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Norwegian government orders Tesla to pay its customers

For software updates that reduce range and charging speed

Tesla's software antics haven't gone unnoticed by Norwegian courts. PHOTO FROM TESLA

Software updates causing Tesla cars to lose range are nothing new. In its defense, the automaker apparently does this to improve the longevity of aging batteries. Several lawsuits have been made against the company for allegedly manipulating the software instead of repairing or replacing the battery packs. In most cases, Tesla has gotten away with it. Until it met the wrath of the Norwegian government.

According to a report by Nettavisen, the Scandinavian country’s courts have ordered the automaker to pay Model S customers some 136,000 kroner (P1.08 million) each. This is due to a software update for cars produced from 2013 to 2015, which not only reduces the driving range but also throttles down the charging speed at fast chargers. According to local consumer watchdog Bilklager, such treatment is unacceptable given that each Model S apparently costs 1 million kroner (P7.93 million).

Thirty disgruntled owners have filed the lawsuit. As of this writing, Tesla has yet to respond. The automaker has been given a few weeks to settle or appeal before the case gets escalated to a higher body. The Norwegian government is encouraging all concerned owners to take legal action. With 10,000 vehicles affected, Tesla could be looking at a hefty 1.36 billion kroner (P10.78 billion) payout.



Miggi Solidum

Professionally speaking, Miggi is a software engineering dude who happens to like cars a lot. And as an automotive enthusiast, he wants a platform from which he can share his motoring thoughts with fellow petrolheads. He pens the column ‘G-Force’.



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