Me And My Car: Entrepreneur Tjin Lee says her Tesla is like a spaceship

SINGAPORE - Sustainability is a subject close to the heart of entrepreneur Tjin Lee. As a mother of two boys aged nine and six, she believes in embracing a more eco-friendly lifestyle for the sake of her children's future.

It was what prompted her and her husband John Lim, a 41-year-old commodities trader, to make the switch to an electric vehicle (EV) last year.

After comparing the Tesla Model 3 and the Porsche Taycan, they decided on the former because of its longer driving range, quicker 0-to-100kmh acceleration and better value for money. They were also drawn to the Tesla's innovations.

"The technology looked exciting. The interior is so sleek with a 15-inch touchscreen that replaces the knobs and buttons in a traditional car dashboard," says Ms Lee, founder and chief executive of Mercury Marketing and Communications, a public relations agency whose clients include luxury brands such as Gucci and Cartier.

An advocate for social and charitable causes, the 48-year-old co-founded Creating Responsible and Innovative Business to empower women through entrepreneurship eight years ago.

She also started Life Beyond Grades three years ago, just before her elder son began Primary 1. The initiative aims to drive home the message that while grades are important, they are not everything.

The couple bought the pricier Performance variant at $217,000, when the certificate of entitlement premium was at $58,000, and topped up $2,800 for a set of forged wheels and automatic frunk (the front trunk).

Mr Lim drives the Tesla to work daily, while Ms Lee uses it when she has to go out in the evenings. They also use the car for grocery runs with the children and to her parents' home for dinner.

As they live next to their son's school, the Tesla is not needed for school runs.

The couple clock between 200km and 300km a week, and usually charge the car every four to five days, when the battery level is between 20 and 50 per cent. Eight months on, the car's mileage is about 9,000km.

They usually use the Tesla superchargers at Orchard Central and Millenia Walk, or fast chargers at a few other malls they frequent.

Their two previous cars - a two-door A5 Coupe and a four-door S4 sedan - were both from Audi, which used to be Ms Lee's client.

"For me, the biggest difference between owning an EV versus an internal-combustion-engine car is planning when to set aside half an hour to charge the EV," she says.

So far, she has not had challenges locating or accessing a charging point.

"It is a great drive with excellent handling and effortless power and pick-up. We love that it gets over-the-air updates," she says.

"We can watch Netflix movies while waiting for it to charge. It even has a sense of humour. Which other car comes with a fart mode to prank your friends?"

Another feature she uses regularly is switching on the air-conditioning remotely, which is especially useful when the car is parked under the hot sun.

"With its cutting-edge technology and cool features, white seats and full-glass roof, it feels like we are in a spaceship," she gushes, adding that their next ride will probably be a Tesla too.

She already has her eyes on the yet-to-be-launched Tesla Roadster - slated to be one of the world's fastest cars. "I'm tempted to buy a roadster for the fun and driving pleasure," she says.

- Nothing