Grist "By 2015..." article

[Robert.Boston]

Noticed this article today in Grist. I can't tell whether this is intended as humor or a complete fact-check fail:

Eventually, your average consumers might even start thinking alternative-fuel cars are cool, too. Look at the hoopla surrounding Tesla Motors’ recently released Model S “supercar.” It goes 3,000 miles per hour, approximately, and a recent Motor Trend test-drive in the desert showed it has an electric range of more than 250 miles. A change is coming. You should see these electric cars that BMW is putting out next year, the i3 and i8. They look like superhero cars from the future. I want one so bad.

He must have the superperformance version!

 

[Zzzz...]

Tesla Motors’ recently released Model S “supercar.” It goes 3,000 miles per hour, approximately, and a recent Motor Trend test-drive in the desert showed it has an electric range of more than 250 miles.

This could be true!

If they are planning to put Tesla Model S on top of SpaceX Falcon 9 as publicity stunt or something...

 

[daniel]

300 mile range got confused to 300 mph, since they had two different range figures, one from Tesla and one from Motor Trend, and a typo added a zero, and nobody does proper proofreading any more. Just my guess.

 

[jerry33]

300 mile range got confused to 300 mph, since they had two different range figures, one from Tesla and one from Motor Trend, and a typo added a zero, and nobody does proper proofreading any more. Just my guess.

Even more confusing because the supercharger charge rate is 300 mph.

 

[vfx]

300 mile range got confused to 300 mph, since they had two different range figures, one from Tesla and one from Motor Trend, and a typo added a zero, and nobody does proper proofreading any more. Just my guess.

it goes 3,000 miles per hour, approximately, and a recent Motor Trend test-drive in the desert showed it has an electric range of more than 250 miles.

No, his use of the comma'd "approximately" says he was exaggerating for comedic effect.

- - - Updated - - -

The last line is this:

Watching electric cars race isn’t much fun — yet. That Model S goes pretty damn fast.

 

[daniel]

Watching electric cars race isn’t much fun

Then he's never watched the White Zombie.

 

[vfx]

Then he's never watched the White Zombie.

It's just different. Watching the recent electric car around Nuremberg video had no lack of excitement of putting myself in the drivers seat.

Sound is the component we are all talking about so for TV coverage just having the sensitivity on the track and car mikes sound would give the full aural experience at home.

What do we call the new "exhaust note"?

Spin tone?
Whine sound?
Motor pitch?

 

[daniel]

It always amazes me when people cite the obnoxious noise pollution of a gasoline car as one of its advantages. Filthy, disgusting, and painful, are the words I'd use to describe the sound of a gasoline race car. The only time I ever raced a hot-rod off the line at a stop light, I left him way behind, and I did it quietly, while the mufflerless hot rod was polluting the neighborhood with its filthy roar.

 

[ElSupreme]

It's just different. Watching the recent electric car around Nuremberg video had no lack of excitement of putting myself in the drivers seat.

Sound is the component we are all talking about so for TV coverage just having the sensitivity on the track and car mikes sound would give the full aural experience at home.

What do we call the new "exhaust note"?

Spin tone?
Whine sound?
Motor pitch?

Tire Noise!