INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
South Korea&s antitrust regulator said it would impose a 2.85 billion won ($2.2 million) fine on Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) for failing to tell its
customers about the shorter driving range of its electric vehicles (EVs) in low temperatures, Reuters reported.The Korea Fair Trade
Commission (KFTC) said that Tesla had exaggerated the &driving ranges of its cars on a single charge, their fuel cost-effectiveness compared
to gasoline vehicles as well as the performance of its Superchargers& on its official local website since August 2019 until recently.The
EV manufacturer&s cars plunge in cold weather by up to 50.5% versus how they are advertised online, the KFTC said in a statement on
Tuesday.Tesla could not be immediately reached for comment, read the report.On its website, Tesla provides winter driving tips, such as
pre-conditioning vehicles with external power sources, and using its updated Energy app to monitor energy consumption, but does not mention
the loss of driving range in sub-zero temperatures.According to Reuters in 2021, Citizens United for Consumer Sovereignty, a South Korean
consumer group, said the driving range of most EVs drop by up to 40% in cold temperatures when batteries need to be heated, with Tesla
suffering the most, citing data from the country&s environment ministry.Last year, the KFTC fined German carmaker Mercedes-Benz and its
Korean unit 20.2 billion won for false advertising tied to gas emissions of its diesel passenger vehicles.The post South Korea fines Tesla
$2.2 mln for exaggerating driving range of EVs first appeared on Ariana News.
