New York Times vs Tesla Motors

[Shinobu]

This is very interesting. John Broder did a test drive of the Tesla S, an electric car, and wrote a piece in the Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/10/automobiles/stalled-on-the-ev-highway.html

Tesla charged that the entire piece was fabricated since they track activity of all cars used by media: The Charges Are Flying Over a Test of Tesla's Charging Network - NYTimes.com

So it's Tesla's word against Broder's, right? Well, Tesla then published this: A Most Peculiar Test Drive | Blog | Tesla Motors

Here's just a preview of what they revealed:

Here is yet another rebuttal from Broder: That Tesla Data: What It Says and What It Doesn't - NYTimes.com

 

[97SaturnSL1]

With these 100% all electric cars. "YOUR MILEAGE WILL VARY!" Especially in the cold. the Teslas do not have a gas powered engine that would turn an alternator to keep a constant charge in a regular gas powered car's battery. The Teslas run on ONE GIANT battery that is the sole power sourse for ALL power. the guy was using the heater which in a gas car uses fans to blow the heat (battery) from the heater core which gets power from the heat of the engine and electricity from the battery. the radio and dash gauges are all electric screens, Cruise control uses electronic servo units, and has a top of the line radio system which was most likely used all use power from the drive sorce battery of the tesla. this would not be an issue if the car had an Alternator like most other cars today or shared a platform that has a gas engine that recharges the power like the Chevy Volt. the Tesla also has a transmission with one gear while most cars have transmissions with either 4,5, or 6 gears which allow the car to go fast but allows the engine to run slower and use less energy. The faster the Tesla goes the more power is needed to stay at that speed. As for going fast on the freeway for a gas car with a multigear transmission 50-60 MPH is useually when the last gear gets shifted into place and that is useually the lowest speed the engine will run. after going over 60mph the effecency will start to fall rapidly. engine speed is about 2000 RPM at 60mph and going at 70 (2500rpm), and 80 (3125RPM) are not normal driving speeds that are encountere. driving on a SINGLE gear will make the motors work harder to go faster. a regualr car driving in first gear only will start to hit 2000 RPM when its going around 18 MPH. I think the driver was not driving effectivly and the 10% weather factor just added to the misery. THere is a curve when it comes to comparing milage from a gas car to an EV and i dont think this Broder guy gets that this car is way different mechanically than the one he is most likely familiar with