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Figuring out exactly how much it costs to charge Tesla Model S

Is the Tesla Model S an electricity guzzler? One driver trying to answer that question says it does gobble down more juice than previously thought, but it's not time to make Hummer jokes just yet. First, the goal: Tesla's claims that properly set up home-charging stations can get about a 91-percent efficiency rate. Rob M. from Teslarati has been diligently tracking electricity used by his home charging station – made up of a NEMA 14-50 outlet that was professionally installed and Tesla's Universal Mobile Connector (UMC) – since June, as we reported here. The results for the month that ended July 21 revealed that the Model S was taking in about 82 percent of the electricity it was pulling from the system, indicating an 18-percent loss of electricity. Most EVs are thought to charge at an 88 to 90-percent efficiency rate. The downside to his results? About $26 more per month in electricity costs than previously estimated on about 2,400 miles worth of driving. There is a positive upshot, though: his monthly fuel savings totaled about $334 compared to driving an internal combustion engine vehicle. These early results are intriguing, and make us wonder... Is anyone else checking in on their Model S charging efficiency?

Beating Tesla's coast-to-coast time in a Model S

A Tesla Model S. A race across the country. An average driving speed of 63 miles per hour. Now which part of that doesn't jibe? A pair of drivers from Edmunds.com has set out to beat Tesla Motors' own cross-country time record by taking a Model S from Los Angeles (technically, Redondo Beach) to New York. And beat it they did, finishing the 3,332-mile route in 67 hours and 21 minutes, which was faster than Tesla's time by eight hours and 44 minutes. What's all the more impressive is that the pair had to recharge the car at Tesla's Superchargers 23 times, with an average of 38 minutes per stop, meaning that more than 14 hours were spent sitting still in recharge mode. And while the car is as fast as it is quiet, Edmunds had to curb its enthusiasm on the throttle to ensure the EV got from Supercharger A to Supercharger B and so on, hence the relatively pedestrian average driving speed of 63 miles per hour. Case in point was the 223-mile run between Las Vegas and Beaver, Utah, which was the longest stretch between Superchargers and included a 5,000-foot elevation climb. That caused the team to bring its highway speed down to about 50 miles per hour in order to avoid being stranded by the roadside. Read about how they made it over on Edmunds.

You, too, can sleep in a Tesla Model S for just $85

The Tesla Model S has received near universal praise for its ability to combine the efficiency the electric power and the performance expected from a luxury sedan. However, rarely has the Tesla been complimented for its capability as a camper capable of sleeping two people; in fact that has never happened. Though, a guy named Steve on Airbnb in Phoenix, AZ, is trying to change that perception by renting out his Model S (pictured above) as a motel for $85 a night. If you're not familiar with it, Airbnb is a peer-to-peer lodging service that lets people rent their homes to visitors for short stays. Steve isn't offering his house, at least not all of it, just the Tesla Model S to sleep in. Although, folks are also able to use the kitchen, living room, TV and bathroom in his condo. It's actually hard to tell if this guy is joking or not during some portions of his ad. For example, you shouldn't worry about comfort because photos show an airbed able to sleep two people in the back of the Model S. Also, security shouldn't be a concern because renters are "locked securely in my attached garage" at night. Don't you feel safer already? Light shouldn't be a problem either because the vehicle is equipped with two remote-controlled candles. This might not be the most relaxing vacation to Phoenix, though. The host admits that the Tesla is his personal car, and that means renters need to be up by 8:00 AM for him to go to work. Since Steve's also a licensed limo driver, you can hire him to drive you around, even on guided tours. Related Video: