NYT article: Stalled on the EV Highway

[Jaff]

Remember though, people of good character admit their mistakes...in this case, Ted Wiiliams was right..."pour hot water on a (sports) writer and you get instant horse****"

This dispute between Elon and the Times is entertaining to watch, but I don't think it'll have much effect on Tesla in the long run. As battery prices fall, and energy density increases, Tesla vehicles will become more idiot-proof. More Supercharger stations will also help.

Yes, the Times reporter failed to operate the vehicle in an optimal manner, but I think that reflects reality: everyone makes mistakes, many people don't read the manual, some drivers will be downright stupid and do idiotic things.

Tesla is wise to push back hard against the Times article though, if for no other reason than to educate people about how to properly operate an electric vehicle.

 

[Beavis]

Tesla has every right to monitor journalists on test drives. It will keep them honest in reporting and keep them from abusing the car. It is really easy to jump on the accelerator to the point of not being safe. I had a mechanic do an alignment on mine and when I got in the car afterward, the energy app showed that he did 900 watts per mile at one point. Does Tesla need to tell them they are being monitored? Hell no. Everyone should behave ethically whether people are looking or not.

The reporter was awfully naive or intentionally misleading. As an informed auto reviewer, he should know that when taking long trip in an electric car you have to plan when and where you are going to charge and do it with plenty of cushion. That's just common sense and an automotive journalist doesn't know that? Please. He wanted to be stuck on the side of the road.

 

[mrjohnlnguyen]

See link re: Elon calling in to CNBC

Elon called in today on cnbc on the radio at 3:00 PM I spoke his mind about the article and set the record straight !

http://www.cnbc.com/id/100439335

 

[aznt1217]

I feel like people forget that it's a car... Ones mileage will vary. My faith in the public wanes lol

 

[SFOTurtle]

I agree with pretty much everything you said, but implying that the NYT reporter "failed to operate the vehicle in an optimal manner" and that he simply "made mistakes" ignores the facts. There is a huge difference between "optimal" and reckless, and taking off on a journey with far less charge than needed is completely reckless. Here almost anything short of reckless would have resulted in the reporter successfully reaching the destination. The NYT reporter clearly wanted the outcome to be failure. A sane, disinterested person would have completed enough charge -- taken a little more time -- at each of the charging stations, and particularly the very last one -- to get to the destination safely. This reporter never had the intention of doing that.

This dispute between Elon and the Times is entertaining to watch, but I don't think it'll have much effect on Tesla in the long run. As battery prices fall, and energy density increases, Tesla vehicles will become more idiot-proof. More Supercharger stations will also help.

Yes, the Times reporter failed to operate the vehicle in an optimal manner, but I think that reflects reality: everyone makes mistakes, many people don't read the manual, some drivers will be downright stupid and do idiotic things.

Tesla is wise to push back hard against the Times article though, if for no other reason than to educate people about how to properly operate an electric vehicle.

 

[mrjohnlnguyen]

http://www.cnbc.com/id/100439335

Response from the man himself!

 

[PureAmps]

Bloomberg TV Interview with Elon (Video)

A good interview with Elon on Bloomberg TV today regarding the NY Times article:

Musk: Model S Works Well, NYT Article `Ridiculous': Video - Bloomberg

 

[ggies07]

Yes, the Times reporter failed to operate the vehicle in an optimal manner, but I think that reflects reality: everyone makes mistakes, many people don't read the manual, some drivers will be downright stupid and do idiotic things.

Tesla is wise to push back hard against the Times article though, if for no other reason than to educate people about how to properly operate an electric vehicle.

They don't make mistakes and then write a very vague, if not misleading, article. I'm glad Tesla is pushing back, it was nice to hear from Elon. Everyone else has seemed to drive the car just fine. It's still a car. Love that they logged it too. Data is amazing.

 

[Norbert]

http://www.cnbc.com/id/100439335

Response from the man himself!

I didn't see anything in the comments. If you are referring to the statement "issued" by NYT, here my response, a post earlier in the thread:

For anyone who missed it, here again the link to what Elon said on CNBC: Tesla CEO: New York Times Article Is

The NYT response itself is misleading:

- Elon didn't claim Tesla told the reporter to charge overnight.

- The article did not report that he was sometimes driving 10 mph above speed limit,

- and it does *not* report a "detour" to Manhattan. It reports a "break" in Manhattan, but few people will know if this was a detour worth mentioning (and it doesn't report how much he drove in Manhattan).

- The article also doesn't report that none of the charges were the maximum charge possible (which would be around 265), although it does report the numbers. (It remains unknown if the author was aware of how to obtain the maximum charge, a "range" charge.) The second charge wasn't even a standard charge (only 185 miles range).

Elon says in the interview that Tesla explicitly instructed him to obtain maximum charges, not to make detours (between the two Superchargers), and not to drive too fast.

