Is the Tesla 3 a realistic option for a regular commute from Cardiff to Heathrow?

I live in Cardiff and regularly travel to Heathrow and Guildford. I am tempted by a Tesla Model 3 Long Range but am concerned at its all year suitability for a 260 mile round trip. The 260 miles is at the edge of its real-world range and probably 60 miles short on a cold winters evening or getting stuck in the frequent jams on the M4. So is it better to look at PHEV or DHEV? I value comfort and overtaking performance on the motorway. What do you recommend?

Asked on 23 September 2019 by mike

Answered by Andrew Brady

The Model 3 Long Range has an official range of 348 miles (WLTP). While you're right that this will probably drop over winter and with a lot of high-speed motorway driving, I'd have thought your trip would be doable on a charge if you take it fairly easy. Tesla's Supercharger network is excellent, if you do need a quick top-up away from home. PHEVs aren't great for motorway driving - they only have a short electric range and can be thirsty once the battery's empty.

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