Tesla Model S Review by CNN Reporter Proves John Broder is Wrong

CNN Money’s Peter Valdez-Dapena does a Tesla Model S review by taking the car on the same road trip as  John Broder, proving his accusations about poor battery performance are WRONG.

Here at The Green Optimistic, we like the Tesla Model S. It’s a beautiful car, drives nice and quiet, and depending on what part of the power grid you charge from, is actually pretty clean. Once Tesla Motors starts rolling out the Superchargers with solar panels on them, they’ll be, if they aren’t already, the cleanest vehicles on the road. As a Master Automobile Technician, I appreciate the technology and performance specifications, which are pretty impressive.

There are others, though, who can’t seem to get on board with electric vehicle technology, such as The New York Times reporter John Broder, who attempted a Supercharger-powered test drive from Washington, DC to Boston, MA, a distance of some 450 miles. In spite of the Tesla Supercharger Network here on the East Coast, Broder’s Tesla Model S failed, sort of.

Following the review, a number of people set out to disprove Broder’s results, including CNN Money’s Peter Valdez-Dapena:

My favorite part of the video is, “and I wasn’t even trying that hard.” Dapena completed his trip with plenty of mileage to spare, and didn’t have to do it hypermiling, setting his cruise control between 60mph and 70mph, using climate control, headlights, and most likely, the radio. Instead of stopping the charger early, he allowed the Tesla Model S to fully charge at each Supercharger.

Perhaps the only thing different between CNN Money’s Dapena and The New York Times‘ Broder was the attitude. Get into any vehicle with a bad attitude and the vehicle just isn’t going to perform. Does the Model S have feelings? No, but it does have certain requirements, one of which is charging fully, and the other, which applies to all vehicles, driving responsibly.

Editor’s note: Do your own Tesla Model S review of the same road trip and post your comments here! We’re curious to find out your results!

Image©CNN Money