Reuters reported that the South Korean antitrust regulator, the Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC), would fine Tesla $2.2 million for neglecting to tell consumers about the reduced driving range of its electric cars (EVs) in cold temperatures.
Since August 2019, Tesla has, according to the KFTC, exaggerated on its official local website the "driving ranges of its cars on a single charge, their fuel cost-effectiveness compared to gasoline vehicles, and the performance of its Superchargers."
In cold conditions, the actual range of Tesla's electric vehicles might be up to 50.5% less than what is stated online.
The KFTC also discovered that Tesla gives winter driving suggestions, such as pre-conditioning cars with external power sources and using its updated Energy app to monitor energy use, but fails to indicate the loss in driving range in sub-zero conditions.
This is not the first time the KFTC has assessed a penalty for deceptive advertising.
Mercedes-Benz and its Korean subsidiary were fined $17.5 million in 2020 for fraudulent advertising regarding the fuel economy of their diesel passenger cars.
Play audio
No comments