To the Editor:

While attending the Barrett Jackson car auction in Arizona this year, I wanted to see the latest electric vehicles and also the old classics that have real class.

Tesla is the big gun in electric vehicles in Arizona and I had questions for Tesla representatives about there reliability and traveling situations and not just a back and forth work commute. When the doors opened at Barrett Jackson I walked into the new Ford Mustang display with an electric engine. It didn’t look like anything I could work on so I proceeded to the next automobile display, which happened to be Tesla.

As I stood looking at this stylish electric car, I was approached by a man and woman from Tesla and asked if they could answer any questions I might have. I said I have a scenario about reliability, battery charging and traveling in the Dakotas. The lady immediately snapped smartly that they can answer any question I had about Tesla. I said great and asked them this question. You’re traveling in western S.D. and you have a half of battery charge and you get stuck in a bad two-day ground blizzard. The temperature outside is -20, and the wind chill factor is 60 below. How long will this car keep you alive in these weather conditions that the Dakota people encounter every winter?

Boy talk about the deer in the headlight look. The man said Tesla installed charging stations along both interstates in the Dakotas. I said you’re stuck in a snow bank, how do you get to a charging station? After a brief silence the gentleman said: You should probably stick to a gas-powered vehicle as the lady stood there still totally bewildered!  Wake up America.

Dick Biel