Just as there appears to be a difference in the questions that
rev-head hot rodders usually ask (i.e. how fast does it go?) and environmentalists (do they recycle the batteries?), it’s pretty clear that women have different expectations of a car to that of men.
At a recent Australian Electric Vehicles Association EV experience day
(see this article), my wife Majella and I answered questions about our Tesla Model 3 flat out for about 4 hours.
This was 4 days ago. This morning I realised just how different some of the conversations that she had were to mine. In my defence we have had a house full of grandchildren and so haven’t talked to each other as much as we usually do.
Before we left for the AEVA day we had a conversation about how to prepare our Model 3, which was to be on display. Majella wanted to clean it and take out the baby seats. I disagreed, I like to demonstrate that this car is used for daily activities – it gets grubby, has some lolly wrappers on the floor and quite often a couple of rug rats in the back seat.
At the AEVA day, a couple walked and rolled by, she was in a wheelchair. She looked longingly at the car and was about to move on when Majella said: “Your wheelchair will fit in the boot”. We have a daughter who is currently recovering from FND and using a wheelchair. Then followed a wonderful conversation about how a Tesla could be used by someone with mobility needs.
Many mums and grandmothers commented on the car seats and how much their children/ grandchildren would love the car. Then Majella showed them fart mode. It went from 0 – 100% love in a nanosecond. They could have fun with the kids in this one!
A heavily pregnant woman was excited about the heated seats and the lumbar support. The lack of clutter in the dashboard, the ease of use of the air-conditioning controls and the use of voice commands, all were commented on positively.
Majella explained the Departure scheduling to a business woman. And to another, the convenience of being able to cool down the car before returning with the shopping and a hot cranky child (this is Queensland after all) .
That’s the thing with the Tesla Model 3. It’s not just grunt, it’s also comfort and convenience.
Note: Majella is a mother and grandmother. She has practiced her people skills over many years in retail. She is an amateur gemologist who enjoys faceting gemstones she has found herself.
David Waterworth is a researcher and writer, a retired teacher who divides his time between looking after his grandchildren and trying to make sure they have a planet to live on. He owns 50 shares of Tesla.
David Waterworth
David Waterworth is a researcher and writer, a retired school teacher who continues to provoke thought through his writing. He divides his time between looking after his grandchildren and trying to make sure they have a planet to live on. He is long on Tesla.
Check out our
Models pages for news and analysis, reviews and road trips on this and all EV models currently or soon to be available in Australia.
