The Verge - Tesla Model S: Elon Musk's sedan tries to take electric cars mainstream

Watch this: Tesla Model S ripped apart in the name of safety

2013-03-04T20:01:02Z

It may have been the subject of a much-publicized spat recently, but we found a lot to like about the Tesla Model S when we took it for a spin earlier this year. However, like any vehicle on the road, it's something that police officers and emergency responders may need to deal with should one unfortunately be involved in an accident. In the video below, Brock Archer of Advanced Extrication covers the various challenges electric vehicles present when being handled in such situations — and includes a demonstration of how to properly rip the door, hood, and side panel off a Model S with the Jaws of Life. It's a cringeworthy sight, but the video as a whole is a fascinating look at how practices and procedures must evolve along with the...

New York Times public editor defends Tesla reviewer's integrity, but questions his judgment

2013-02-18T18:15:58Z

The New York Times public editor Margaret Sullivan has responded to Elon Musk's criticism of the Times Tesla Model S review, saying that while the review was performed in good faith, reviewer John Broder did not use "good judgment" when making his now-notorious journey. Sullivan, who handles matters of journalistic integrity and acts as the "reader's representative," quotes a commenter who accuses Broder of either not reading or disregarding the Tesla user manual and suggests that he "didn’t seem to employ the least bit of care or responsibility in fuel management."

"Did he use good judgment along the way? Not especially."

While she disagrees with the commenter's conclusion that Broder ignored instructions to make a more dramatic...

New York Times reporter refutes Tesla's allegations but 'cannot account' for some discrepancies in data

2013-02-15T00:05:20Z

Early today, Tesla CEO Elon Musk posted a lengthy written response to a negative report by the New York Times on its Model S electric sedan, accusing reporter John Broder of intentionally sabotaging his test drive due to a bias against electric vehicles. Now Broder has provided a response of his own, refuting many of Musk's claims — while still offering some vague responses on several key points.

Broder states that Tesla representatives told him that he only needed an hour of charging time at a station in Norwich, Connecticut, in order to reach another station 61 miles away — even though the car indicated at 32-mile range at the time (he ended up running out of power before reaching the next station). As for Musk's allegation that...

Tesla's scathing response accuses NYT of 'changing the facts' in Model S review

2013-02-14T07:41:49Z

Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk promised to refute a negative New York Times report on the Model S electric car, and today he's followed through with a lengthy blog post that counters John Broder's "factually inaccurate" criticism. The post includes data that Tesla logged during the test drive, and Musk uses it to make the case that Broder's piece was fuelled by an anti-EV agenda. "We were played for a fool and as a result, let down the cause of electric vehicles," says Musk. "When the facts didn't suit his opinion, he simply changed the facts."

Going the distance: driving the Tesla Model S in the real world

2013-02-12T15:40:04Z

It’s difficult to get comfortable in the driver’s seat of a $100,000 car that isn’t yours.

The particular Model S I flew to Los Angeles to sample last week was a Signature Performance model. That means that it was one of the first 1,000 to roll off the assembly line (indicated by the “Signature” designation) and is fitted with a high-output electric inverter that can propel the car from 0 to 60 in just 4.4 seconds, a key metric that slots it in with some of the fastest production sedans in the world. It’s a stat I would come to test on numerous occasions over the following 36 hours — within the bounds of the “no street racing” clause I agreed to upon taking delivery, of course.

But I arrived in LA fully expecting to...

Tesla CEO Elon Musk accuses New York Times of lying about Model S range anxiety (update)

2013-02-11T21:45:03Z

Three days ago, The New York Times wrote a scathing critique of the Tesla Model S, testifying that the all-electric sedan couldn't handle cold weather — dying before it reached its destination, even though a driver spent time shivering without a heater. Today, Elon Musk says it's simply not true: the Tesla CEO claims he has hard data which proves the Times faked the conclusion to its story. He insists vehicle logs kept by his company shed light on the truth, revealing that Broder failed to fully charge the Model S and that he "took a long detour" at one stage of his test drive. Musk has reason to be flustered: Tesla's stock price has dipped in the days since The New York Times published Broder's report.

Tesla expanding retail presence with 25 new showrooms in 2013

2013-01-15T21:29:40Z

Emboldened by the success of its Motor Trend Car of the Year Model S, Tesla will be plotting out new retail locations this year. The automaker plans to add 25 showrooms in 2013, just about double the 13 it opened last year. Speaking at the ongoing North American International Auto Show, Tesla's VP of sales George Blankenship revealed that approximately half of those will be located in the United States, with the others scattered across the globe. China is among the international locales that will be receiving a dealership sometime this spring.

Additionally, Tesla also reiterated plans to continue putting in place Supercharger stations throughout the US. Currently it's managed to roll out a paltry eight charging hubs, but insists that it...

Tesla Model S named Motor Trend Car of the Year by unanimous decision

2012-11-13T08:13:47Z

Motor Trend this week named the Tesla Model S its 2013 Car of the Year, making it the first electric vehicle to ever take home the award, and the first winner by unanimous decision. In announcing the award, Editor-at-Large Angus MacKenzie described the Model S as "one of the quickest four-door sedans ever built," noting that it "drives like a sports car," feels as "smoothly effortless as a Rolls Royce," and is more fuel-efficient than the Toyota Prius. "By any measure, the Tesla Model S is a truly remarkable automobile," MacKenzie wrote.

The Model S, which began shipping earlier this year, won Motor Trend's award over a field of eleven finalists, including the Porsche Boxster, BMW 3-Series, and Lexus GS. "Our aspiration with the Model S...