[ref http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/EVLN-For-The-Love-of-Tesla-gt-CA-Limo-Operator-Rocks-An-EV-Fleet-td4683161.html ]
http://www.lctmag.com/operations/news/714633/california-operator-rocks-a-tesla-fleet California Operator Rocks A Tesla Fleet July 29, 2016 Lexi Tucker SAN DIEGO, Calif. — A few words come to mind when one hears the word “Tesla”: Beautiful, modern, luxurious, and…expensive. Most operators would consider it difficult to incorporate them into a fleet that’s constantly on the go. However, Neil Spenta, president and CEO of American Corporate Sedan and Limousine in San Diego, proves it can be done through careful planning and collaboration with his chauffeurs. For The Love of Tesla Spenta has always been passionate about technology and electric cars in general, but the Tesla holds a special place in his heart. So much so that one of the reasons he moved to the U.S. from Australia in 2014 was because the vehicle is cheaper here than down under. “I had a Tesla on order there, but then they released the pricing and it was so expensive because of taxes,” he explains. Although he first worked for the Australian government in digital forensics, he decided he would begin his new life in the U.S. by buying a business and starting fresh. The company he took over was American Corporate Sedan and Limousine, which was originally a family-owned business started in 2001. The owners decided to retire, and Spenta began his journey in the luxury ground transportation industry. Spenta praises the Tesla’s low maintenance, affordable charging costs, and clean operation, which benefits the environment. “We were looking at European sedans and warranties were an issue. Tesla’s warranty covers all commercial use. On top of that, they have an eight-year unlimited warranty on the powertrain, which also includes commercial use. To have an unlimited mile warranty on any part of a vehicle is insane, especially for commercial use. The motors are also rated for a million miles.” Benefits Outweigh The Costs Spenta started the company with two Model S sedans, and then bought a 2016 Cadillac Escalade last year because he needed an SUV. He’s since retired the sedans, but keeps one on hand in case of an emergency. Now, the company uses two Tesla Model X SUVs and the Escalade. “The Tesla is a fairly expensive luxury vehicle, but you’ll find the cost of ownership is quite low,” Spenta says. “When I purchased the company is April 2015, they had a couple of Town Cars and a Ford van. We were spending about $7,000-8,000 a month in gas and maintenance bills.” While Teslas cost more than gas-powered vehicles, “Even though the Escalade was cheaper than our Model X SUVs, the money we are going to spend on gas and maintenance over the next five to eight years in itself is more expensive than the car payment for the Tesla,” he says. “You are probably looking around a similar price range to buy a fully loaded BMW 7 Series or Mercedes S Class anyway.” When charging the vehicles, Spenta uses Tesla Supercharger stations, which are free, and supposed to remain that way. These nationwide stations — mostly near shops, restaurants, and restrooms — require about 40 minutes for an 80% charge. A full battery provides about 260 miles of range. Charging costs are rolled into the cost of the vehicle. “It’s very convenient and works out well for our chauffeurs,” he says. Learning To Adapt Because most chauffeurs are unfamiliar with driving all-electric vehicles, Spenta has trained them to balance the distance of runs with charging time. “Training basically consists of informing the chauffeurs about how electric vehicles work,” he says. “It’s taken them a little while to get used to it, but it works perfectly when they do. They time everything and get plenty of breaks. If they’ve been driving for three or four hours, I want them to rest a bit anyway.” On an eight hour job, for example, a chauffeur can take a couple of hours for a break while the car is parked at the Supercharger station. “We’re not going to be driving for eight hours straight,” Spenta says. “The chauffeur will take a breather and grab a coffee, lunch, and then head back.” [© 2016 Limousine, Charter & Tour lctmag.com] http://electrek.co/2016/07/29/tesla-modelx-limousine-operator-san-diego/ Limousine operator explains why he is converting his fleet to Tesla’s Model X 2016/07/29 Fred Lambert [image https://electrek.files.wordpress.com/2016/07/tesla-model-x-limousine.png?w=1024&h=0#038;h=408 TESLA TESLA MODEL X ] The Tesla Model X might not be the first vehicle to come to your mind when thinking about a limousine, but it makes perfect sense for a fleet operator in California who just updated his fleet with two Model X’s. Neil Spenta, CEO of American Corporate Sedan and Limousine (ACLS), did an interview with LCT Magazine, a fleet operator publication, to explain his logic behind going electric for his limousine service. Spenta moved to the US from Australia in 2014 to buy and operate a limousine company – and eventually convert its fleet to electric vehicles. When he bought American Corporate Sedan and Limousine, which is based in San Diego, the company was operating a couple of Town Cars and a Ford van. He started updating the fleet last year by buying two Tesla Model S sedans, and then a 2016 Cadillac Escalade. He has since retired the Model S’s, though he kept one in case of emergency, and replaced them with brand new Tesla Model X’s. Spenta praises the automaker’s warranty in explaining to LCT why he chose Tesla: “We were looking at European sedans and warranties were an issue. Tesla’s warranty covers all commercial use. On top of that, they have an eight-year unlimited warranty on the powertrain, which also includes commercial use. To have an unlimited mile warranty on any part of a vehicle is insane, especially for commercial use. The motors are also rated for a million miles.” Making an entrance/exit out of a Falcon Wing door probably also helps sales. He then goes on to explain that he was paying $7,000-8,000 a month in gas and maintenance bills. Those bills went down after going with Tesla: “Even though the Escalade was cheaper than our Model X SUVs, the money we are going to spend on gas and maintenance over the next five to eight years in itself is more expensive than the car payment for the Tesla,” he says. “You are probably looking around a similar price range to buy a fully loaded BMW 7 Series or Mercedes S Class anyway.” The hourly rate for a ride in ACLS’s Model X’s is ‘$60 + 18% base tip’ – actually $15 cheaper than in their Escalade. Spenta says that his drivers use Tesla’s Supercharger network to charge the vehicle. While Tesla advertises Supercharger access as ‘free’ for the Model S and X (it’s accounted for in the purchase cost of course), the practice of frequently charging is actually frowned upon since they only talk about ‘free charging for long-distance travel’. The network was intended to enable road trips. Drivers regularly using the same Superchargers without traveling for long distances have been warned by Tesla in the past. Nonetheless, it seems to work for Spenta’s drivers. They take their break or lunch while their Model X is charging. [© electrek.co] ... http://bestthenews.com/article/limousine-operator-explains-why-he-converting-his-fleet-teslas-model-x-fri-07292016-2055 Limousine Operator Explains Why He Is Converting His Fleet To Tesla’s Model X 07/29/2016 ... https://learnbonds.com/130417/limo-firm-replaces-fleet-tesla-model-x/ California Limo Company Replaces Fleet With Tesla Model X SUVs July 30, 2016 ... Model X Limos are economical ... https://learnbonds.com/wp-content/uploads/Tesla-Model-X.jpg For EVLN EV-newswire posts use: http://evdl.org/evln/ {brucedp.150m.com} -- View this message in context: http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/EVLN-For-The-Love-of-Tesla-CA-Limo-Operator-Is-Rock-n-An-EV-Fleet-tp4683163.html Sent from the Electric Vehicle Discussion List mailing list archive at Nabble.com. _______________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org Read EVAngel's EV News at http://evdl.org/evln/ Please discuss EV drag racing at NEDRA (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA)
