Page 67 - Tropic Magazine Issue 21

TROPIC • DRIVE

The car

MAINTENANCE
Less maintenance is required
because there are only about
15 moving parts. Most Tesla
maintenance is done remotely
online. Technicians also come
to Cairns.
Tesla trailblazer FUEL

The 85-kWh battery takes the 1
DRIVING INNOVATION car about 500 kilometres. A
complete recharge costs about
A Cairns chauffeur is driving $23 and takes 4-5hrs. There are
the adoption of premium several free charging stations in
electric vehicles. the region.
TECHNOLOGY
Words: Renee Cluff
Tesla Model S P85 comes with
When you’re in a car that accelerates from up in the Cairns heat,” Mr Perks said. a built-in SIM and the software
zero to 100 in less than four seconds but “But everything is superior, including is continually updated to offer
is almost silent and ultra-smooth, the the air conditioning which runs just like new features. It also has its own
ride is both electrifying and strangely a split system but with medical grade Spotify account.
unfamiliar. I was privileged enough to filtration. This is a luxurious car with SAFETY
experience such a spin in Tesla Limos’ high performance that is also the safest, The vehicle’s not quite driverless
Model S P85. It’s a side business for the most technologically advanced and most yet but it has an auto-pilot
operator of Cairns Bus Charters, Darrell environmentally friendly vehicle in the feature with sensors and cameras
Perks, my driver. “At quite a cost, we’re world. There are no other cars that are
even close to ticking all of those boxes.” which Darrell describes as being
Billionaire Crystalbrook Collection like a Terminator which never
developer Ghassan Aboud and US Vice gets tired or distracted.
This is a luxurious car with President Mike Pence are among his PERFORMANCE
higher-profile clients, however Mr
0-100km/hr in 3.8 seconds.
high performance that is Perks said the service is not out of reach ‘Nuff said.
also the safest, for people who are more financially SUSTAINABILITY
challenged. “Hiring a chauffeured
most technologically Tesla is comparable with other premium Electricity is used but there
are no emissions. It’s also got
advanced and most vehicles in Cairns,” he said. “And the regenerative braking which feeds
combination of such a forward-thinking
environmentally friendly car and high-end service only enhances kinetic energy into the battery.
Plus, Tesla’s building a factory
vehicle in the world the experience.” to completely recycle batteries
The vehicle has even allowed Mr Perks to and e-waste.
Darrell Perks have some fun with his clients, through
Tesla Limos features such as extra space under the
bonnet. “I like cracking the bonnet and
blazing that trail,” he said. “Tesla is a way looking back to see their faces, they’re
that we can show the community that expecting some sort of mechanical issue
we’re trying to do the right thing. We’re and then I open it up and put two bags in
building a base knowledge on how to there and they’re like, ‘what!?’”
operate electric vehicles.” Oh, and if you do get to go for a spin,
Mr Perks has been testing the car in make sure Darrell shows you the Tesla’s
Cairns for the past 14 months. It’s gone whoopie cushion mode.
so well, he’s now looking into buying his
second Tesla, a model X. “I was concerned MORE: teslalimos.com.au
about things like running out of juice and [email protected]
whether the air conditioning would hold

67 • tropicnow.com.au