|
The
Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) said that Tesla had
exaggerated the "driving ranges of its cars on a single charge,
their fuel cost-effectiveness compared to gasoline vehicles as
well as the performance of its Superchargers" on its official
local website since August 2019 until recently.
The driving range of the U.S. EV manufacturer's cars plunge in
cold weather by up to 50.5% versus how they are advertised
online, the KFTC said in a statement on Tuesday.
Tesla could not be immediately reached for comment.
On its website, Tesla provides winter driving tips, such as
pre-conditioning vehicles with external power sources, and using
its updated Energy app to monitor energy consumption, but does
not mention the loss of driving range in sub-zero temperatures.
In 2021, Citizens United for Consumer Sovereignty, a South
Korean consumer group, said the driving range of most EVs drop
by up to 40% in cold temperatures when batteries need to be
heated, with Tesla suffering the most, citing data from the
country's environment ministry.
Last year, the KFTC fined German carmaker Mercedes-Benz and its
Korean unit 20.2 billion won for false advertising tied to gas
emissions of its diesel passenger vehicles.
The challenge for electric vehicle performance in extreme
temperatures is widely known, though EVs are popular in markets
like Norway, where four out of five vehicles sold last year were
battery-powered, led by Tesla.
A 2020 study of 4,200 connected EVs of all makes by Canada-based
telematics provider Geotab found that most models had a similar
drop in range in cold weather, primarily because the battery is
also used to heat the car for the driver and passengers.
At just above 20 degrees Celsius, the average EV outperformed
its stated range, but at minus 15 degrees the average EV had
only 54% of its rated range, the study found.
(Reporting by Ju-min Park and Hyunsu Yim; Editing by Himani
Sarkar and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
[© 2023 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
|
|
