In Italy, the police have carried out several searches because law enforcement believes that a number of car brands are lying about the range of electric cars.
Electric cars and their range are under scrutiny in Italy. Several major car manufacturers, including Tesla and Volkswagen, are suspected of providing false information about the range of their electric cars.
Italian police have carried out raids on several of the car brands' offices in the country as part of an ongoing investigation.
Italy has launched an investigation into several car manufacturers, including Stellantis, Tesla, Volkswagen and BYD.
Reuters writes.
They are accused of making misleading claims about the range and batteries of their electric cars. Authorities in Italy believe that the stated ranges of the electric cars do not correspond to the actual conditions.
This is especially true when external factors such as temperature or use of air conditioning affect the battery's performance and thus the electric car's range.
According to the charges, the manufacturers have provided "insufficient and in some cases contradictory information" on their websites about the factors that can affect the range of electric cars.
In addition, it is unclear how the capacity of the batteries deteriorates over time and what guarantees apply, according to the authorities in Italy.
The missing or, in the worst case, incorrect information can give consumers an unrealistic picture of how long a battery can last and how far it can make an electric car drive.
As part of the investigation, police have carried out inspections at the offices of the companies in question in Italy. If it is found that the manufacturers have deliberately misled customers, they could face fines in the millions.
Stellantis has stated that it is fully cooperating with the Italian authorities in this matter. It is confident that it has provided correct information about its electric vehicles. Tesla, Volkswagen and BYD have not yet commented on the investigation.
It is important to note that this is an ongoing investigation, and it is still too early to conclude whether the allegations are true.
The results of the study may have an impact on future standards for the marketing of electric cars and provide consumers with a better basis for making informed decisions about purchasing electric cars.
