SP Rides: Ride The Lighting

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BY MICHAEL KITCHENS

Owner: Asia White
Age: 20
Occupation: Student assistant for vice chancellor for finance, operations and administration at University of Hawaii at Manoa
Hobbies: Tahitian dance, playing with my dogs, spending time with my family, eating Korean barbecue
Year, make, model: 2018 Tesla Model 3
Color: Avery Dennison Lightning Ridge (green purple) by Enzo Autowrap

Asia White is not only this week’s Street Pulse Hottie, but she’s also the owner of this incredible 2018 Tesla Model 3. This car is practically unobtanium right now. Out of the 455,000 Model 3 reservations made, not even half have been delivered yet as of December.  And although its popularity currently outshines the amount on the road, there’s absolutely no doubt that White has a piece of electronic goodness all to herself.

It’s becoming quite common to see a Tesla going by, practically silent, while on a regular day’s commute. Within a short amount of time, the company that has essentially put the luxury electric vehicle on the map has become synonymous with the image of it. And that image was pushed even further thanks to the Model 3.

This car is quite literally a feat of modern engineering.  And to be honest, it can be a little confusing depending on which option you picked. Tesla is offering several variants — from the long-range model’s RWD only of 283 horsepower alongside a combined AWD 450 horsepower version extracted from its all-electric powertrain. That may not sound like a lot by today’s standards, but the power delivery is where it counts. The torque is instantaneous, propelling the vehicle instantly without any build-up or revs — resulting in a shocking amount of acceleration.

And wow, it is quiet. I cannot stress how weird it is to see this thing roll by. It’s utterly silent with the majority of the sound emanating from the contact of the tires on the road. It’s almost a little unnerving.  The fact that there was no engine to take photos of left me with a fantastic shot of the “frunk” instead (also known as the front trunk).

The entire car feels very futuristic while also being a bit minimalistic in its approach. The body has one of the lowest drag coefficients of 0.23 Cd while also having a five-star crash rating in every category from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The interior is sleek and clean with the only noticeable features being the steering wheel and the gigantic LCD control panel where everything resides at the touch of your fingertips.

While rocking an Acura Integra for a bit, the opportunity arose to become an owner and White jumped at the chance. Her family members are big fans of Tesla, with many of them, including her father, owning one. During the three-year wait for the car, she felt it would be important to make an effort to stand out from the crowd. To that effect, she had the entire car wrapped by Enzo Autowrap. The color-shifting Avery Dennison Lightning Ridge was the choice and the resulting effect is a miasma of green and purple that reflects differently from various angles. It’s pretty epic looking.

White does intend to minimally modify the ride while also hoping to present this beauty as an example for other women to follow while participating in upcoming shows.  Check her out — there’s more to come for this dynamic duo ride as they ride the lightning.

 

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