Model S

Make
Tesla
Segment
Sedan

It's a rare occasion when customers sue an automaker because it's product is too slow, especially when the car in question has 691 horsepower going to all four wheels. Still, that's exactly what 126 Model S P85D customers in Norway have done because apparently, Tesla has been lying about the car's performance metrics. According to Bloomberg, this disgruntled group of consumers wants monetary reimbursement because their Teslas' Insane Mode doesn't accelerate as sharply as advertised.

One report suggests that a customer's Model S P85D was tested and only made 469 horsepower, a stark 222 horsepower difference to what Tesla advertises. To be fair, Tesla only claims that the motors are able to make a combined 691 horsepower, not that that's the actual output. Still, independent tests reveal that the Model S P85D is no slouch, especially in a drag race. That didn't stop Norway's Consumer Disputes Commission from forcing Tesla to pay five Model S P85D owners $6,000 each during a similar dispute. For Tesla, it's important to keep a good image in Norway since the country of five million buys plenty of the electric cars thanks to help from government incentives.

Hopefully, these complaints help get to the bottom of a long argument that's been going on in Tesla forums. That would be finding the real horsepower made by electric motors. As it turns out, that's not exactly easy to find, and not just because the Model S can bust a dyno with its 864 lb-ft of torque. It's also because electric motors differ from gasoline units, and as such, put down power differently. In EVs, torque is available from 0 RPM but can drop off at higher RPMs. Still, Tesla claims that the car's advertised acceleration times are accurate and in some cases, have even been proven to be understated. Nevertheless, if Tesla loses this case, it could be faced with over $1 million in fines.