I don't have much of an absolute opinion on this spat, but there are a few interesting points. While I am not a great fan of electric cars and would not buy one currently, I don't hate Tesla or want the company to fail. If others want to buy these cars, its still a relatively free country, so good for them. If there was deception on the part of the New York Times reporter, then it does need to be investigated. Its not like reporters have never unfairly targeted a car company, with fake rollover tests and fireworks in exploding gas tanks.
However, while I like the fact that Tesla is fighting back, I am also troubled by the amount of data the car is generating by spying on the driver. It is one more invasion of privacy, until we have none at all left. I would hope that this logging can be turned off, or that it is not being broadcast back to Tesla for all owners.
No tax dollars should be involved with this. How many millions of tax dollars did they get for every car sold?
Any reporter who would “cook” an article should be fired and permanently barred from jounalism. But that would pretty well end the New York Times, wouldn’t it?
Any reporter who would “cook” an article should be fired and permanently barred from jounalism. But that would pretty well end the New York Times, wouldn’t it?
Too late, Tesla got a $465 million loan from DOE.
Fisker is having serious problems.
“Teaming up with Dongfeng could help Anaheim, Calif.-based Fisker solidify its turnaround and give it the funds to pay back loans from the U.S. government. The maker of the Karma luxury rechargeable car had to halt production last year after battery supplier A123 Systems filed for bankruptcy and said last week that it would begin making vehicles again “fairly soon.””
I’ve followed this market segment with curious interest.
—Toyota has a huge advantage with their Hybrid experience. Gas plus electric hybrid is proven technology, and the marketplace has deemed it a viable option. Toyota, Ford, Honda, GM,VW-Audi and others are increasing the numbers of models for sale in the US. Fisker is in this market, not all electric.
—All electric with only batteries is a very limited market, and evidence points that Toyota is leaving it, or cutting way back. The prices are high, and the reliability-usefullness is questionable. Tesla is in this market.
Trouble with both Tesla, and Fisker does not surprise me, as prices are high and is is not likely wither would reach a volume whereby potential buyers would feel confident about service, etc.
The idea of big brother monitoring every move you make in a vehicle is creepy
I don’t follow the electric car story, so:
Does anyone know how much average hydrocarbon consumption is required to charge one of these? And how does that scale?
For example, say 30 000 vehicles park at the Pentagon on a Monday morning and all plug in. Are the hydrocarbons burned in the next 8 hours greater than, less than, or equal to 30 000x, x being the energy required to charge one car?