,000 cars this eve. Will then hold to verify no field issues and upload to rest of fleet next week," Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk said in a Twitter post on Saturday.

Read more: BLOOMBERG

Model X reacts before crash

Dutch Model X owner Frank van Hoesel has a dashcam footage showing his electric crossover reacting to a bad highway crash before it even starts.
Link, see video in Engage webpage:

Model X see crash

18 moving parts

In E24.no today about what occupations we should expect to disappear in the future. This one about electric cars (Tesla):

Repairs and service accounts for a large share of jobs in the automotive industry. However, if the electrical cars take over, it should set alarm bells ringing. A normal engine has thousands of parts that become worn and damaged. A Tesla motor has only 18 moving parts, according to Credit Suisse - and electric motors have in principle no service at all.

Remember your Tesla windows

Protect against freezing your windows to the rubber lists. Specifically important for the Tesla front doors. When you open the front doors the windows go down. If frozen to the rubber list, the window could damage the seal and the flexing of the glass could damage the glass itself. I have not been good at this, but will do this myself asap. The silicon keep the rubber lists soft and prevent them for getting dry and hard. Recommend to use it regularly during winter time. Also remember to use it before you wash your Tesla. Turtle Wax List-Fix would be the simple solution. Just using Turtle wax as an example here. This is not a product placement!!

Testing in deep snow

From the Facebook group: "Divides the power between the wheels. Using highest suspension - Very high. The snow was loose. 30 cm (12 inch) deep. No problem driving a TMX in these conditions in Norway :)