SEOUL — South Korea’s antitrust regulator stated it might impose a 2.85 billion gained ($2.2 million) positive on Tesla for failing to inform its clients concerning the shorter driving vary of its electrical autos in low temperatures.

The Korea Truthful Commerce Fee (KFTC) stated that Tesla had exaggerated the “driving ranges of its vehicles on a single cost, their gas cost-effectiveness in comparison with gasoline autos in addition to the efficiency of its Superchargers” on its official native web site since August 2019 till just lately.

The driving vary of Tesla vehicles plunges in chilly climate as much as 51 p.c versus how they’re marketed on-line, the KFTC stated in a press release on Tuesday.

Tesla couldn’t be instantly reached for remark.

On its web site, Tesla supplies winter driving ideas, comparable to pre-conditioning autos with exterior energy sources, and utilizing its up to date Vitality app to watch vitality consumption however doesn’t point out the lack of driving vary in sub-zero temperatures.

In 2021, Residents United for Shopper Sovereignty, a South Korean client group, stated the driving vary of most EVs drop as much as 40 p.c in chilly temperatures when batteries should be heated, with Tesla struggling essentially the most, citing information from the nation’s surroundings ministry.

Final yr, the KFTC fined Mercedes-Benz and its Korean unit 20.2 billion gained for false promoting tied to emissions of its diesel passenger autos.

The problem for EV efficiency in excessive temperatures is extensively recognized, although EVs are well-liked in markets comparable to Norway, the place 4 out of 5 autos offered final yr have been battery-powered, led by Tesla.

A 2020 examine of 4,200 linked EVs of all makes by Canada-based telematics supplier Geotab discovered that the majority fashions had an identical drop in vary in chilly climate, primarily as a result of the battery can also be used to warmth the automotive for the motive force and passengers.

At simply above 20 levels Celsius, the common EV outperformed its acknowledged vary, however at minus 15 levels the common EV had solely 54 p.c of its rated vary, the examine discovered.