Inaccurate info about Tesla from Businessweek

[treehugger350]

In his article, Tesla Ships First $100,000 Model S Amid Uncertain Deamand author Alan Ohnsman states,

​

The first 10 “Signature” performance versions are to be picked up by their owners at Tesla’s Fremont, California, factory. They’re priced at $95,400 to $105,400 and able to go 265 miles (426 kilometers) per charge.

I know we're all Tesla superfans, but I feel like it's been stated time and time again the range on the highest end models is 300 miles. Where would he have possibly retrieved this 265 number from? It kills me when reporters are blatantly inaccurate about things of which they know very little.

 

[doug]

Where would he have possibly retrieved this 265 number from? It kills me when reporters are blatantly inaccurate about things of which they know very little.

The EPA. 2012 Tesla Model S: EPA Range Of 265 Miles, 89 MPGe Efficiency

300 miles was if you drove at a constant 55 mph. Model S Efficiency and Range | Blog | Tesla Motors

 

[jomo25]

From the headline, I thought the inaccurate part was the "Uncertain Demand" part. They have reservations that would sell them out through mid 2013. Not too uncertain.

 

[Right_Said_Fred]

It also shows negative bias to write (a title) about a '$ 100,000 car' when that is the price for the top Signature-car. Most people will be buying a Model S for $ 50,000, $ 60,000 or $ 70,000 plus options. By stressing the price of $ 100,000 the author willingly or unwillingly portrays the car as being affordable for just the happy few. The opposite would have been to say that the price is 'from $ 50,000'. It would have been nice/objective if he had chosen the middle road.

 

[treehugger350]

Ah.. just now starting to see these EPA numbers. I wonder what Elon thinks of the EPA providing the 265 figure as opposed to his 300 number. Are EPA tests extremely difficult? I can't imagine they rate cars on MPG/MPGe based on driving over 55+. Maybe just a lot of stop/go/hills/cold weather?

 

[Mark Petersen]

negative
well the first 1000 cars that are shipping are all signatures, and the base price is $95.000 add just 1-2 options and you are over $100.000
and without a link Tesla Ships First $100,000 Model S Amid Uncertain Demand how can we juge the article

Yes the writer is not positive, but he quoting different medias where some have been negative and some positive, and the rest is just from the "2012 ANNUAL SHAREHOLDER MEETING"
yes, most of it is from "Dave Sullivan" who is an analyst for industry researcher AutoPacific, that wants to show that he knows how to advice customers on what to do, and he can only do that by mention all the worst case scenarios

one this I find funny is that Sullivan kind of say that Tesla should not be posible, but it is, and then he try to save him self by saying that if the rollout is perfect, they have a chance
last year the total car sales in the us was 12,7 milion and if tesla wants to sell 20.000 that is only 0,15% of the car market
the article even mention that the total ev market is expected to be 0,5% in 2017 witch is 6.350 but those estimates are based on short range compliance ev's, and not on long range performance ev's
when you look at the market yes clean disel are trying to eat into the ev market, but who want to by a ford mustang with a clean disel that go 0-60 in 10s
witch technologies in the performance category really threatens tesla, only hybrids and they also come at a cost, and they dont come with HOV stickers

 

[AndyM]

I think this was addressed here: Speculation on EPA 5-cycle ranges for 85 kWh Perf 60 kWh and 40 kWh

 

[jomo25]

Ah.. just now starting to see these EPA numbers. I wonder what Elon thinks of the EPA providing the 265 figure as opposed to his 300 number. Are EPA tests extremely difficult? I can't imagine they rate cars on MPG/MPGe based on driving over 55+. Maybe just a lot of stop/go/hills/cold weather?

Those numbers aren't a surprise at this point to Elon and Tesla. They were expecting them based on their own tests since about the last 3-4 weeks.

 

[Andrew Wolfe]

When was the last time any automaker shipped a car with "certain demand?" Usually there are no orders from customers on the day the car ships. Who else starts shipment with 6-months of deposits on hand? Ferrari. Not many others.

 

[DrDave]

When was the last time any automaker shipped a car with "certain demand?" Usually there are no orders from customers on the day the car ships. Who else starts shipment with 6-months of deposits on hand? Ferrari. Not many others.

When GM re-released the Camaro in 2010 they had a pretty long list. That's the only one I can think of.

 

[Zextraterrestrial]

When GM re-released the Camaro in 2010 they had a pretty long list. That's the only one I can think of.

I thought the first Vipers had a wait/ deposit

oh, topic, demand is certain. I demand a model S
I'd demand 2 nut can barely afford 1.

 

[Ardie]

I keep trying to believe that "any press is good press" (as long as fires aren't involved).

So what if the article mentions the Model S as a "$100,000 car?" When I do a bit of research on this new car that is actually hitting the streets, I'll be happily surprised to find out that they are available for less than $60,000 instead of the hundred grand mentioned in the article.

Now all I need to see is a reasonably accurate article on how cheap the car is to operate and maintain, so a slightly higher price can be easily justified. All that, and being green, too!

-- Ardie
Open the floodgates, already.

 

[Grendal]

Is it me or have the latest articles ALL had a slightly negative spin on them. This article is just another example of that push. What's going on? There should be a huge upswelling of positivity that this car is actually about to hit the road but instead we're getting "uncertain demand."

