Transporting the electric vehicle differs slightly from the transport of a regular gas car since there are a couple of other points that have to be considered, particularly loading and ensuring that the car gets to be moved in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidelines.
This was true for the 2023 Tesla Model 3 that moved from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, to Atlanta, Georgia. This Model 3 traveled around 649 miles on an open trailer at a total cost of transportation of $848.
The vehicle was operable and therefore the process of loading the vehicle was considerably easier. The main goals after that were proper positioning and securing of the vehicle.
The Route
Model 3 was shipped from Upper Marlboro, MD 20774, to Atlanta, GA 30309, totaling about 649 miles.
This route is between the Washington, D.C. metro area and Atlanta, one of the main transport hubs of the Southeast.
Since it is a shipment of such distance, the final cost of shipping is not dependent on mileage only.
The pickup and delivery addresses, carriers’ availability, fuel rates, vehicle status, etc., can have an impact on the final price charged to the client.
In this particular situation, the vehicle was operational and the shipping method chosen by the customer was open transport. The total cost amounted to $848.
Shipping a Tesla Requires a Little Extra Attention
This is the information that would be relevant if one is shipping a Tesla for the first time: electric vehicles have certain transportation specifications.
Tesla offers transportation guidelines for the Model 3, giving details on how the vehicle should be positioned and stabilized during transportation. The manufacturer advises that all four tires should not touch the ground while the car is being transported and provides transportation procedures for the vehicle to be safely loaded into appropriate transportation equipment.
So this is not a case where the driver is supposed to load the vehicle into transportation equipment and deal with the rest later.
The carrier should be aware of what vehicle is being picked up and prepared with the necessary equipment before the loading process starts.
In this specific case, the fact that the Model 3 could be operated made it easier to move it into place, without the need for the extra handling that non-operational vehicles require.
Transport Cost Cover
The cost of transportation of this particular shipment was $848.
Given the roughly 649 miles distance between Upper Marlboro and Atlanta, it amounts to roughly $1.31 per mile.
However, here’s the thing, $1.31 per mile is not the fixed shipping rate for Teslas.
Auto transport quotes differ depending on the shipment.
It may be affected by the route taken, supply-demand dynamics, the availability of carriers, fuel prices, type of the car, and conditions of pickup/delivery.
In this specific instance, the Model 3 being in working order and transported via an open carrier helped in keeping the transportation cost at $848.
This is also why comparing auto transport quotes based solely on the number of miles can sometimes be misleading.
Open Trailer
The Tesla has been shipped via an open trailer, one of the most popular methods for transporting passenger vehicles.
It is easy to understand why the method of open transport is so popular – it allows moving several cars at once on one trailer.
However, one should consider that the car is not protected from the elements while moving in this way.
It means that wind, rain, road dust, different weather changes, and other factors can be a part of the process of transportation.
While one car owner finds such conditions to be normal, another may prefer having their car on an enclosed trailer.
The choice does not always depend on one’s preference; there are a number of factors that should be considered when choosing how to ship the car.
For instance, in this case, the customer decided to have his Model 3 shipped in open transport.
Transport Summary
- Vehicle: 2023 Tesla Model 3
- Pickup: Upper Marlboro, MD 20774
- Delivery: Atlanta, GA 30309
- Distance: Approximately 649 miles
- Condition: Operable
- Transport: Open trailer
- Total cost: $848
- Approximate cost per mile: $1.31
