IT’S EASY BEING GREEN
Porsches and Audis have romanced him in the past, but nothing has stolen Gene Salvestrin’s heart like a Tesla. “I’m so glad that we did it. It’s the best thing we’ve ever had ... it’s my second wife,” he said.
Publishing entrepreneur Gene and his wife Sharon, a property manager and part-time model, are regular users of the public charging station at Cairns, which is the state’s usage hot spot on the Queensland Electric Super Highway which starts at the NSW border.
It takes about 1.5 hours to charge their black $180,000 Tesla Model X 100D using the facility, which offers a range of about 400km.
Based at Bellenden Ker, south of Cairns, they’ve never had an issue with the head-turning superstar of the electric vehicle world.
“There is a point where you want to make a difference in a good way so it’s a positive way to protect what we have and the environment is one thing we have to nurture,” Sharon said. “It’s amazing to not have to buy fuel.
“It’s a computer not a car ... we have been to Port Douglas, the (Atherton) Tablelands and Mission Beach but we haven’t taken the drive any further yet.
“The car will automatically shut down certain things that you are using, like the music or the air conditioning so you can get to the
charge station.”
Initially nervous about the car and its capacity, they quickly gained an understanding of its range.
During their 18-month ownership there have been no mechanical issues and servicing is done at their home by Tesla technicians.
The greatest challenge was installing a fast charger at their home. When plugged into the standard household power point a full charge would take 24 hours but the Tesla unit reduces that time to 5-6 hours.
Additional work was required by an electrician, plumber and trench digger for the unit which cost $16,000 to install.
“If were living in an urban environment it’s a half-hour job,” Gene said.
“The only thing I was taken aback with was we had to pay an extra (luxury) tax because of
the value of the car. That is total hypocrisy.”
The pair, who are starring in Channel Seven’s Instant Hotel which is a program where couples stay at each other’s homes to vie for cash and prizes, also have a property on Bedara Island which is completely off the grid.
They now are in the process of installing solar panels and a Tesla Powerwall which will enable the Bellenden Ker retreat to be powered entirely by the sun.
RACQ is also backing the surge of electric vehicles, the motoring club’s head of public policy Rebecca Michael said it gives motorists options other than petrol-powered vehicles.
“We’d like to state and federal leaders offer incentives to simplify the process of switching, for example, registration fee discounts, and the removal of stamp duty on new cars,” she said.
“We’ve been on the front foot of electric vehicle charging investment and look forward to that continuing. RACQ has recently invested in ChargeFox through Australian Motoring Services and has helped see the initial rollout of a 200 kilometre electric vehicle network which includes 21 stations constructed along major driving routes from Brisbane to Adelaide.”
As for roadside assist, RACQ is yet to offer mobile chargers if EVs run out of power.
“Given the low volume of electric vehicles on the road currently we’re not yet carrying mobile chargers for electric vehicles in our Patrols, instead, if the problem was charge-related we would tow the member to the nearest charging station,” Rebecca said.
The Salvestrin’s Misty Mountains Tropical Rainforest Retreat features on Channel Seven’s Instant Hotel, 9pm Mondays.