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New York Times admits Tesla Model S writer didn't use "good judgment"
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Tesla Motors
And, lo, in the case of John Broder vs. Elon Musk, The New York Times is admitting defeat. A little bit. Sort of.
"Musk is at fault, too, for using the car's driving logs "in the most damaging (and sometimes quite misleading) ways possible."
Yesterday, the NYT's public editor, Margaret Sullivan, wrote the official Times response to the very public dispute between the newspaper's reporter, John Broder - who wrote a story about how a Tesla Model S failed him on a trip up the east coast - and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who called that original story a fake and then dumped a bunch of data from the car's log to show why he used that word. Editor Sullivan admits the drive "did not go well." In the aftermath, she says she tried to look at the facts in an unbiased fashion, eventually determining that Broder was not precise enough at times and did "not especially" use "good judgment along the way." Musk is at fault, too, she says, for using the car's driving logs "in the most damaging (and sometimes quite misleading) ways possible, as he defended his vehicle's reputation." Sullivan also says she believes Broder, "took on the test drive in good faith, and told the story as he experienced it" even as he "left himself open to valid criticism by taking what seem to be casual and imprecise notes along the journey."
This whole story, of course, is really about the fact that electric vehicles suffer a drop in range in cold weather, which matters more than in normal cars since there is less range to begin with (not to mention it takes longer to refuel an EV's energy reserves than it does its liquid-fueled counterparts). There are a number of factors in play, but Tesla has said range drop in the Model S is about 10 percent (which, interestingly enough, is about the same as what vehicles powered by gasoline engines suffer in such weather).
Interestingly enough, a 10-percent efficiency drop is about the same as what ICE vehicles suffer.
Consumer Reports has an interesting article up about learning how to adjust to cold-weather changes in its Model S, including a tale similar to Broder's about running the car down to the "charge now" warning screen, but the institute managed to make it to their destination. CR writes, "To its credit, the Model S delivered 176 miles from a full charge in cold weather - considerably more than any other EV on the planet. While it was in line with what the car predicted, it proved well short of the rated 240 miles the car promised when I started, let alone the 265 estimated by the EPA or the 300 touted by Tesla."
Meanwhile, over in take-a-step-back-ville, Grist suggests that the entire public dispute is a "sideshow" and that:
It is probably true that electric cars will never be able to replace gas cars, if the cars themselves - the widgets - are the only thing we replace. The entire system was designed and built around ICE cars. Turns out it's difficult to build a luxurious, two-ton armored tank that can travel 300 miles on a quick-charging battery pack. The problem, however, is not merely that our cars consume too much oil. It's that our transportation system consumes too much oil. A better system won't merely involve better cars, it will involve driving less, telecommuting more, using more public transportation, sharing cars, making cars smarter, and building more and better electrical infrastructure.
This story is far from over, even though the facts and he-said/he-said nature of the situation seem to be solidifying. Late tomorrow, Tesla will hold its quarterly earnings call, and we're going to bet this incident will come up. One interesting tidbit we learned in a preview article of that call is that Musk earns only $33,000 a year from his part-time CEO role at Tesla (he splits his time between Tesla and SpaceX). No one ever said changing the way the world drives was going to be easy... or instantly profitable.
New York Times admits Tesla Model S writer didn't use "good judgment" originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 19 Feb 2013 17:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Quick Spin: 2013 Dodge Durango R/T
Filed under: SUV, Crossover, Dodge, Quick Spins
Not too long ago, Chevrolet got itself into some trouble by throwing the SS badge on just about everything it produced, so I've always been a little hesitant about the seemingly excessive use of the R/T nameplate on Dodge vehicles. For the 2013 model year, every model in Dodge's lineup has an R/T trim level from Dart all the way up to the Durango. Although the R/T name used to signified models made for road and track, I doubt anyone would be delusional enough to assume the Durango - and some of the other models wearing this badge - are suited for any sort of track duty.
