Tesla has faced accusations in the past regarding the exaggeration of EV driving range. However, recent allegations suggest that the company is now attempting to downplay complaints about performance. According to sources from Reuters, Tesla had a covert “Diversion Team” located in Las Vegas with the aim of canceling service appointments related to range issues. When customers expressed dissatisfaction with the range not living up to marketing claims, team advisors would inform them that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) range figures were mere predictions and that battery degradation would inevitably reduce the range. Initially, remote diagnostics were conducted and customers were contacted, but the testing eventually ceased, with non-range issues being withheld.
Reportedly, the motivation behind this strategy was twofold: saving money (as each appointment amounted to approximately $1,000, according to managers) and alleviating strain on service centers that were already overwhelmed with long queues. As a result, Tesla updated its mobile app, removing appointment options for users inquiring about range and instead offering the choice to request a call from a company representative.
The insiders claim that these complaints are not attributable to technical flaws. Instead, Tesla allegedly began manipulating range estimates about a decade ago, exaggerating the figures when an EV was fully charged. Accurate range numbers would only be displayed once the charge dropped below 50 percent. Additionally, the company provided vehicles with a 15-mile range buffer even when the estimate reached zero, similar to how combustion engine cars retain fuel when the gauge shows “empty.”
It remains uncertain if Tesla still relies on coding to magnify range figures if the report is accurate. As the company has disbanded its public relations team and cannot be reached for comment, there is limited information available. Nevertheless, Tesla has previously faced criticism and legal issues concerning range concerns. The EPA requested Tesla to slightly reduce its range estimates from the 2020 model year onwards, and in January, South Korea fined the company $2.2 million for allegedly concealing the fact that range can be affected in cold weather.
While Tesla is not the only company that embellishes range claims, it may be more severe than most. According to a recent study published by the standards body SAE International, EVs typically fall 12.5 percent short of their official range in highway driving. Gregory Pannone, one of the co-authors, informed Reuters that Tesla’s shortfall was significantly higher at 26 percent. Brands like Ford, Mercedes, and Porsche adopt a more conservative approach by utilizing the EPA formula instead of conducting additional tests.
As Gregory Pannone explains, Elon Musk’s company may not be cheating per se. Rather, it could be exploiting EPA range procedures more aggressively than its competitors. However, if these claims are true, it still poses a problem for buyers who might never experience the range they initially anticipated.
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Alex Smith is a writer and editor with over 10 years of experience. He has written extensively on a variety of topics, including technology, business, and personal finance. His work has been published in a number of magazines and newspapers, and he is also the author of two books. Alex is passionate about helping people learn and grow, and he believes that writing is a powerful tool for communication and understanding.
