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Edmunds' long-term Tesla Model S has been wonderful, woeful

We generally don't report on other outlets' long-term model tests, but Edmunds just completed a 17-month ownership experience with a 2013 Tesla Model S. It's just too interesting not to share.
The site bought a 2013 Model S Performance model for the added range of its 85-kilowatt-hour battery and tossed on a good variety of options for a total price of $105,005, including a wall charger. In terms of driving the electric hatchback, the folks there seemed to love it. There were a few minor gripes, but for the most part it offered sufficient driving range, plenty of space and generally good quality.
However, the ownership experience was hardly flawless. The journalists there were never quite able to hit the Model S' promised range of 265 miles, with a best real-world result of 230.4 miles during their ownership. Also, while they had it, the Model S had a rash of unscheduled trips for service - seven times - and their Tesla left them stranded by the side of the road once.

Elon Musk says 'right on' to letter asking for new Model S features

If you want to get Tesla CEO Elon Musk's attention, taking out a full-page ad in his local newspaper will apparently do the trick. That's what two self-proclaimed "very highly satisfied" Model S owners did, asking for a few small changes in the popular EV. In response, Musk Tweeted a picture of the ad and wrote, "Ad taken out in Palo Alto Daily [News] by two Model S owners is right. Many of the suggestions will be implemented soon." The ad also appeared in the Palo Alto Weekly. You can see all of the requests by clicking the image above, but we'll mention some of them here. Improved voice-activated phone dialing, better sensors (like blind-spot monitors), redesigned sun visor, automatically closing charging port door and then the big one: Tesla ads. Tesla isn't talking about when the new features will be available, but if any of those items are unlikely in the near future, it's Tesla advertisements. After all, why pay for media attention when a simple Tweet about other people paying for your ad can get tremendous amounts of attention?

Recharge Wrap-up: Telsa's aerodynamic modeling program, new toll plan for NYC

A video shows the digital aerodynamic modeling Tesla used when making the Model S. The video is from Exa, which uses predictive airflow software to create a "digital wind tunnel." Tesla's aerodynamics guru Rob Palin said the digital modeling helped them pinpoint areas with the most drag - the mirrors and wheels being the big anchors - and make the car more slippery overall. "One of the objectives with the Model S was to minimize the airflow around the front wheels and to line up the airflow so it hits the front wheels head on," says Palin. "This was an area where we made a huge improvement from the initial concept designs to the final design." See the car's 0.24 drag coefficient in action in the video above, and read more at Teslarati. A new toll plan in New York City could help ease congestion and pay for infrastructure. A report from Move NY Fair finds that drivers in the outer boroughs end up paying most of the tolls, while Manhattan drivers do not. "The toll levels charged to motorists do not accurately reflect travel demand nor do they appropriately act as a disincentive to drive into the most congested part of the city," according to the report. Under the new plan, driver's entering central Manhattan would pay $8, while tolls would be lowered by 45 percent on bridges that don't lead into the central business district. The plan would encourage mass transit, and generate an expected $1.5 billion in annual revenue. Read more at Wired. More and more, utilities are getting into the business of electric vehicle charging. More energy providers are looking to install and operate EV charging stations in order to promote electric driving and create new revenue selling electricity. EV charging can also help to manage the grid more efficiently. Some charging companies and energy consumers oppose utilities getting into the charging game, though. They worry about stifling competition and burdening customers with the costs of creating the infrastructure. The large utility companies, though, are better poised to take on such large projects. Read more at The New York Times. Related Gallery Tesla Model S: Quick Spin View 33 Photos News Source: Teslarati, Wired, New York TimesImage Credit: YouTube: exacorporation Green Tesla Alternative Fuels Electric recharge wrapup