 

[jimbakker666]

Is it me or have the latest articles ALL had a slightly negative spin on them. This article is just another example of that push. What's going on? There should be a huge upswelling of positivity that this car is actually about to hit the road but instead we're getting "uncertain demand."

Yep I've seen it too.

 

[FlasherZ]

Is it me or have the latest articles ALL had a slightly negative spin on them. This article is just another example of that push. What's going on? There should be a huge upswelling of positivity that this car is actually about to hit the road but instead we're getting "uncertain demand."

Never underestimate resistance to change. Those of us excited about the model S are part of a true revolution. Unlike the toy Nissan Leaf, the Tesla Model S is the first reasonable-range all-electric car. My family doesn't believe me when I tell them a mere $7 represents 250-300 miles of fuel. "It can't be possible!"

Well, it is. Can't wait to watch them unload it in my driveway.

 

[Botbldr45]

The roadster has a readout that shows the cost to recharge based on the price or electricity charged by your provider. You set the figure from an electric bill for your house and the car uses that to give you cost per charge data. When I show this readout to my gear head friends they say," well that's wrong! Can't be " what do you say. The Model S has the potential to totally change the way we think of personal transportation. People fear change .... We are all the same .... I fear change.....

Remember we are all victims of a national news media that trives on reporting the negative. We are conditioned to respond to the negative. The major news networks have one or maybe two positive stories during the entire nightly news broadcasts .... The rest is sensationally bad stuff. Is it a surprise that one of the most potentially positive moments in automotive history is met with increasingly negative reports?? Naaa ... This is America .... Good stuff can't happen .... We need to hear how bad it all is to make our lives seem better and individual problems seem smaller............

The S Model is a miracle and a beam of light in the hope for a reliable future for this country .... and the world.

Let them squabble, babble and moan .... It doesn't matter ... Celebrate when you see Model S on the road!!! I can't wait to see my first sighting and buy that guy or gal a dinner... Have them over to my house for a charge and hope my cinical neighbors will stop watching the news about the latest house fire or mass murder or falling economy or war atrocity and see what a positive possibility has been launched on the 22nd of June.!!!

But that's just my feeling based on 17000 miles in a roadster..............

 

[VolkerP]

from Tesla Ships First $100,000 Model S Amid Uncertain Demand

More than 10,000 people have made $5,000 deposits to reserve one, Musk said on June 6.
“Then what?” said Dave Sullivan, an analyst for industry researcher AutoPacific Inc. “Now everybody that wanted one has got one, where do they find the next 10,000?”

They could start advertising. Just a little :biggrin:
Sometimes trying to be smart can make you really look silly, Dave.

 

[Right_Said_Fred]

Seeing those 10,000 first cars on the road will already sell another 10,000, not to mention the effect of all those relatives, friends, neighbours, etc. that will get to ride along for a few blocks or more. It's a snowball that has to start rolling. And that's before they even start advertising.

 

[sp4rk]

Never underestimate resistance to change. Those of us excited about the model S are part of a true revolution. Unlike the toy Nissan Leaf, the Tesla Model S is the first reasonable-range all-electric car. My family doesn't believe me when I tell them a mere $7 represents 250-300 miles of fuel. "It can't be possible!"

Well, it is. Can't wait to watch them unload it in my driveway.

toy Nissan Leaf?

I drive one for now ... as we have no S to compare it to, (til today!), while the Leaf is not a Tesla ... it's not a toy. I am very happy with mine. Would I like more range, better fit and finish? Sure. But, toy. No.

Unless you were baiting me? It worked!

But, you mention "Never underestimate resistance to change" ... SO TRUE. In the 80's I started a start-up, loaded with VC, and the vultures told me the same thing. Our product made things easier for a market segment and we had to educate the hell out of prospects to tell them "it can be done."

 

[sp4rk]

The roadster has a readout that shows the cost to recharge based on the price or electricity charged by your provider. You set the figure from an electric bill for your house and the car uses that to give you cost per charge data. When I show this readout to my gear head friends they say," well that's wrong! Can't be " what do you say. The Model S has the potential to totally change the way we think of personal transportation. People fear change .... We are all the same .... I fear change.....

Remember we are all victims of a national news media that trives on reporting the negative. We are conditioned to respond to the negative. The major news networks have one or maybe two positive stories during the entire nightly news broadcasts .... The rest is sensationally bad stuff. Is it a surprise that one of the most potentially positive moments in automotive history is met with increasingly negative reports?? Naaa ... This is America .... Good stuff can't happen .... We need to hear how bad it all is to make our lives seem better and individual problems seem smaller............

The S Model is a miracle and a beam of light in the hope for a reliable future for this country .... and the world.

Let them squabble, babble and moan .... It doesn't matter ... Celebrate when you see Model S on the road!!! I can't wait to see my first sighting and buy that guy or gal a dinner... Have them over to my house for a charge and hope my cinical neighbors will stop watching the news about the latest house fire or mass murder or falling economy or war atrocity and see what a positive possibility has been launched on the 22nd of June.!!!

But that's just my feeling based on 17000 miles in a roadster..............

But will their S plug into your home charger? (Just kidding; better go buy your adapters!)

As much a superfan of the S as everyone else, you really think of it as a miracle?