Even though Tesla is currently in the lead when it comes to the Electric Vehicle market, the position comes with its own problems. Recently reports have surfaced from Norway that many Tesla owners are facing issues with their car’s range and its batteries. Some owners reported that their ranges have dropped by around 30 miles while others reported reduced DC fast-charging rates at Tesla’s Supercharger stations.
It’s unclear if the situation is restricted to just Norway but we do know that it all started from a 2019 software update. The issue mostly affects Tesla models from 2013 to 2015. People suspect that Tesla may be doing something similar like Apple did with its iPhone. Purposefully reducing performance via software updates so people are compelled to buy newer models.
Now, of course, there’s no real evidence that it’s actually true. When the issue surfaced back in 2019, Tesla simply responded by saying that their aim was to “protect the battery and improve battery longevity”. The company also assured that it would only affect a small number of users. However, reports show that the number is by no means small and currently affects over 10,000 buyers in Norway.
The situation has led a court in Norway to find Tesla guilty after it was sued by the owners who all complained about the reduced battery capacities and charging speeds. The electric vehicle company has now been ordered to pay 136,000 kroner or $16,000 each to the buyers affected by the incident.
The ruling will most probably cause losses of around hundreds of millions of dollars to Tesla. Some owners even saw drops in battery capacity of up to 11% which isn’t really normal. Tesla failed to reply to the suit so this obviously led to judgment being made in its absence. As a result of the ruling, 30 owners behind the lawsuit will be awarded $16,000 each unless Tesla appeals.
It isn’t surprising that Tesla would walk the path of Apple. This mostly happens with companies that have a monopoly in the market. Though there are many other Electric Vehicle manufacturers, Tesla is currently the top electric car company with its offering outclassing the competition was a substantial margin.
Although only 30 have been promised awards, the affected number is around the 10,000 mark so the lawsuit may get more expensive. Only time will tell how Tesla handles the situation.