Tesla facing $3.5m fine over driving range claims

Tesla looks set to receive a fine of 2.85 billion won (NZ$3.5 million) from South Korea’s anti-trust regulator for failing to tell customers about the shorter driving range of its electric vehicles (EVs) in low temperatures.

The Korea Fair Trade Commission says the carmaker 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 local website.

The claims were online from August 2019 and were only recently removed, according to the commission.

A statement from the commission says the driving range of Tesla’s models drops in cold weather by up to 50.5 per cent versus the figures used in its online advertising.

Tesla does not mention the loss of driving range in sub-zero temperatures on its websites, reports Reuters.

Last year, the commission fined Mercedes-Benz and its Korean unit 20.2b won for false advertising related to emissions of its diesel passenger vehicles.