Lawsuit Claims Tesla’s “Insane Mode” Not Insane Enough

Image courtesy of Consumer Reports

There are definitions for terms like “horsepower” and “torque,” but last we checked the auto industry has yet to finalize a standard for what constitutes an “insane” or “ludicrous” driving mode. Despite that lack of consensus, a number of Tesla owners say the automaker misled them, and that their Model S vehicles are not so speedy as to be certifiably insane. 

The P85D, which Tesla no longer actively markets, was advertised as being able to accelerate from 0-60 mph in under 3.3 seconds. In tests by our colleagues at Consumer Reports, this pricey performance model did 0-60 in 3.48 seconds.

But Bloomberg reports that 126 Norwegian owners of P85Ds say that the vehicle’s Insane mode is only delivering about two-thirds of the 700 horsepower they were expecting. The plaintiffs either want a rebate on the car or an upgrade.

Tesla tells Bloomberg that both in-house and independent tests “demonstrated that the Model S P85D acceleration and motor-power numbers have always been accurate” and that engine-power figures published by the carmaker were “confirmed as accurate by European regulatory authorities.”

This isn’t the first time Tesla has faced criticism over “insane mode” in Norway — the company’s biggest market for the electric vehicles.

Bloomberg notes in that June, Norway’s Consumer Disputes Commission ruled that five P85D owners who complained of similar issues were entitled to a reimbursement.

Tesla Sued by Car Owners in Norway as Speed Not Insane Enough [Bloomberg]

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