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]
by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist