Sources have told Reuters that Tesla at one point employed algorithms to give customers exaggerated estimates for the maximum driving range of its EVs and dedicated an.
A hot potato: Range anxiety – unease over the maximum driving range before needing to recharge – has been a primary roadblock facing electric vehicle adoption. An extensive new report from Reuters claims that leading EV manufacturer Tesla has used overly optimistic range estimates and instructed staff to divert range-related complaints, but the current status of these policies is unclear.
Sources have told Reuters that Tesla at one point employed algorithms to give customers exaggerated estimates for the maximum driving range of its EVs and dedicated an entire office to silencing complaints on the issue. It isn’t known if Tesla still uses the algorithms, but third-party testers recently claimed the cars fail to meet their advertised ranges.
The practice began around a decade ago for advertising purposes and was directed by Tesla CEO Elon Musk. The inflated numbers would appear on a vehicle’s dashboard while at or near full charge but would switch to a more realistic estimate after falling below 50 percent, which could give drivers the impression that the range is dramatically sinking.
Part of the issue is that Tesla’s numbers don’t account for environmental conditions, which can significantly impact driving range.
