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Jefferies defends Tesla Motors (TSLA -3.2%) with a note which points out that most Tesla Model S...
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Monday, February 11, 10:43 AM ETJefferies defends Tesla Motors (TSLA -3.2%) with a note which points out that most Tesla Model S owners seem more impressed with the car than the New York Times reporter who muddled through the charging process on an extended trip. The firm boosts its price target on TSLA to $45 a share on its view the EV automaker will report that it's on track to meet stated FY13 productions goals.
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This news story has 32 comments:
The point the author makes is a valid one: in cold weather the car range declines and the car's own range estimator becomes inaccurate. And there can be serious adverse consequences if you're not very careful.
Note that the author was on the phone with Tesla's own service department and even they couldn't overcome the inherent vehicle flaws and limitations or spare the driver from their adverse consequences.
People who bought the Tesla S did not do so out of a sober appraisal of its strengths and weaknesses. So you cannot expect them to be rational after the purchase either.
Once the limited number of EV enthusiasts with more money than brains has been exhausted there will be very few takers for these overpriced 'look at me' toys.
D
The Superchargers are free, so if he could have enjoyed a relaxing drive from New York to Boston, but I don't think he wanted that. Nice drives don't sell papers.
There have been several who have posted of their successful road trips. The best of which is highlighted by a fan-made Tesla commercial called "Gallons of Light".
One thing is the authors intelligence. But how about his honesty?
Tweets about logs from the car......
http://bit.ly/UZwTOn
Dr. ***:
Combination blunder/poor pre-trip briefing from Tesla/bitter cold. Lessons learned all around.
Thanks for writing.
jb
______________________...
From: ordercs@nytimes.com [ordercs@nytimes.com]
Sent: Monday, February 11, 2013 11:43 AM
To: Broder, John
Subject: READER MAIL: John M. Broder
Email: ***@gmail.com
URL:tesla ran out of juice
Comments:the biggest question is why you wouldn't charge overnight? seems like if you have something that runs on a battery you charge it even if it's 120v. keeps the battery at the right temp and will trickle in at least some miles. don't you charge your iphone everynight? a blunder on your part.
*****
proud tesla owner
Just like once the limited number of sports car enthusiasts with more money than brains has been exhausted there will be very few takers for these overpriced 'look at me' toys like Lambos, Ferraris, Porsches, and Corvettes.
See what I did there? Our economy can support more than *one* category of vehicle. Maybe... just maybe even a *NEW* category of vehicle!
They were many opportunities which were missed for charging that would have mitigated such circumstances, even when the NYT author was charging.
When you open up the charge port it lets you select standard or range mode for charging. Why someone would select standard when they are going for a long trip is beyond me.
Secondly, at the hotel. Why did he not plug it in to the 110 outlet. As per his article he was "concerned" about the range beforehand. If you have range anxiety and have an opportunity to plug it in, why not take it??
Those were just two examples which requires absolutely no planning.
There's other examples that would have taken some minor planning.
If I was making such a trip, I would use the fast charger, but in range mode. Stop for lunch and bio break in central jersey, get 20-40 miles of charge, head Connecticut, stay in the hotel, charge at a 220 and have essentially a full pack so I wouldn't have to hit up the fast charger. On my way back to NYC, park in an EV friendly garage, work and have it fully charged when I got back.
Is it difficult to find a place in NJ for charging? No.
You know what i would do, charge at Walgreens, walk across the street and go to either the Starbucks, chick filet, shop rite, Chinese buffet food, or do something else.
Or maybe go to Ikea, charge there and grab some Swedish meatballs, or maybe even go to Nuanas in Montclair.
All of those are free charging if you patronize those businesses
An ICE car has a fuel gauge that tells you how much is left in the tank.
The article beautifully illustrates how the Tesla S 'range estimator' loses accuracy in cold weather.
This makes long distance travel much more complicated and uncertain and if you've ever been on a family road trip with kids in the back, the last thing you want is more complications and uncertainty.
It's time for Tesla owners to wake up and smell the range anxiety. It's real.
D
If you are that dense/simple-minded in your thinking, and you can't figure out how to properly estimate range under various conditions and based on your heavy/light-footed driving style, and you don't know how to use that new-fangled internet thingy to find appropriate charging opportunities, then take your OTHER car for road trips. Duh.
And seriously, I mean that in the nicest possible way.
Let's count the gasoline refueling stations between here and Boston, and then let's count the Tesla Supercharger stations.
Perhaps the notion of nascent technology is a complicated one for some to comprehend, but the fact is the lack of infrastructure is a far more significant issue than the design, capacity, or recharging program for a Tesla.
People just have to adjust how they drive and road trips require planning. Not plugging in overnight is silly.
It's disappointing that A respected NY paper would print an article by an individual so ill informed on the workings of a Tesla.
He did not win any points on reporting.
He did not ask. How,when or why?
You, know... little things that people spend an arm and leg for, and brag to their friends about 24/7.
You mean it can fly?
I don't know about others, but personally I can tell the difference between the off-the-line attitude of a carburated vehicle versus an injected one, of a drive-by-wire system versus mechanical linkage. And I can also say that the flat torque curve in an electric is something special.
That said, the other interesting thing about EVs, is that a lot of maintenance components go out the window. Depending on design of course. You don't just no longer have to fuel, but you no longer have oil changes or tune-ups. Some don't incorporate a cooling system and some do. You still have A/C and brake fluid and power steering, but the motor is significantly smaller and lighter, although you carry a lot of baggage in the battery.
One potential issue is that electric motors, and components in general, don't conk out over time, they just.... fail. However they are cheaper to manufacture and install, and that issue could be resolved by redundancy.
One thing for certain, these children won't have dies in a Tesla!
With the Tesla Model S, I now spend 1/16 that amount in electrical cost, and silently fly by bumper-to-bumper traffic in the HOV lane (saving me thousands $$$$$ of wasted hours in traffic).
At this point in time for myself, the car actually pays for itself fairly quick. No other high-end luxury exotic sports sedan on Earth can do this, or even come close to doing this.