Still, when this 2013 Dodge Durango R/T rolled up for me to drive for the week, I couldn't help but take in its big, mean and imposing stance. Sure, if I had my choice of buying any of the Dodge R/T products, the Charger and Challenger would be my top picks for sure, but it's easy to say that the Durango would be a close third - far above the R/T versions of the Avenger, Journey and Grand Caravan.
Driving Notes
Not that the current Durango was a bad-looking SUV to begin with, but the R/T package gives it more aggressive styling thanks to a monochromatic look. With the removal of just about all the chrome that comes on a Durango, this tester even looked good in what would normally be a boring shade of silver thanks to the body-colored front fascia, smoked headlights, 20-inch wheels and the sporty-looking rear fascia with dual exhaust outlets.
The styling might be there to back up the badge, but there is no extra power under the hood of the R/T. In possibly one of the best moves Dodge made with this particular model, the only engine offered is the 5.7-liter Hemi V8. The 360-horsepower, 390 pound-feet of torque engine feels adequate perfectly for this 5,331-pound utility. This is the only model of the Durango lineup that comes standard with the six-speed automatic transmission, too.
Fuel economy is about what you'd expect from a V8-powered SUV weighing as much as the Durango does, with EPA estimates of 13 miles per gallon in the city and 20 mpg on the highway. During my week with the R/T, this tester returned 15.5 mpg.
The Hemi is equipped with cylinder deactivation, which feels clunky at times when it switches from V8 to V4 power, with an ever-so-slight delay when the cylinders reengage once again. The only bypass for the system is just to be sure that you're right foot stays planted whenever possible.
Chrysler says the Durango R/T comes with a sport suspension, but aside from the bigger standard wheels, I felt no difference between this and any other Durango I've driven in the past. If you're really looking for a sporty, family-sized (three-row) SUV, you're probably going to want to check out the new Explorer Sport.
The best part of the Durango R/T might be its exhaust system. Yes, the dual pipes poking through the rear fascia give it an aftermarket look, but it's the exhaust note that makes the R/T thrilling. Dodge gave the Durango R/T unique mufflers, pipes and resonators for a deep, throaty note, which makes the package a little more distinctive.
Similar to the exterior styling, the R/T's interior has a sportier look and feel with plenty of red accents on the standard black leather throughout the cabin. This particular model came with the center-row captain seats limiting the overall seating capacity to just six, but it made accessing the third-row seat much easier. Not surprisingly, as the innovator of third-row seating for non-fullsize SUVs, the Durango's rearmost accommodations are spacious enough for two adults and can also fold completely flat quickly and easily.
The R/T trim level sits just under the Citadel as the top Durango model, and as such, it isn't a cheap SUV. Starting at $35,995 in base form, this all-wheel-drive 2013 Durango R/T was optioned up quite impressively, bringing with it a hefty as-tested price of $45,360.
What you get for that high price, though, is plenty of optional goodies including leather-wrapped door panels, heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated front seats, adaptive cruise control and Chrysler's Uconnect navigation system. This test vehicle may very well have been completely fully loaded, and while it'd be a hard financial pill to swallow, it's certainly easy enough to option rivals to the same level.
Yes, the third-gen Durango is no longer body on frame, but proving that it hasn't completely lost touch with its SUV roots, the Durango is still rear-wheel drive in base form, even though it's now competing against a newer breed of three-row utilities like the Chevy Traverse, Nissan Pathfinder and the Ford Explorer. Unlike its corporate cousin, the Jeep Grand Cherokee, the Durango is not offered with a multi-mode off-road system, but it did handle itself quite well while driving on the loose sand of a northeast Florida beach.
2013 Dodge Durango R/T originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Feb 2013 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Quick Spin: 2013 Dodge Durango R/T
Filed under: SUV, Crossover, Dodge, Quick Spins
Not too long ago, Chevrolet got itself into some trouble by throwing the SS badge on just about everything it produced, so I've always been a little hesitant about the seemingly excessive use of the R/T nameplate on Dodge vehicles. For the 2013 model year, every model in Dodge's lineup has an R/T trim level from Dart all the way up to the Durango. Although the R/T name used to signified models made for road and track, I doubt anyone would be delusional enough to assume the Durango - and some of the other models wearing this badge - are suited for any sort of track duty.
