Tesla sued for false advertising after allegedly exaggerating EV ranges
engadget.com
engadget.com
The Model X was a 2017 model, but I cannot believe the level of deterioration on the battery. I was barely able to do 200 km on a 90% charge (I didn't do a full charge to avoid damaging the battery)
It was awful; Montreal to Ottawa doesn't require a stop in a similar sized gas car, but I had to stop twice to keep the car charged (after leaving with a 90% charge, in the chill accel mode).
Going to Mt. Tremblant from Montreal was a similar experience; charged it from 60 to 90%ish at St. Jerome and seeing the battery dip to the 50s by the time I arrived.
The Ioniq, by contrast, was great (albeit new). I hesitate to directly compare as the Ioniq was used for city driving, but the range was always clear and in the 400-500km range.
My assumption is that the Model X had its battery abused, but the rental agency's rep told me that all Teslas vastly over exaggerate their range; apparently they only get 150km in winter.
I can see the value of a 150km electric car, but not for more than $100k.
but it is EPA who is testing it?
EPA data obtained by Reuters through the Freedom of Information Act showed that the audits resulted in Tesla being required to lower all the cars’ estimated ranges by an average of 3%. The projected range for one vehicle, the 2021 Model Y Long Range AWD (all-wheel drive), dropped by 5.15%. The EPA said all the changes to Tesla’s range estimates were made before the company used the figures on window stickers.
I'm assuming for a rental you probably got a 75D if it was made in 2017. Factory new, it had a range of 238mi EPA (383km). Assuming even 10% degradation (which is probably high, honestly) and only charging to 90%, that would give you 310km EPA. I'm guessing you wouldn't drive it all the way to 0 either, so you're really looking at 292km (if you leave 5% at the bottom).
Then add on winter driving at highway speeds that will indeed reduce range by as much as 30% (or even 50%, if it's truly frigid) and that isn't surprising at all. The Ioniq being driven in city mostly will vastly, vastly increase range. And modern cars (model X included) have heat pumps, which improves winter range substanially. The 2017 X would have purely resistive heating, which really hurts range in the winter.
This isn't unique to Tesla, by the way. F150 lightning owners have gotten pretty annoyed that the range is garbage during winter or during towing. Even the most efficient EV will struggle to get even 70% rated range with -20C or equivalent.
I rented both for a week during July. The weather was worse during the Hyundai rental; it was in the 30s with high humidity, while the Model X struggled in the mid 20s. The range I quoted was from the app in the car itself, and borne out by real world experience. I can upload the screen if you'd like, or you can take my word; two supercharges from 20 -> 90 were needed to go from Montreal's south shore to Ottawa, using the highway 30. This was more than an hour of waiting the second time around, in an empty parking lot.
Even as an SUV, it was a disappointing experience. My luggage fit easily into the Hyundai, it was impossible to put more than a stroller into the X. Imagine having a family car with child seat hooks — and barely enough space for a one-person stoller. My Timescar small car rentals in Tokyo were way better
To get it out of the way, I don't have Elon Derangement Disorder, and have no feelings towards him, positive or negative. I like Tesla, regardless of anything, because they pushed the ball forward on electric cars. My friend's Model Y does not have the issues I outlined.
However, based on my experience, the X is a low-range impractical car and unusable for large families, even in summer. I wouldn't trade my used gas-only 2016 Sienna for a free new one, despite it being 6 times the price.
On the other hand, the Ioniq held its range, and had great storage capacity. I'd buy it on sight — but it only seats 5. Electrification in my household will have to wait sadly.
Whether that points to the Tesla being intentionally malicious or deceptive... No, I don't think it rises to that level.
I fail to see how a flat drives between Montreal and Ottawa at 100-110 km/h (60-70 mph) could drain the battery so thoroughly; that is not a trip that should have taken me from 90% to sub 10% one-way, as it is merely 180km (Sub 10%, as I recharged it at Casselman when it hit ~25%ish; by the time I had arrived in Ottawa, it was down to 70% or so).
I was so concerned that it was my driving speed that I purposely put the car on cruise control on the way back, just to be sure it wasn't me speeding. Nope, it was the same regardless of whether or not the speed was kept in that range.
I want a minivan, with 7 seats, perferably for less than $50k. If it goes 150km, on a charge, that's fine. This is not that car, and with the issues I had, I don't see why people dropped CAD$150k on it.
I did get the Hyundai battery down to 40 or 50% (when there was a > 1 day power failure, and I didn't trickle charge the day before; https://montreal.citynews.ca/2023/07/15/quebec-without-power...). I didn't remember being particularly surprised by any changes in the estimated range.
I didn't take it further than the South Shore to Laval, so obviously there might have been problems that I am unaware of when taking it to Ottawa. It also did not have Autopilot, nor could I easily figure out how to set up the adaptive cruise control.
It wasn't a perfect car, but I never felt any range anxiety driving it.
[1] https://cleanenergyrevolution.co/2023/07/26/teslas-californi...
If one could get $7500 on a hybrid or just a regular car, Tesla would not be doing so great.
A Tesla without any rebate / tax credit still has cheaper TCO than a gas car costing $10,000 to $15,000 less, but many people don’t get this yet so they think these rebates are needed to keep Tesla in business. They’re not.
ftfy