Software updates have reduced the range and charging speed of the Model S when equipped with the 85-kWh battery pack
A Norwegian court ordered Tesla to pay $14,000 to affected owners, which the automaker refuses to do
The same problem was solved in the US, where Tesla paid $625 to the owners
A court in Norway has ordered Tesla to pay the sum of $14,000 to all owners of Model S equipped with an 85-kWh battery that has been affected by updates.
The problem is caused by the 2019.16.1 and 2019.16.2 updates that reduced the battery’s range and charging speed in an effort to protect it and give it more longevity.
Owners have seen a loss of range of just over 10%, for a total distance of 20 to 50 kilometers less. In addition, the maximum possible charging speed using a Supercharger is lower, which means that the affected cars need to be charged more often and said charging takes longer.
Of course, the owners of these vehicles are not very happy with this result and have sued Tesla.
Since the lawsuit began, Tesla has released a new update that has restored the original range, but the charging speed remains slower.
The court therefore ordered $14,000 in restitution for all affected owners. This amount would cover the loss of value that the vehicles suffered and it is compensation for misrepresentation, since the owners received a vehicle that does not have the range for which they paid.
Tesla denies this by saying owners are not entitled to compensation for this issue, especially since they have brought the range back to its original level.
This problem is not only localized in Norway, as all Model S with an 85-kWh battery are affected. A judgement in the United States has forced Tesla to pay $625 to the owners of these vehicles.