Tesla Death Watch 31: HuffPost Pronounces T.O.D.

If you didn’t know better, you’d read Huffington Post writer (and HUMMER apologist) Matthew DeBord’s essay on Tesla’s travails as a post mortem. “But even though the downfall of Tesla seems like a disaster for boosters of all-electric vehicles, it should be a welcome development for the green-transportation movement. Tesla symbolized a science-fiction view of our future: it seemed like an instant cure for the problems of oil consumption and greenhouse emissions. In reality, it was a well-marketed distraction from a strategy that would yield more immediate results.” In other words, TTAC called it. But it looks like it’s gonna take a while before Tesla’s unsubstantiated claims for its Roadster/ WhiteElephant will R.I.P. “The big knock on electrics was always that they lacked the range of IC-powered cars. Then Tesla came along and not only unveiled a vehicle that could travel hundreds of miles on a single charge, but that could do 0-60 in four seconds. The gorgeous two-seater design, provided by Lotus and crafted in exotic carbon fiber, also didn’t hurt.” But DeBord has a more frightening message– at least for Tesla.

“We’ll all be driving electric vehicles some day, because we’ll eventually run out of oil. But by trying to force the timetable on electrics, we’re not doing ourselves any favors. And now that capital is scarce, we need to stop wasting it on quixotic undertakings. Tesla shouldn’t receive anymore financing, and the celebs who ordered Roadsters should ask for their money back.” Uh-oh. And now, for the tombstone inscription: “Tesla won’t have been a total loss. It proved that battery technology could power a car that’s both fast and has decent range.” Define “decent.”