Abdurraheem Green – EV’s and the Environment Calling Tesla for a test drive

			Okay, guys, so welcome. So, as some of you many of you may know, the environment is something that
I've been concerned about for a long, long time I even called my blog. Islam's green when I started
a blog, because I wanted to make the point that Islam is green, its outlook towards the environment
is a very, very positive pro reactive one. So anyway, one of the things that I've been thinking
about a lot, is the harmful effects of flying and driving. And as a result, I've pretty much refused
to fly anywhere recently, even a family trip that I really wanted to go on to spend time with my mom
and my kids. I felt I couldn't justify it, because it's just for a few days. And I just think that
		

			we all have to take personal responsibility, as I read in an article recently, once that, what's
what's one plastic straw says 1 billion people, yeah, if 1 billion people think that a plastic sore
is nothing, that's a billion plastic straws. So that's the same thing. We all we all have to take
individual responsibility. Although I admit, sometimes I think that what difference is me flying
gonna make when there are so many things that are polluting and damaging the environment. And you
think about the whole output of the completely unnecessary Military Industrial Complex.
		

			The fact that there is fracking going on, there is so much excess of natural gas that the they don't
even know what to do with it. And yet still, they are fracking in order to release more natural gas,
the impact of that, on the environment is astronomical. You think about all of these things and you
think well, little me, what difference am I going to make, but no, in reality, you do make a
difference. If for no other reason, then at the end of the day, you are personally accountable in
front of Allah on the Day of Judgment, you're not necessarily going to be responsible for what
governments have done what these fracking companies have done, but you are responsible for yourself,
		

			you are responsible for what you consume, how you use the resources that Allah has given you.
		

			And that what you personally do to change things. It's something I've mentioned before about the
Prophet and amazing saying of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, he told us to plant a tree,
even if you knew there was just one day left, just one day, you mean, if you knew the day of
judgment was tomorrow, still plant a tree.
		

			And what that shows apart from the encouragement, advice, and the advice of the Prophet sallallahu
alayhi wa sallam to, to plant trees that benefit human beings and creatures, and insects and, and
the planet as a whole, is the importance of taking personal responsibility of intending and trying
to do good, even when you know, everything is about to end. That's how committed we should be. And
that's also an understanding that Allah is going to reward you for your efforts. So in the light of
all of this, I have been looking at electric vehicles. One of the ways I've been thinking about
getting around from A to B is cycling, which is without doubt, one of the most environmentally
		

			friendly ways of getting around. But the sort of huge distances I'm thinking about are more than
possible on a bicycle. Of course, many people, just for the sheer joy of it go on Epic bike rides,
comprising of 1000s of miles. But in reality, I'm thinking about what I need to do where I need to
get to the places I need to go to the things I want to do.
		

			practically the only thing that I can think of where I can feel that I am not damaging the
environment too much. And let's be clear, electric vehicles also have a cost, there is no doubt
about it. The biggest change we need to make is in the way we live. That's the biggest change. We
need to live more simple lives. That's it without doubt. And I've done a lot Alhamdulillah through
Allah's permission to try and cut down waste in my own household, whether it's wasting energy,
whether it's a lot of cooking my own food, making my own pizzas, making my own bread, trying to
avoid foods that come in plastic packaging, going for organic foods wherever I can, and so on and so
		

			forth. These are simple things that all of us can do. It's not that hard. And actually, you can
really see and feel the benefits in your health as well. Anyway, back to electric vehicles, so I
decided to commit myself to try and get an electric vehicle at the moment. I have a big, quite a big
van. It's Volkswagen
		

			A T five transporter is the only vehicle that really fits my family and has it the boot space and
capacity that I need. But with a lot of my kids leaving going to university starting work a lot of
them, some of them, I should say,
		

			the families getting a bit smaller, I still really need a seven seater and the only electric fully
electric and I feel really reluctant to go down the route of a hybrid.
		

			Because it just seems sort of, you know, I want to commit myself fully to the electric vehicle.
		

			The only one with seven seats at the moment is the Tesla Model X.
		

			And I have been trying to book a test drive for the Tesla Model X, I have sent two emails through
their website asking for a test drive. And there has been no response until today. So what I'm going
to do is give them a ring. By the way, I've already managed to organize and went for a test drive
with the Renault Zoe, which was quite a pleasant experience. I just thought the car was pretty ugly.
And for my needs pretty small. It may be okay as a sort of get from A to B car. To be honest, I've
just like to have one car in my house not too.
		

			So and they've got a great model coming out. And it's doing pretty awesome range, I think over 250
miles, which is fantastic. And it's so reasonably priced compared to the Tesla.
		

			I drove the Jaguar
		

			electric vehicle
		

			yesterday, which was an absolutely phenomenal experience.
		

