I don't claim to know what's going on, but the NYT most certainly does have an incentive, and so does the reporter: it's a controversial, interesting story. Tesla has been firing on all cylinders, the Model S has won many accolades, and this reporter's experience is the first major black mark on the company's reputation. A positive review would just be another on the pile and would hardly be noticed, but something like this is guaranteed to get attention.
Also most papers these days have had bouts of blatantly paid pieces (either fluff or hit pieces). The data stands to be investigated, as Musk has effectively demanded.
