Our Tesla Model 3 Is Entertaining in More Than One Way – Car and Driver

The biggest compromise one makes when buying an electric vehicle is having to plug it in to charge it up, which even at the fastest chargers takes significantly more time than pumping a tank of gas. There's only so much social media scrolling we can take before we're bored out of our minds, but luckily our new long-term Tesla Model 3 is equipped with several entertainment features to help while away time at the local Supercharger.

Michael SimariCar and Driver

All of the car's entertainment features are part of the major version 10 software update that Tesla rolled out in September and are locked out when the car is driving. We updated our Model 3 just after delivery and can now choose to catch up on our latest Netflix or Hulu obsessions, check out the latest ASMR video on YouTube, or indulge in one of the onboard arcade games, which are controlled by the car's steering wheel and other controls. There's even a crackling fireplace video if you decide you want to relax or nap while waiting on that full battery. And, at least temporarily, the streaming-video services can be used with the car's built-in data connection. However that may go away as Tesla fulfills its promise to provide free WiFi at every Supercharger location.

"It's the perfect activity to keep me busy while Supercharging," said Stephanie Kowall, owner of a 2018 Model 3. Kowall charges her Model 3 at a charging station near Los Angeles about once per week and prefers watching shows over playing games.

"I'm generally not super into video games, so I'm probably not the target audience for that feature," she says. Her partner, Stan Chibashov, says the games just aren't as appealing as the streaming video options, but he admits he has dabbled with the Lunar Lander game.

For those concerned that utilizing the Model 3's entertainment features will extend charging times, there's no noticeable increase as the power draw for these features is minuscule relative to the firehose of energy being pumped into the car.

Michael SimariCar and Driver

Users might end up spending a little extra time at the Supercharger for another reason, though. Kowall admitted to us that she upped her maximum charge cutoff point recently to justify waiting around to finish an episode of Netflix's hit show Queer Eye.

In our experience, Supercharging the Model 3 from a nearly dead battery takes a little more than an hour, which is plenty of time to kick back and disconnect for a little bit. Plus, it's great to know we're not the only ones who find the features so useful and that real-life Tesla owners are embracing the entertainment options as ways to pass the time.

Originally posted here:

Our Tesla Model 3 Is Entertaining in More Than One Way - Car and Driver

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