			I literally think for five hours, my brain was buzzing that acceleration. I'm not a petrol head. I'm
not someone really into cars. I enjoy a nippy fast car. But I'm not really like into cars at all,
but Subhanallah what an experience what an amazing vehicle.
		

			Again, it's very expensive, though, and
		

			and it's only a five seater. So like I said, I've sent two requests through Tesla,
		

			their website to have a test ride through my local, very relatively local center in Solihull because
I live in Shropshire, so it's the nearest one. And they have not responded,
		

			which is pretty shocking.
		

			And you have to think that if that's how they treat someone who wants to test drive their car, I
wonder what they're how they're going to treat you when you want your car fixed or serviced or you
have issues with it. It sets alarm bells ringing for me. And as much as I am like a lot of people, a
fan of
		

			Elon Musk, and his approach and his energy and his enthusiasm. There always is a big question.
		

			Are people really concerned about the environment? Or are they just using this as an excuse to make
lots of money?
		

			Well, to be honest, if you treat potential customers like this, you are not going to be making lots
of money, that's for sure. So I'm gonna give them another chance. I'm not going to send another
email request. I'm actually going to give them a ring.
		

			And let's see what let's see what they say.
		

			Welcome to Tesla. If you are in an emergency breakdown situation, including flat tires, and logout,
press one. For sales, please press two. I've been through this menu before
		

			George Bagan. How can I help? Yeah. Hi, George.
		

			Yeah, hi, ice. I sent a request through the Tesla website
		

			to actually request for a test drive for the Model X. Yeah, and I haven't got a reply not a not even
a thank you. We received your email we'll get back to you soon. So I'm just wondering. Yeah.
		

			So I thought I'd give you a ring and give you another chance.
		

			Thank you very much. Give me two seconds. Let me just see I've got the ability in store
		

			for you
		

			to bear with me
		

			looking for
		

			election. Yeah.
		

			yeah
		

			you're replacing a car or
		

			Yeah, I am I have a I have a Volkswagen Transporter T five. I want to move over to electric.
		

			So yeah, that's it. The Model X is pretty high on my list well being the only seven seater so at the
moment, so Yep. Awesome. Okay.
		

			What is your availability like now there's quite a bit to this week but we have got some free slots
on
		

			Tuesday the eighth Are you available? Cheaper? The APHIS? Yeah, Tuesday the eighth sounds fantastic.
That sounds great. I've got the news. Lots. I've got a three o'clock slot available is gonna be
okay.
		

			How long will it take? Do you think? Generally these time slots are around about an hour.
		

			I just don't want to get caught in Birmingham traffic. That's the only thing I live in Shropshire.
		

			So I just don't want to get stuck in because you're in Solihull, right, isn't it? So I, I really do
not want to get stuck on that M six.
		

			Getting back home, it will be extremely time. Let me just look at some of the days and see what
other days are available. I've got Thursday, I've got further attempts to
		

			Thursday the 10th at two.
		

			Okay, that sounds alright, too. Sounds okay. Yeah, let's do the 10th at two sounds good. Aw, g green
		

			awesome.
		

			It a business purchase? Or is it personal?
		

			And you say you from Shropshire? That's where I live.
		

			Your language preference? We're going to start speaking live and I'm
		

			going to gonna be Model X that you're interested in driving.
		

			Me schedule that in?
		

			Yeah, Georgia might be worth looking into why the website is not
		

			what was happening? Because I did send two emails. I thought, okay, maybe the first one went amiss,
but it's on the website, you know, request a booking?
		

			Yes. So I hadn't got a reply, not even an automated response or anything. So when did you send the
original request? I think I sent the first one, maybe three or four days ago? Yeah. The next one I
sent a couple of days after, it might just be because it's finished. And of course,
		

			they're probably rolling out all the emails to inside sales team. So usually European headquarters
are the ones that sort of dilute all the emails and then get responding to customers. It might just
be a bit of a delay on them. And from that, but yeah, I've certainly I've certainly feedback,
because they should contact some people, even though it's normal to get an automated response, just
so a person knows. Yeah, it's absolutely yeah, just ABCs of you know, business it um, you know,
surprised. Tesla hasn't got that organized. But anyway, that just to let you know, so you could feed
that back to whoever you might need to feed it back to. I will do when you come in on the day.
		

			A couple of minutes before, I will definitely bring your driver's license, you'll be driving with
either Mike or Sam.
		

			as well. Now they'll guide you through the call and answer any questions that you might have. If you
need any run down over finances for that as well. They'll be able to do that. Yeah, brilliant.
		

			Thanks, George.
		

			Take care.
		

			Well, sometimes you need to get your face out of the computer and talk to a human being on the other
end of the phone.