Tesla to Jeep: One Month Update
I traded my Tesla Model 3 for a Jeep Grand Cherokee about a month ago. I wrote about why I made the switch here, but now that I’ve had time with the Jeep, here’s what the transition from electric back to gas powered and from coupe to SUV has actually been like.
Why I Made the Switch
My life changed. I’m building a house in on my 3 acres in Efland, North Carolina. That means hauling lumber, towing trailers, getting materials to the site, taking junk to the dump. The Tesla couldn’t do any of that.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee gives me 4,500 pounds of towing capacity, real 4-wheel drive for navigating rough terrain, and over 500 miles of range on a tank. No charging anxiety. No route planning around Supercharger locations or detours .
I needed a work vehicle, not a sporty sedan.
Positives of a Tesla and What I’ll Miss
The acceleration. Nothing beats instant torque from a standstill. The Jeep is fine, but it’s not Tesla fast. I miss being able to pass somebody in the blink of an eye. I miss being able to accelerate quickly on on-ramps to get into the spot that I want.
Regenerative braking. So nice to take your foot off the accelerator and have the vehicle slow down on its own. Save sound break pad where too. I had to relearn how to drive with the Jeep because you have to push the brake pedal much, much harder to stop the vehicle.
Charging at home was cheap and convenient. I was spending maybe $40/month on electricity versus $150-200 on gas now.
The touchscreen interface was clean and simple. Tesla got the user experience right in ways most car manufacturers still haven’t figured out.
The smooth, quiet ride.
The Tesla buying experience. I ordered two Model 3s through the app, got financing sorted, and was in and out of the dealership in 30-45 minutes. Compare that to the 4+ hours it took to buy the Jeep at a traditional dealership. Tesla nailed that process.
What I Don’t Miss
Charging and Range
Timeouts for charging on long trips. Every trip in the Tesla required planning around charging. Cold weather would cut my range by 30-40%. Hot weather too – running the AC drains the battery. The Jeep just goes from point A to point B and there are many more refueling options.
Supercharger stops on road trips- Even quick charges took 20-30 minutes when you figure the time to get on and off the highway and then to charge. This adds travel time to every trip over 200 miles. The Jeep fills up in five minutes and goes 500 miles on a tank.
Software glitches
Things that worked one day wouldn’t work the next. Features that changed randomly. It felt like I was beta testing someone else’s product with the Tesla.
The phone key thing is great with a Tesla. Your phone is the key. I found that my Tesla frequently forgot where my home location was. I had a setting turned on that it should stay on locked at my home location. But sometimes I’d walk out to the car without my phone and be locked out because it had forgotten my home. I won’t miss that.
The inconsistent safety alerts and corrections. Sometimes it’s aggressively saving your life, sometimes it’s ignoring hazards.
The phone charger that you set your phone on charged at a snail’s pace. I didn’t even use it, I used a cord.
Comfort
Being low to the ground and having to climb up and out of the vehicle. And the seats aren’t super comfortable. The headrest points towards the front of the car pretty dramatically, so you can’t lean your head back.
The Elon Factor
I bought both of my Teslas before Elon came out in support of Trump in 2024 and did all his crazy (chetamine-fueled?) stuff.
I probably would not have chosen to buy one and support him if I was looking for a car in 2024.
As a result of Elon’s actions, Teslas were getting vandalized because people resented him. (Idiotic because a Tesla driver is not necessarily an Elon supporter). Keyed paint, broken windows, slashed tires. I didn’t want my car damaged because of someone else’s politics.
That wasn’t the main reason I switched—functionality mattered more—but it was part of the calculation.
What I love About the Jeep
I can fill up anywhere in five minutes and get 500+ miles of range. The fuel costs are higher, obviously. But it’s very nice to not have the charging stops in the back of my mind every time I take a longer trip.
The Jeep handles rough terrain better than I expected. The four-wheel drive is awesome. I love feeling like I can go anywhere, across any type of terrain.
Towing changes everything. Being able to haul a trailer and an RV makes the Jeep the right tool for this phase of my life. We are putting one to two RVs on my property during construction as temporary dwellings, and the jeep is a great vehicle to have for transporting them.
The comfort level – I love being up high again. It’s nice to be able to see more of the road. The leather seats and the interior are very comfortable. The Jeep seats are more comfortable than the Tesla seats.
The ride is surprisingly smooth on the highway.
Would I Go Electric Again?
I would absolutely go electric again and I can’t wait to do so. I just need an electric vehicle that will perform as well as the Jeep does. Long range from a charge. Towing capacity. 4-wheel drive.
I’m hopeful that in the near future, someone like Rivian or Ford will come up with a vehicle like this.
I’m waiting for an electric truck or SUV with 400+ mile real-world range and 5,000+ pound towing capacity that doesn’t cost $100k.
One Month In: No Regrets
I don’t regret my Tesla years. Getting my first Tesla was a dream and a milestone. It was a part of me breaking out of an old mindset as a broke artist and carpenter driving old beat-up trucks, And transitioning to driving a nice, new, upscale car. I loved feeling like I was being a better steward of the planet by not burning fossil fuel.
But my life changed, and the Jeep fits better right now.
Want more honest reviews and outside-the-box lifestyle content? Check out my YouTube channel or visit MarkCool.org for resources, blog posts, and coaching.
