NYT article: Stalled on the EV Highway

[carrerascott]

Backlash from NYT article? "I Drove The Tesla S. Was I Monitored Too?" -- from Forbes

http://www.forbes.com/sites/hannahelliott/2013/02/11/i-drove-the-tesla-s-was-i-monitored-too/

There’s a lot that’s surprising in today’s clash between Elon Musk and the New York Times over a critical review of the Tesla Model S, Musk’s luxurious new electric sedan.As someone who has driven the car, and liked it a great deal, I was surprised by how badly it fared during the Times test drive up I-95 from Washington, DC to New York City (it failed miserably according to author John Broder).I was also somewhat taken aback by Musk’s response. He took to twitter and blasted the review, calling it flat-out “fake” and accusing Broder of lying about the details and length of his trip.

But what was most surprising to me was this:
@elonmusk Tesla data logging is only turned on with explicit written permission from customers, but after Top Gear BS, we always keep it on for media. (More on the Tesla-Top Gear fight.)
Why? Back in July when I first drove the Model S, I had no idea Team Tesla was watching my troll through the streets of Manhattan and on the West Side Highway.
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t mind having trips recorded in an internal computer system—it can be helpful in diagnosing mechanical problems and with theft recovery. The real issue is that I wasn’t informed of it (I have requested confirmation from Tesla to absolutely verify this fact but have yet to receive a response).
I have never (at least to my knowledge) had that happen with another automobile manufacturer. There isn’t any word yet on whether or not Broder knew he was being monitored, or if it would have altered his drive had he known, and the data, as they say, is still out on what happened during his test drive.
I know Musk a bit from having written a long magazine profile of him and am a fan of his relentless attempts to do what people say can’t be done. But I can’t say I’m a fan of being monitored—if I was—without knowing. That violates some pretty basic tenets of fair play when reviewing cars.
Musk has said repeatedly that customer driving habits are not monitored without their explicit written consent. Journalists, it seems, are held to a different scrutiny. Don’t trust us? That’s okay. Just let us know what the ground rules are.
Follow me on Twitter: @HannahElliott
Follow me on Facebook: Hannah Elliott
Follow me on Instagram: HannahElliottForbes
​

 

[neroden]

I would offer my sympathies from the other side if EV industry,
But after all the loving superiority expressed by Elon and TMC when Fisker was suffering bad luck and bad press over its launch hiccups, all I can say is:

BWAAAAA!!!!

Welcome to the hell of bad press smacking flatbed photos of your car over all the worlds interwebs!

And good luck with your stock price Monday morning.

Unfortunately for those of us hoping to grab some more stock cheap, there was only a minor drop in the stock price. The investors don't find this article significant.

 

[Norbert]

To be fair in parsing the NY Times statement, this thread quickly deduced that the reporter had failed to fully charge the vehicle. That could only have been accomplished if the statements made in the article were factual.

I'd say it contains a surprising amount of factual information (it is the NYT after all), but some critical information is missing, and altogether it is designed to lead the reader towards reaching very specific conclusions, about Tesla, EVs, Steven Chu, and the government.

The problem is that the article implies that the reporter was filling up and closely following Tesla's instructions, and nevertheless ended up on a flatbed.

That's just obvious spin when you get down to it. [...]

Yep.

 

[Yuri_G]

There's a blog post coming up with the details of the NYT test. Elon's tweet: "Tesla blog coming soon detailing what actually happened on Broder's NYTimes "range test". Also lining up other journalists to do same drive."

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

 

[JRP3]

I'd suggest that no reporter or individual has any expectation of privacy when borrowing someone else's vehicle.

 

[JohnQ]

I'd suggest that no reporter or individual has any expectation of privacy when borrowing someone else's vehicle.

Perhaps, but Tesla should really disclose that fact to the journalist.

- - - Updated - - -

There's a blog post coming up with the details of the NYT test. Elon's tweet: "Tesla blog coming soon detailing what actually happened on Broder's NYTimes "range test". Also lining up other journalists to do same drive."

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

Tesla truly are the masters of effective PR. And I say this with full admiration and no biting undertone. This will, in the end, generate positive buzz about the Model S and hopefully educated quite a few folks along the way.

 

[kinddog]

awesome. thanks for posting.

money quote:

“After digging into the background behind the article, our conclusion is that operator error likely played a primary role, due to improper charging protocol,” Elaine Kwei, an analyst for Jefferies & Co., wrote in a report earlier today. She rates Tesla a buy.

 

[rolosrevenge]

Perhaps, but Tesla should really disclose that fact to the journalist.

Journalists complaining about unknowingly being monitored to verify facts? The hypocrisy is astounding. I never once heard such a statement from a journalist after they'd sneaked in a recording device to catch a politician saying something provocative. Journalists, live by your own standards.

