Is a Tesla right for you? Try before you buy
A 20-minute test drive tells you a Tesla is quick and quiet. It won't tell you whether one fits your life: your driveway, your commute, the school run, your weekend trips. Living with one for a few weeks will.
The questions a test drive can't answer
- Can I charge at home? A normal power point, or do I need a wall charger? Where would the car park?
- What does my real week cost? How many km do I actually drive, and what does charging cost me?
- Does it fit the family? Prams, sports gear, the dog-hair question (spoiler: our cars are pet-free).
- How do road trips feel? Planning charging stops, and how long they really take.
- Do I like the tech? Phone as the key, the big screen, one-pedal driving, and Full Self-Driving (Supervised) (Premium plans, extra subscription).
- Model 3 or Model Y? Sedan or SUV-ish. Lots of people change their mind after a week.
Your try-before-you-buy checklist
Week 1: everyday life
- Plug in at home every night and check what you used in the app.
- Drive your normal commute, at your normal times.
- Note anything that annoys you (and anything you love).
Week 2: stretch it
- Do a big shop and a school or sports run.
- Try a Supercharger. Note the price per kWh and how long you waited (spoiler: barely).
- Read our charging guide.
Weeks 3–4: the road trip test
- Take it somewhere at least 200 km away.
- Let the car plan your charging stops, then compare that with what you'd have guessed.
- On a Premium car with the FSD (Supervised) subscription, try it on the highway. Stay attentive with your hands ready. It doesn't make the car autonomous.
Doing it with prepaid km
You buy km rather than weeks, so a month of trying costs what you drive. Insurance, rego and maintenance are included, and there's no bond. If you decide to buy your own Tesla, hand ours back. Your unused km are non-refundable, but they stay on your account if you ever want a Tesla again (prepaid km never expire as long as you top up at least once every 8 weeks).
- Standard Model 3 / Model Y: 9,000 km for A$1,990 incl. GST (about 22c/km). Used rear-wheel drive, without FSD (Supervised).
- Premium 2027 Model 3 / Model Y: 9,000 km for A$4,190 / A$4,590. Brand new. FSD Option Now Available: add FSD (Supervised) as an extra subscription on top of your prepaid km (priced by Tesla).
- Just a few days? Daily hire is a separate service, booked on Turo: turo.com/au/en/drivers/29582027. It isn't a prepaid km plan.
Try a Tesla on prepaid km →Everyday driving plans →
First EV nerves are normal
Tip first: plug in at home most nights and range takes care of itself. Punchline second: you don't need to bring a hairdryer to the charger.
▶ Watch the short video on our Facebook page
General information only. Charge Drive Australia
Daily hire on Turo · separate service
Just need it for a weekend? Try a Porsche on Turo. Our Porsche Taycan 4S and Porsche Macan 4 Electric are available for short daily hire. It's a separate daily-hire service, booked on Turo (Turo's prices, insurance and terms apply), and isn't part of our prepaid km plans.
Porsche Taycan on Turo →Porsche Macan on Turo →All our cars on Turo →
