Rapid charging at a Tesla EV "Supercharge" station

Shortly after we received our own Tesla Model S, I was lucky enough to snag it for a three-day weekend. Not only is the Tesla cool and really fun to drive, this is the first EV that can I can actually use for my 160-mile round trip commute.

When I've needed to take home other EVs we've tested, I had to flat-bed them on a trailer. Beyond simply driving the intriguing Model S, I was eager to try Tesla's newly installed "Supercharging" station at a rest area off Interstate 95, in between my office and home.

We've mentioned before that the Tesla folks seem determined to remove any obstacles to driving an electric vehicle (EV); the two biggest ones being slow charging times and limited driving range. With the Model S, range is addressed by three available battery packs, spanning up to the 85-kWh option in our car, rated at 265 miles. Another element in Tesla's strategy is installing a nationwide network of fast DC chargers that can fill the battery to half charge in 30 minutes—roughly 150 miles worth.

If "driving green" wasn't enough, there's this bonus: Tesla owners can use the fast chargers for free. In the Northeast region, in addition to the Connecticut venue, Tesla has also installed a "supercharging station" at a rest area in Delaware. The idea is to enable a Model S owner to drive from Boston to Washington, D.C., while "filling up" only twice. So far there are also six other such stations along the most-traveled highways in California.

To give it a shot, I set off on a Friday afternoon with a full charge, which in this case was an indicated range of 240 miles. After 60 miles I arrived at the Milford Supercharging station, with my indicated range down to 160 miles after a mixed route of rural country roads and highway. Another factor here was the chilly ambient temperature: it was 30-degrees out. Cold weather and cabin heat always cut into battery range. After 45 minutes, I was back at full charge with a seemingly robust 242 mile range. I figured it was enough for my typical local driving, as well as getting back to work.

Overall, the car was a delight throughout the weekend, with quiet and immediate acceleration, athletic moves in the corners, a solid-yet-supple ride, and plenty of room for the family. It's hard not to get mesmerized by the 17-inch touch-screen display. Though it's the sole interface for the audio system and other common vehicle functions, it's easy to use and responds quickly to taps.