Suit claimed a software update trimmed 10 percent range from 1,700+ cars
Settlement set at $625 for each affected owner
A class-action lawsuit against Tesla over claims of a software update that reduced battery voltage in some Model S cars has been settled. Owners of the 1,743 US cars affected will get $625 for a total settlement of $1.5 million.
The suit was filed in August of 2019, alleging that a Tesla software update limited the maximum voltage for batteries on some Tesla Model S vehicles. Reuters reports that lawyers for the owners claimed the voltage limit was temporary. A 10 percent reduction lasted around three months and a seven percent reduction lasted for seven months. It was then fixed in March of 2020.
Lower max voltage means lower maximum range, so it’s understandable that owners seeing a 10 percent cut after an update would be upset. The proposed settlement says that the $625 each is “many times the prorated value of the temporarily reduced maximum voltage.” This seems reasonable given that the max range was later restored.
The report says company data showed 1,552 of the cars had their maximum battery voltage restored while 57 have had battery replacements. Some other vehicles should get their max voltage back over time. The original update was meant to address a battery management issue that lead to an NHTSA investigation over the possible defect.
