The Korean Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) has fined Tesla 2,85 billion won (around 2,1 million euros) for exaggerating its range figures by not disclosing range drops in cold weather. The KFTC also wasn’t pleased with the promised charging speeds and fuel savings that Tesla advertised on its website.

Tesla has received a slap on the wrist in South Korea for not disclosing that the range of its electric vehicles can drop significantly in cold weather, which isn’t a rare occurrence during the cold winters in the country. According to the KFTC, the range of a Tesla can drop by up to 50,5% in cold weather, which wasn’t mentioned on the Tesla website.

Exaggerated charging speed and fuel savings

That’s not the only thing the KFTC issued the fine for. The promised charging speeds also only mentioned the best-case scenario without stipulating the differences in types of charging points, the outside and battery temperature, and the state of charge of the battery.

Finally, the South Korean agency deemed Tesla’s estimated fuel savings to be exaggerated, as the cost of charging also varies according to the type of charger and the presence of any government subsidies.

Tesla has since added a disclaimer to the Korean website, stating, “Performance and mileage may vary by model. The displayed drivable distance may vary depending on external factors such as speed, weather conditions, and road conditions”. However, the website still mentions fuel cost savings of over 6 million won (4 444 euros) over a 5-year period with the Model Y.

Head of China coming to America

In other Tesla news, the company’s head of China, Tom Zhu, is set to take over the North American sales division. Zhu had previously been tipped as a potential new CEO for the company if Elon Musk would want to step down, but a leadership role at Tesla HQ is the only step being taken for now.

Zhu enjoys a lot of popularity within Tesla after his success with the manufacturer in China, with the creation of Gigafactory Shanghai, which Musk often praises for its high productivity.