Electric vehicle manufacturers have exaggerated the driving range of their vehicles, sometimes by more than twice as much as advertised, according to a study by SAE International.
On average, electric vehicles (EV) fall short of their advertised range by 12.5%, according to a study by SAE International. The study included 21 different brands, and revealed that EV manufacturers as a whole inflate the range of their vehicles far beyond their actual capabilities.
Tesla seems to be inflating the numbers far more than other brands. SAE International revealed that the range displayed on Tesla vehicle’s dashboard is 26% lower than the car’s ability.
This led to a slew of service requests by Tesla customers, though employees often denied these requests because the batteries did not need to be fixed; they were just operating at a level far below advertised. Tesla employees were informed that they save the company $1,000 every time they turn down a service request, according to Reuters.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 30: A tesla vehicle is displayed in a Manhattan dealership on January 30, 2020 in New York City. Following a fourth-quarter earnings report, Tesla, the electric car company, saw its stock surge to another record high Thursday that blew past estimates, giving the leading maker of electric vehicles a market valuation of $115 billion. Shares of Tesla (TSLA) rose 10.3%, closing at 640.81, a new closing high. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
The exaggerated range can be attributed to the testing procedures prescribed by the EPA, according to Reuters. Although most manufacturers follow these guidelines, Tesla uses additional testing that may boost the car’s purported range.
“I’m not suggesting they’re cheating. What they’re doing, at least minimally, is leveraging the current procedures more than the other manufacturers,” said Gregory Pannone, an expert on EVs.
This is not Tesla’s first time being accused of such transgressions. South Korean regulators fined Tesla $2.1 million for exaggerating the performance of their vehicles in 2019. The fine came after it was discovered that Tesla cars drove half of their advertised distance when used in cold weather, according to Reuters.
Tesla did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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