Clueless NYT reporter manages to get stranded in Model S

My problem with the North East when it comes to heating is it uses too much oil 40 years after the oil crisis started. Many that don't use oil use electricity. This is better than oil but much more wasteful than natural gas. Now here the most efficient is geothermal heat pumps, but I don't know if that is very feasible in the north east. Running more gas lines definitely is a solution. It seems the Connecticut governor is now getting with the program
Heating oil: a last stand in the Northeast? - CSMonitor.com

I can't believe more people would not be switched already if not for the politics.

Reading the blurb on why prices are so high for electricity in Connecticut pulled out some things. Natural gas fuel costs about a penny more up there than here per kwh, so at 35% that's 0.35 cents. The grid needs improvement adding congestion charges and back up about another 1 cent. All the other extra cost seems to have been through some misguided government policies that had the utilities sell their plants, and then buy power in long term contracts. That means that the nuclear power plants are now selling to them at high prices, and long term contracts have prevented them from getting natural gas power at todays prices.

 

Elon's blog on the test drive is now up: http://www.teslamotors.com/blog/most-peculiar-test-drive. I'm just starting to read it.

 

I don't get what CT's electric companies are doing here either so I just try to use less of it.

I originally lived in upstate, western NY and the turbines installed in south of Canandaigua Lake caused quite an uproar among some folks - lots of protesting for and against. I liked the look of the wind farm installed down in that area.

Even had electricity generated from Fairport Electric (a town owned electric company) - July electric bill running AC 24/7 was a mere $37.00. I almost fainted when I opened it. Non AC months it was about $15.00 a month.

 

The difference between heating water and air is nothing really. Moving the air takes more electricity and that is the real advantage of water. I probably spend 15% of my heating to move the air - where water would be 1%. But I can do deeper setbacks and recover faster - which probably takes away 1/2 the advantage of water.

High electric rates encourage conservation. Blue states tend to have high electric rates. Policies by government may not have stated they were trying to conserve but that may have been the goal. Or lobbyists were around that did the same thing.

Here in Purple NC, we pay about 10 cents. I am going to a diurnal plan that puts me down to 5 cents at night, 6.5 during the day (there is a peak charge to balance the lower rate). When I get my Leaf, 10k miles a year should cost about $125 - although it will be zero at times when the panels make more than the house uses.

My point is that the financials favor EVs in Red states mostly. Funny how that works. Also we don't get the cold so that favors EVs. Now there is heat degradation issues but we aren't Pheonix either.

I agree that almost any heat other that NG is a travesty. And the NE uses the most oil by far.

 

I gather 40 kw is maximum, although we have not clarified if cold weather knocks the charge rate down.

So we add 20 kwh at most to the battery. If the heater is being used and mile consumption is 400 - 450 wh/mile, that gives 50 - 44 miles of extra charge, not anywhere near the "up to 150 miles" Tesla is claiming.

Fwiw, I don't think the reporter had an agenda to fail the Tesla -- he just likes his car toasty warm-hot like lots of other people. He was unaware of the consumption that heater use implies, and Tesla did not clue him in.

I doubt one in ten people in the US can explain the difference between a Kw and a Kwh. EVs are niche, early adopter cars for the fragment of the population that understand charging, range, and variables affecting them. Having the car reviewed by reporters who are in the unwashed 90% of Americans, remarking on the EV for the people who are not going to buy them, is just stupid.

 

the superchargers are 90 kW

Supercharger | Tesla Motors

 

My favorite line is this:

It just made no sense to me why someone would do that. I really thought he was a moron. Nope, he's just a liar.

 

I just hope that the SEC is checking on TSLA trades, short in particular, around all of this reporter's circles. This whole affair smells.

 

I apologize for bringing this so far off topic. In most cases you are not right about your theory, but that doesn't matter much for sake of discussion. If you are burning coal in the basement, you definitely want to heat water and not get the exhaust in the air. That's a big reason for old raditors. Water can more efficiently carry heat longer distance since pipes are easier to insulate than vents. Radiators can more easily be set for temperatures in each room, so with long runs and different temperatures fluids can be more efficient, but in no way am I an expert.

I mainly was getting on my soap box about the way too low levels of natural gas heat in the North East, because the governments have kept it hard for people to install it. From the CS Monitor article only 1/3 of Connecticut homes have natural gas heat, but finally the government looks like it is doing something about it. Maine may be the only state that its impractical to lay gas lines and people are deciding to switch to propane. Back to our topic.

I can definitely understand why Musk was so upset when he looked at the data. I think he did a bad job going on the air, but maybe he will learn from it. The blog did a great job of reporting what really happened. I'm sure if he asks forbes or the WSJ they will let him write an article about it to get the story out. I like Musk and even own some tesla stock, but he is far from good on live interviews.

 

Yes, Hill, we know ICEs run out of gas here and there every day, ... but, you can't just dump in a can of electrons in 2 minutes to get your BEV going again.

If you 'brick' (?) / strand an EV, it's on a tow truck for sure. Run out of gas, tow truck arrives, pours in gas and your off. Sucks that it's that way for EV's, but that's how it is.

 

And the other big, big rumor on the street about EVs or anything electrified (Prius) is ....

the batteries only last x number years and cost 5, 10 thousand .... or as much as the car.

Seems to be a common rumor and skepticism among general public. People are very skeptical of plug in cars. Plus the price blows.

Yes, the Leaf S, cheapest one will be $28.8k, but won't have 6.6kw charger, no Carwings for finding things.

 

No, you set off on a 5 mile hike, risk a hitch, find you're out of mobile coverage, realise you've forgotten your petrol can, don't know where the nearest petrol station actually is, find it's shut when you get there.

The last time I ran out of petrol was a long time ago when I was young, foolish and skint.

I guess with an EV you have similar inconvenience when you run out. But you also have the option of 'filling' your car every night at home. Not more waiting to fill up, waiting to pay, messing around, purchasing over priced fast food that you don't need.

There are pro's and con's to both fuel 'types'; one gives you flexibility, the other freedom.

 

Ok, it'g good to know some tow trucks have quick chargers on board.

 

I hear ya. I'm hoping my next car will be all electric.

Owners usually say even the Leaf is fun to drive. I can't say that about the Prius. It's just good on gas and practical. Fun? No.

 

This NY Times Reporter should be fired.
There is a standard of ethics one must maintain to be a journalist.

 

If the logs prove he was fibbing all along, yes. But for not plugging and making mistakes, no.

If you look at ChadS long trip logs (my thread under Tesla), you will see that the car pretty consistenly goes fewer actual miles than indicated miles.

It's sort of like our 'optimistic' CONS gage in Prius. Last tank said I did 55.x. Actual was 51.x

ChadS logs even show Model S actual miles traveled for example 100 miles while range indicator dropped 125 miles. See the sticky on Tesla Motors Club. under batteries and charging for Model S.

 

Rumor has it he is hiring a lawyer and trying to get compensation similar to the Carnival Cruise line passengers being tugged into Mobile Alabama.
Cruise ship nightmare nearing end for passengers after hellish trip - CNN.com

 

I don't think anyone thinks he is fibbing about fewer miles, or range loss when sitting in the cold not plugged in over night.

The dishonesty comes in claiming to have fully charged at the quick charger when the car logs say he did not, then leaving on a trip from a L2 charger with a 32 mile indicated range getting 51 miles then blaiming Tesla.