Data logs show NYT writer's peculiar test drive with Tesla Model S

[rightsideout]

If you had 61 miles to go on a trip would you put 31 miles worth of gas in your car?

Well, that's what NYT's reporter John Broder did on the last leg of his test drive. He had 61 miles to go but pulled the plug with the charger stating 31 miles on the charge.

On another leg of the journey after he pulled off the highway to charge with 0 miles left on the charge he drove the car in circles for .5 miles in front of the charger. WTF?

Cruise control was never set to 54 mph as claimed in the article, nor did he limp along at 45 mph. Broder in fact drove at speeds from 65 mph to 81 mph for a majority of the trip and at an average cabin temperature setting of 72 F.

At the point in time that he claims to have turned the temperature down, he in fact turned the temperature up to 74 F.

During each leg of the trip when he charged, he never charged the car to 100 percent. First charge was 90 percent, second charge was 72 percent and third charge was 28 percent!

Shortly after charging to 72 percent Broder took the car over 80 mph!

And when he got down to 0 miles on one charge he drove the car in circles in front of the charge station! LOL. WTF?

I own an electric car and know before embarking on a long trip you always charge to 100 percent and actually leave the charger in a bit longer for the cells to equalize.

The data logs show Broder said things that weren't what the data logs said.

Here is Elon Musk's blog with all the data charts. See for yourself.

http://www.teslamotors.com/blog/most-peculiar-test-drive

[Democracyinkind]

1. Top Gear was caught pulling the same stunts in order to badmouth EV's....

As someone who is fairly unpartisan towards combustion engines, I just don't get it. My Dad hates Electric Cars because of these kinds of stunts. Sad, but utterly fascinating...

[rgbecker]

2. The motor media is so fucked!

Gas approaching $5/gallon and most articles are still about HP. As if anyone needed more than 80 HP to get up even the steepest hill. Every ad is selling the stereo system, upholstery and silver wheels rather than cost per mile in a time the entire world is talking about no jobs and a declining economy.

Don't get me started on fossil fuels, air pollution and groundwater contamination.

[EOTE]

7. HP doesn't get you up hills, torque does. There are, however, many cars for which 80 HP wouldn't

suffice. Unless there is an extreme TQ/HP ratio, 80hp would not propel most midsize sedans sufficiently. You try putting an 80hp engine in a typical midsized sedan today and it won't get up an even moderately steep hill unless it was perhaps a turbo diesel.

[Bluenorthwest]

3. I stopped watching Top Gear when BBC hosts did the same thing.

And by the same thing, I mean they lied to their audience without thought or remorse.

[leveymg]

4. The oil industry is worth what, a trillion dollars? You think they're not going to buy bad press

for their competitors?

Does anyone think that the corporate "news" and entertainment media are anything other than advertising and PR operations should have their head examined and consider never again voting.

Full disclosure: I otherwise love "Top Gear", and as a 12 year old received a bunch of car books from John Rodasta, who was then the NYT motor sports editor. I still treasure them and am to this day an unreconstructed Motorhead (who remains fascinated by all cars, including hybrids and EVs, which are no doubt the future).

[Octafish]

6. Staggering numbers: FWIR, all world governments' annual budgets combined are less than petro sales.

Ubelievable, considering how much the MIC absorbs, but the world spends more on oil than anything else: about $4.37 trillion last year.

http://www.ibisworld.com/industry/global/global-oil-gas-exploration-production.html

I saw the figure compared to world government expenditures while reading many years ago. I've looked to find the info again, unsuccessfully Mr. Bond. I must not have access to Lexis-Nexis.

Heck. With my budget, I'm not allowed to even look at, let alone drive, a Lexus.

[leveymg]

8. The numbers tell you who really run things. Follow the money.

My thumbnail estimates are usually not so far off - $4.4 trillion would buy a lot of education, healthcare, and general improvement in the lives of the people on this planet.

If only a quarter -- the Trillion or so that I guessed -- went to other things, it would be a far, far better world.

[Historic NY]

5. One regularly finds real bias in the auto blogs....

I am sometimes amazed more aren't called out.