this post was submitted on 28 Jul 2023
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Tesla exaggerating EV range for over a decade::undefined

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[–] [email protected] 31 points 1 year ago

This is pretty much my reaction to every corporate deception that I read these days:

[–] [email protected] 26 points 1 year ago (4 children)

I've tested in my own model 3 and the range and kwh usage is actually pretty accurate as advertised assuming you accelerate slowly, drive the speed limit, and don't run the heat, and don't have a strong headwind. Many people, including myself, absolutely do not drive like that, so the range will be less.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This is honestly true for the ICE estimates as well. It’s just that people have a lot more range anxiety when they can’t find a refueling spot every other street corner.

Not that I’m condoning it. And not that they’ve always gotten away with it. They need to be held accountable to come up with reasonable range expectations.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

But also ICE are so inefficient that a small percentage change doesn't affect them so much because you're wasting 80% of the energy anyway so you load up megawatts hour of power when you refuel. On BEVs losing 4kw of power for heating or other stuff means a lot because you waste only around 5% of the energy, so adding 1 or 2 or 3% of other losses will impact the small energy storage you have.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

It seems like it's an issue with manufacturing consistency/quality. The report said some cars were getting literally half their advertised range on daily commutes. That's not an amount that could be accounted for by driving styles.

The original Reuters report linked below: https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/tesla-batteries-range/

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Wow that’s super embarrassing

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Wait, so you can't use the air? You know, one of the major comfort features in a car? What a ripoff.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Running the heat can be energy draining because you don't have a hot engine to draw air from. Using the heated seats is much more efficient but of course less comfortable in cold weather.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Oh 'Run the heat' means using the heater! I was so confused. I thought this was referring to driving fast or running from the cops or something.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

You can use the AC is fine and you get pretty close to the rated mileage, but the heated air is a bigger drain.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Newer models come with a heat pump now, so running the heat should be just as efficient as running the AC.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago

Yeah it's all about ideal conditions, and same for ICE as the other reply said. Even external temperature matters for EVs too, if it's too cold the battery won't perform as well.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 year ago

and autopilot safety

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Isn’t this something for the FTC to prosecute? And then after that, class-action lawsuits?

When Apple got caught extending battery life on old iPhones without user knowledge, there were lawsuits announced by the end of the day. What about Tesla?

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago

I am Jack's complete lack of surprise.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago

lol whats new

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Exaggerating?

Why don't we try lying, bait and switch. Perhaps criminal investigation for consumer fraud?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Tell me the world isn't a better place if elon is sent to work in a lithium mine for the next decade

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

[BRAND] exaggerating any kind of EV range.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

So vindicated about all the arguments I've had with friends about Tesla's range not being as long as what we were led to believe.

I mean, I don't have those friends anymore, but still!

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

Color me absolutely not shocked. Corporations are always going to lie. I don't trust a word they say.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I'm actually within about 5% +- on my Model S Plaid depending on the time of year and that's hardly driving conservatively (maybe luck?). Oddly enough, my Model S has been more efficient than my Model 3 LR was, which I know makes no sense. But pretty much across the board for all the same drives, I use less kWh, it boggles my mind.

This is based on data from Tessie.

All that said, I realize the article says other manufacturers have more accurate fuel economies. I'm sorry, but no, my friend's leaf is absolutely wrong by an extremely large margin, especially in winter, and has been since day one. It's not even close.

[–] [email protected] -2 points 1 year ago (4 children)

Every auto manufacture exaggerates range, whether it’s battery or MPG.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I've found the max range on the Hyundai Kona EV's is fairly accurate. It can vary quite a bit with stuff like AC/heat but generally in reasonable weather it gets close to what was advertised.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

I have to say the same for the Kia EV6. After a fill charge, driving a few miles on the road yields a very accurate estimate.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Isn't MPG (in the US) estimated by the EPA?

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The MPGe Tesla advertised also is. Then they use that to correspond to % remaining battery.

All EVs get wildly different range depending on outdoor temps (I get 30% lower range in winter) and their hysteresis is way higher than an ICE car. But, their range numbers are accurate for when they are measured under ideal circumstances.

I regularly do better than rated range. Others have a heavy foot and do worse. Kinda par for the course.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

If you read the article you’d know that this is actually not the case and Tesla is the one exaggerating range to this degree.

“Jonathan Elfalan, vehicle testing director for the automotive website Edmunds.com, reached a similar conclusion to Pannone after an extensive examination of vehicles from Tesla and other major automakers, including Ford, General Motors, Hyundai and Porsche. All five Tesla models tested by Edmunds failed to achieve their advertised range, the website reported in February 2021. All but one of 10 other models from other manufacturers exceeded their advertised range.”

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

One thing is to exaggerate the range in your advertisement material, which every auto manufacture does—especially since you need to meet veeery specific criteria to get the advertised mpg.

Another though is to rig your software to show misleading range to the people actually driving the fucking car, that’s either stupid or very shady.

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