Tesla used exaggerated figures for battery ranges. The lawsuit filed by a group of Tesla owners claims that the company exaggerated the driving ranges of its vehicles. The investigation involving dozens of customers covers Model S, Model X, Model Y and Model 3.
New lawsuit filed against Tesla for fake driving ranges
According to the US lawsuit, Tesla exaggerated the actual capacity of its electric vehicles to mislead customers and charge higher prices. The plaintiffs said their vehicles showed an exaggerated driving range when fully charged. When the battery level drops below 50 percent, the range is also said to decrease.
This contradicts Tesla’s advertisements about the long ranges its vehicles can travel on a single charge. “If Elon Musk had advertised the actual ranges of his electric vehicles, customers either would not have bought them or would have paid significantly less,” the plaintiffs said.
Tesla advertises a range of over 500 km for some models. However, the company has received a lot of criticism for its exaggerated range claims. For example, the US Environmental Protection Agency has launched an investigation into exaggerated claims about Model S battery life estimates.
Tesla and Elon Musk have yet to comment on the matter. However, if the lawsuit is accepted, it seems possible that the company will pay millions of dollars in compensation to vehicle owners.
In addition, the court’s decision in this case may also increase oversight of electric vehicle advertisements. While many companies say that the data in advertisements will not always be accurate, more caution is needed when it comes to range.
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