The data looks good, but it also doesn't match Tesla's claims either...

Hybrids and Diesels can have 600+ mile driving range even in cold weather (The Volkswagen Jetta TDI can go 800-1000 miles per tank of diesel). And it takes at most 10 minutes to fill up.

Pure electric cars have lower range in cold weather. Batteries simply don't work as well in cold weather. One of the best pieces of advice is to never travel more than 2/3 of the battery-powered mileage range before you can recharge. And be more careful in cold weather since the range will be reduced. Recharging an electric car does take a lot of time. The Tesla takes 1.5 hours to fully recharge in a Tesla charging station.

This all makes me conclude that for long-distance driving, pure electric cars still don't have adequate range for practical carefree use. You have to plan, plan, plan and be very aware of their limitations. Around town, they are fine. But for trips - be very very careful, be aware of the time it takes to charge - or just forget about it.

Once electric cars have about a 750 mile range, they will be more practical for longer trips.

 

Darn, the message I got from this is that car journalists have an axe to grind and can't be trusted not to lie.

I knew that each car has strengths and weaknesses BEFORE the NYT started manufacturing news, instead of reporting it. (Just think of never going to a truck stop to fuel up your car with a smelly, dirty liquid. It recharges each night at your own home! See how that works?)

I recently 'corrected' a journalist who only found 1 of the 4 cup holders in the Prius v console.

2012 Toyota Prius V Five - Editors' Notebook - Automobile Magazine

 

I have to "plan plan plan" when I take a road trip with a trailer full of cattle. I fill up with diesel whenever I get below about 1/3 a tank. I have to be careful not to fill with bio-diesel if I am going to stop overnight in freezing weather.

"plan plan plan" is just good sense to use on any road trip.

 

Conditioned batteries work fine in hot and cold weather. Whether Broder set off to prove that or not, he seemed to do it. Only by pulling away from the charger early was he able to get his photo op. The rest of what you write is correct. I'm not sure if its really 1.5 hours, but its a long time. The more juice left in the fast. You can get most of the charge in 30 minutes, but that requires more stops.

It seemed for the CNN crew the Tesla was even fine for the jaunt from DC to boston. They did set their cruise to 65 mph instead of speeding up to 80. 2 - 1 hour stops for 450 miles is less convient, but hardly difficult to do if you are doing it only 6 or 7 times a year.
Our Tesla S made it from D.C. to Boston -Video - Personal Finance

You know what is practicle for my 750 mile trips, an airplane. I don't currently own one, but as infrequenltly as I use them I rent them sometimes but mostly fly commercial. A Prius is also not practicle for towing a boat, or doing a 750 mile trip and doing business and coming home quickly. They are for most daily driving though.

 

Do you dislike facts ?

The CNN report set cruise from 60 - 65 mph. No further details reported.
The NYT guy hit 82 mph for a few seconds over a 200 miles stretch -- really not worth harping about unless you have an agenda to smear the messenger.

Oh wait, nevermind.

 

Why yes I do have a agenda, thank you. I don't like it when reporters intentionally distort the facts. You know big things like only partially charging the car. Claiming to be stuck going 45 mph to save gas, when he admitted to driving fast, but before he was running low. I call that distortion. The Messenger smeared himself.

The Charges Are Flying Over a Test of Tesla's Charging Network - NYTimes.com

So he didn't fully charge the car before staying on a bitterly cold night. He didn't wait for it to get to 90% range. Can you explain why someone would leave a gas station with 3/4 of a tank full, after almost running out of gas, because hey they think they need 3/4 not a full tank? Then the bizzare admission that he left a charger with the car showing 32 miles remaining on a 61 mile trip.

But you stick to your truthiness. Certainly Broder knew going 80 would hurt range as he writes -

He actually didn't drive that slow, but he didn't think the logs were that detailed. But fair game, you can't drive normally in a fast car when its an EV in cold temperatures. I guess that was too boring for Mr. Broder to write. But its no smear to point out the messanger, did things to get his photo op. Why not fill up to 100% if you are planning to drive normally? Mr. Broder's answer.

It would have taken another 30 minutes out of his busy day and no one explicitly told him to do it. Its not like he had an article that he could have started writing while waiting or anything. Hey that's a lesson to Tesla, tell the reporters to fully charge the cars. It would even have sounded credible if he hadn't charged even less than this at the station that required the tow.