According to KFTC’s findings, Tesla’s electric vehicles saw a range reduction of up to 50.5% below what was stated during the cold weather season.
Media outlets in South Korea claim that Tesla faces a punishment of 2.85 billion won (US$ 2.2 million) from antitrust regulators there for allegedly misleading consumers about the reduced range of its electric vehicles as the temperature drops.
According to the Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC), Tesla has been lying about the range of its vehicles, the efficiency of its fuel, and the speed of its superchargers on the official website for the nation since August 2019. In addition, KFTC noted that Tesla’s electric vehicles’ range was up to 50.5% lower than claimed in the winter.
Preheating your Tesla and keeping an eye on your energy use using the app are just two of the winter driving advice that can be found on the company’s official website. However, the reduction in the range in sub-zero temperatures is not mentioned.
It’s well-established that electric vehicle performance degrades in very cold conditions. EVs were shown to have a range that was more than their rating at temperatures slightly over 20 degrees Celsius, but only 54% of their rating at -15 degrees Celsius.
Mercedes-Benz and its Korean subsidiary were reportedly penalized 20.2 billion won by the KFTC for making fraudulent claims about the cars’ gas mileage.