 

[100thMonkey]

with Tesla catching the guy red handed, it reminds me of the stunt top gear tried to pull on one of their episodes with the Leaf! http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-20087555-48/nissan-calls-out-top-gear-over-leaf-review/

they also tried some similar BS with the roadster.

 

[Grendal]

Journalists complaining about unknowingly being monitored to verify facts? The hypocrisy is astounding. I never once heard such a statement from a journalist after they'd sneaked in a recording device to catch a politician saying something provocative. Journalists, live by your own standards.

Privacy is not for public actions. Borrowing a car to do a public story on it says that you are waiving any rights to privacy. Tesla isn't recording what the reporter was doing in the car just what is happening with the car while the reporter has it. Most cars can do this today. When Top Gear tested the Leaf recently and did a hit piece on it, Nissan posted a story showing how Top Gear had intentionally drained the batteries by driving in circles in a parking lot. No reporter should expect privacy while using someone elses car. If the article, like many others, had shown what was expected from the car Tesla wouldn't have needed to check the logs. When the results are questionable and conflicts with how the car works, a check proved that the writer had "fudged" the results. Go figure.

 

[vfx]

I'd suggest that no reporter or individual has any expectation of privacy when borrowing someone else's vehicle.

Elon mentions the Top Gear chicanery and ends the interview with "Trust, but verify" the quote made famous by President Reagan.

 

[JRP3]

No surprise this generated another crap piece from "Saibus Research" Think Twice Before Test-Driving A Tesla - Seeking Alpha
Nice to see the majority of comments are not buying into it.

 

[carrerascott]

ANOTHER Forbes article -- are they the same company as NYT?

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

http://www.forbes.com/sites/joannmu...esla-review-speaks-truth-about-electric-cars/

 

[kenliles]

Perhaps, but Tesla should really disclose that fact to the journalist.

Why...?

- - - Updated - - -

New tweets by Elon
1) Btw, more free East Coast Superchargers coming soon. Will allow lower initial charge, v high speed trip & long detours, like NYTimes drive.

2) Am not against NYTimes in general. They're usually fair & their own prev Tesla test drive got 300+ miles of range! http://t.co/QWGetnNo

 

[Grendal]

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.

 

[anticitizen13.7]

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.

 

[MTGMAN]

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 !

 

[DJ Frustration]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/hannahelliott/2013/02/11/i-drove-the-tesla-s-was-i-monitored-too/

There’s a lot that’s surprising in today’s clash between Elon Musk and the New York Times over a critical review of the Tesla Model S, Musk’s luxurious new electric sedan.As someone who has driven the car, and liked it a great deal, I was surprised by how badly it fared during the Times test drive up I-95 from Washington, DC to New York City (it failed miserably according to author John Broder).I was also somewhat taken aback by Musk’s response. He took to twitter and blasted the review, calling it flat-out “fake” and accusing Broder of lying about the details and length of his trip.

But what was most surprising to me was this:
@elonmusk Tesla data logging is only turned on with explicit written permission from customers, but after Top Gear BS, we always keep it on for media. (More on the Tesla-Top Gear fight.)
Why? Back in July when I first drove the Model S, I had no idea Team Tesla was watching my troll through the streets of Manhattan and on the West Side Highway.
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t mind having trips recorded in an internal computer system—it can be helpful in diagnosing mechanical problems and with theft recovery. The real issue is that I wasn’t informed of it (I have requested confirmation from Tesla to absolutely verify this fact but have yet to receive a response).
I have never (at least to my knowledge) had that happen with another automobile manufacturer. There isn’t any word yet on whether or not Broder knew he was being monitored, or if it would have altered his drive had he known, and the data, as they say, is still out on what happened during his test drive.
I know Musk a bit from having written a long magazine profile of him and am a fan of his relentless attempts to do what people say can’t be done. But I can’t say I’m a fan of being monitored—if I was—without knowing. That violates some pretty basic tenets of fair play when reviewing cars.
Musk has said repeatedly that customer driving habits are not monitored without their explicit written consent. Journalists, it seems, are held to a different scrutiny. Don’t trust us? That’s okay. Just let us know what the ground rules are.
Follow me on Twitter: @HannahElliott
Follow me on Facebook: Hannah Elliott
Follow me on Instagram: HannahElliottForbes
​

I tweeted @HannahElliott with the following: "@HannahElliott Can you blame @TeslaMotors for monitoring journalist drives after how they were screwed by @bbc_topgear ? Read up on it."
https://twitter.com/DJFrustration/status/301110059675561985

She "favorite'd" it. Don't know what it means but at least the point may have come across.

 

[Bearman]

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.

 

[bosgig]

This has to break a record for fastest thread on TMC to reach 32 pages of replies. And I admit, I haven't read all 32 pages. I just hope that this experience will nudge the company towards a more dense distribution of superchargers in the Northeast, and not just along I-95.