 

[wstuff]

Don't read this post I AM JUST VENTING, anyone who calls themselves a journalist and a reporter knows that a report is a scientific evaluation, that means all things are fair and square and you report your outcome, YOU DO NOTt fudge an outcome to what you would like to happen, if you don't like the results you put on your BIG GIRL PANTIES ON and SUCK IT UP and report your findings, IF YOU ARE CREDIBLE , if you do not follow the rules of honest reporting then get out of the business and sell SNAKE OIL. I have cancelled my subscription to NYT after they have allowed this kind of misinformation to be reported without the proper fact checking, they have committed a FRAUD on anyone who buys their paper by printing miss truth, the DATA proves the point. I hope you haven't read this far I was ranting, TY

 

[ggies07]

A good interview with Elon on Bloomberg TV today regarding the NY Times article:

Musk: Model S Works Well, NYT Article `Ridiculous': Video - Bloomberg

Thanks for the link. I find it funny that Elon calls out the fact that another reviewer from NYT made it to 300 miles on a single charge. He knows and we know something isn't right with this latest reviewer.

 

[anticitizen13.7]

I agree with pretty much everything you said, but implying that the NYT reporter "failed to operate the vehicle in an optimal manner" and that he simply "made mistakes" ignores the facts. There is a huge difference between "optimal" and reckless, and taking off on a journey with far less charge than needed is completely reckless. Here almost anything short of reckless would have resulted in the reporter successfully reaching the destination. The NYT reporter clearly wanted the outcome to be failure. A sane, disinterested person would have completed enough charge -- taken a little more time -- at each of the charging stations, and particularly the very last one -- to get to the destination safely. This reporter never had the intention of doing that.

Just reading the article alone, I really did not get the impression that there was any malfeasance. However, in the context of Elon's tweets that Tesla actually called the journalist several times to ask about excessive speed, detours, and other items from the data monitoring of the test drive, I concede that something might be amiss.

 

[Norbert]

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/301050531923779585

From comments below:

Nick Judd ‏
@elonmusk Are you saying that Tesla reps did not field multiple phone calls from Broder throughout his drive? Stalled on the E.V. Highway - NYTimes.com
Details
Elon Musk ‏
@nclarkjudd Yes, we called to inquire why he was blatantly ignoring our advice. It was like he had no desire for a good outcome.

Wow, I'm really curious about all the background info from Tesla. Hope they'll have some of that in their blog.

Per another tweet, John Broder is actually the one who wrote "The Electric Car, Unplugged", an article we discussed here extensively, some time ago. (Don't have the link to that thread right now.)

The Electric Car, Unplugged - NYTimes.com

 

[Jcmason]

Forbes article

Fake Or Not, New York Times' Tesla Review Speaks Truth About Electric Cars - Forbes

Wow. The title of the article is essentially saying that even if the reporter was lying that it is still true! Talk about one reporter trying to protect another. I wrote a scathing comment to this one.

Good comment Grendal. Similar vested interest from the Forbes reporter IMHO, rather than trying to protect the other reporter. Anyway, I added my own comment too.

 

[aronth5]

Interesting interview but I believe Elon needs to be careful when he completely downplays any effect of cold on the batteries.
The experiences reported here related to the challenges of managing battery range in cold temperatures tend to support a somewhat different view.
It seems to me that it is difficult to argue that the general consensus on this forum is that Tesla needs to improve battery management before next winter and also improve how they communicate and educate drivers about the cold.

 

[StephRob]

Fake Or Not, New York Times' Tesla Review Speaks Truth About Electric Cars - Forbes

Wow. The title of the article is essentially saying that even if the reporter was lying that it is still true! Talk about one reporter trying to protect another. I wrote a scathing comment to this one.

I wrote a pretty harsh comment to this article too. What a piece of garbage writing.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Don't read this post I AM JUST VENTING, anyone who calls themselves a journalist and a reporter knows that a report is a scientific evaluation, that means all things are fair and square and you report your outcome, YOU DO NOTt fudge an outcome to what you would like to happen, if you don't like the results you put on your BIG GIRL PANTIES ON and SUCK IT UP and report your findings, IF YOU ARE CREDIBLE , if you do not follow the rules of honest reporting then get out of the business and sell SNAKE OIL. I have cancelled my subscription to NYT after they have allowed this kind of misinformation to be reported without the proper fact checking, they have committed a FRAUD on anyone who buys their paper by printing miss truth, the DATA proves the point. I hope you haven't read this far I was ranting, TY

Sorry, I had to.

Welcome to the real world. Never confuse journalism with the truth. Journalism is just another way of making money with stories. Like writing fiction.

 

[wstuff]

itsnotaboutthemoney, -Well it's your fault, I told you not to read it, but it is the truth, it is really a shame what , when I was a kid, we rode around in Flintstone mobiles and when a writer published a report it was factual and honest and you could make a decision for yourself based on the said report, that is how you built trust and integrity and built a following, perhaps that is why we as readers have lost all faith in any report and why newspapers are folding like, well, newspaper.

- - - Updated - - -

Good comment Grendal. Similar vested interest from the Forbes reporter IMHO, rather than trying to protect the other reporter. Anyway, I added my own comment too.

John very well written reply, I enjoyed your calm demeanor and well worded retorts.

 

[justaddsun]

A good interview with Elon on Bloomberg TV today regarding the NY Times article:

Musk: Model S Works Well, NYT Article `Ridiculous': Video - Bloomberg

Fascinating when he talks about some of the technology they've incorporated in the MS to warm the battery in colder temps eg shunting heat from the motor, shutting down vents...

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Zas]

Elon accuses NYT of lying.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk accuses New York Times of lying about Model S range anxiety (update) | The Verge