Nick Hexum, 50, a Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter and guitarist with the band 311, on his family’s Tesla Model 3s, as he told AJ Baime.
Growing up, my father taught me a lot about rock ‘n’ roll culture. My first love for music was his collection 45 – Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis. Cars were always part of the picture. You know, “Fun, fun, fun, until her dad takes T-Bird away.” We will go on car trips in the summer and I had to be able to identify the difference between a 1955 Chevy, a 1956 or a 1957, in just one aspect.
Later, when I had some success with my band, I saw this 1955 T-Bird parked across from my manager’s office and had a sales sign. I bought that car for my father and I caught him at 60 years old. It was this tearful moment when I came to show my gratitude for my father’s love and support, but also because I instilled my love for cars and rock ‘n’ roll.
Over the years, we have owned almost every sports supped sedan from all German car manufacturers. A Mercedes E55 AMG, a BMW M5, an Audi S6. It wasn’t about looking cool in an expensive car. I wanted criminal performance.
The bassist in my band, P-Nut, adopted Tesla very early on and actually bought the serial number 311 of the Tesla Roadster, the brand’s first model. He told me to take one. I decided to wait until the Model 3 came out, because it was the size I wanted and it was cheaper than some of the cars I had driven.
When I received the Model 3 performance version [Tesla’s highest performance edition of this model] two years ago, I thought it was the best car I’ve ever driven, and to have a $ 60,000 car smoking some of the more expensive cars I owned was a win-win. Because it’s completely electric, there’s this smooth acceleration – the car doesn’t have gears, it just goes – that looks like you’re launching into hyperspace. Go from zero to 60 mph in about 3.5 seconds. At the same time, it is completely quiet.
There are certain things in a car that, once you have them, you would rather not do without. I had come to love all-wheel drive cars after owning an Audi S6, because you could accelerate in a corner and the car would be really safe. I had come to love adaptive speed control because there is so much starting and stopping in the LA highway. Adaptive speed control does this for you. Tesla had all this technology. And the autopilot is huge; it’s heading for you, so all you have to do is keep your hands on the wheel.
Now, my wife also has the model 3. We put two Tesla Powerwalls in a huge solar system, so that the sun powers not only our cars, but also our house. When I was a kid and I first fell in love with cars, I never imagined that I would drive a car powered by the sun.
Finally, the thing that made me a fan of Elon Musk [Musk is the co-founder and CEO of Tesla] is this: Most people will not do their best to save the environment. He created a car with a better driving experience than what was there, from my point of view, at a cheaper price. And you will be able to save the environment to start.
Nick Hexum bought this 1955 Ford Thunderbird for his father, Terry Hexum. Both are in the car on Mr. Hexum’s older alley in Omaha, Nebraska, around 2014. Notice the license plate: “From the son.”
Photo:
Deanna Hexum
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