South Korean antitrust regulators have fined Tesla $2.2 million for exaggerating the range of its electric vehicles. The automaker reportedly failed to inform its customers that its electric vehicles had lower range in cold temperatures. Reuters reported that the Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) found that Tesla exaggerated on its official local website the range of its cars on a single charge, its fuel cost-effectiveness compared to gasoline vehicles and the performance of its superchargers. The report also alleges that the electric car maker has been misleading its customers by publishing false data since August 2019.
Because the efficiency of lithium batteries in electric vehicles decreases at low temperatures, the range of electric vehicles drops significantly in cold weather conditions. Electric vehicles face the challenge of battery operating efficiency in extreme heat conditions. Electric cars are less efficient than gasoline-powered cars in the extreme cold of winter, a phenomenon that is common around the world, largely because batteries have to work overtime to heat the car for the driver and passengers.
ALSO READ: This self-taught 94.4cm car infotainment system hits CES 2023
The U.S. electric carmaker’s vehicles have seen a drop of up to 50.5 percent in cold-weather range compared to what the brand advertises online, the KFTC said in a statement. The agency also said the false data clearly misled Tesla owners and potential buyers.
Tesla offers winter driving tips on its official website, such as preconditioning the vehicle with an external power source, and using its updated Energy app to monitor energy consumption. However, it doesn’t mention the loss of mileage in sub-zero temperatures.
This is not the first time the KFTC has fined an automaker for advertising false data. In 2021, the KFTC fined German automaker Mercedes-Benz and its South Korean subsidiary 20.2 billion won for promoting false emissions figures for its diesel passenger cars.
First published date: Jan 4, 2023 at 14:52pm CST
https://auto.hindustantimes.com/auto/electric-vehicles/tesla-slapped-with-a-2-2-million-fine-for-exaggerating-driving-range-of-evs-41672823064211.html