Still, when this 2013 Dodge Durango R/T rolled up for me to drive for the week, I couldn't help but take in its big, mean and imposing stance. Sure, if I had my choice of buying any of the Dodge R/T products, the Charger and Challenger would be my top picks for sure, but it's easy to say that the Durango would be a close third - far above the R/T versions of the Avenger, Journey and Grand Caravan.
Driving Notes
Not that the current Durango was a bad-looking SUV to begin with, but the R/T package gives it more aggressive styling thanks to a monochromatic look. With the removal of just about all the chrome that comes on a Durango, this tester even looked good in what would normally be a boring shade of silver thanks to the body-colored front fascia, smoked headlights, 20-inch wheels and the sporty-looking rear fascia with dual exhaust outlets.
The styling might be there to back up the badge, but there is no extra power under the hood of the R/T. In possibly one of the best moves Dodge made with this particular model, the only engine offered is the 5.7-liter Hemi V8. The 360-horsepower, 390 pound-feet of torque engine feels adequate perfectly for this 5,331-pound utility. This is the only model of the Durango lineup that comes standard with the six-speed automatic transmission, too.
Fuel economy is about what you'd expect from a V8-powered SUV weighing as much as the Durango does, with EPA estimates of 13 miles per gallon in the city and 20 mpg on the highway. During my week with the R/T, this tester returned 15.5 mpg.
The Hemi is equipped with cylinder deactivation, which feels clunky at times when it switches from V8 to V4 power, with an ever-so-slight delay when the cylinders reengage once again. The only bypass for the system is just to be sure that you're right foot stays planted whenever possible.
Chrysler says the Durango R/T comes with a sport suspension, but aside from the bigger standard wheels, I felt no difference between this and any other Durango I've driven in the past. If you're really looking for a sporty, family-sized (three-row) SUV, you're probably going to want to check out the new Explorer Sport.
The best part of the Durango R/T might be its exhaust system. Yes, the dual pipes poking through the rear fascia give it an aftermarket look, but it's the exhaust note that makes the R/T thrilling. Dodge gave the Durango R/T unique mufflers, pipes and resonators for a deep, throaty note, which makes the package a little more distinctive.
Similar to the exterior styling, the R/T's interior has a sportier look and feel with plenty of red accents on the standard black leather throughout the cabin. This particular model came with the center-row captain seats limiting the overall seating capacity to just six, but it made accessing the third-row seat much easier. Not surprisingly, as the innovator of third-row seating for non-fullsize SUVs, the Durango's rearmost accommodations are spacious enough for two adults and can also fold completely flat quickly and easily.
The R/T trim level sits just under the Citadel as the top Durango model, and as such, it isn't a cheap SUV. Starting at $35,995 in base form, this all-wheel-drive 2013 Durango R/T was optioned up quite impressively, bringing with it a hefty as-tested price of $45,360.
What you get for that high price, though, is plenty of optional goodies including leather-wrapped door panels, heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated front seats, adaptive cruise control and Chrysler's Uconnect navigation system. This test vehicle may very well have been completely fully loaded, and while it'd be a hard financial pill to swallow, it's certainly easy enough to option rivals to the same level.
Yes, the third-gen Durango is no longer body on frame, but proving that it hasn't completely lost touch with its SUV roots, the Durango is still rear-wheel drive in base form, even though it's now competing against a newer breed of three-row utilities like the Chevy Traverse, Nissan Pathfinder and the Ford Explorer. Unlike its corporate cousin, the Jeep Grand Cherokee, the Durango is not offered with a multi-mode off-road system, but it did handle itself quite well while driving on the loose sand of a northeast Florida beach.
2013 Dodge Durango R/T originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Feb 2013 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments 
