Tesla is a company rarely removed from controversy, but this doesn't prevent people from buying its cars in droves. Even the Big Apple's boys in blue are set to join in on the craze, following the example of the UK's thin blue line. Not everyone can afford to spend big on a brand new Tesla, however, and many will therefore opt for demo cars to get a cheaper rate. However, it seems that the notorious cost-cutting of Tesla extends beyond the questionable quality that you get in many of its new vehicles. A Twitter user has come across a concerning disclaimer on Tesla's website that pertains to certain demo Model 3 listings, and the implications aren't kind to the EV maker's image.

As the above tweet shows, some so-called "2021" Teslas are being sold with battery packs manufactured as early as 2017. Tesla says that this could result in up to 12% less range, but although the automaker's disclosure of the potential issue is worthy of applause, many have raised concerns. Yes, these are used, demo cars, but with just 521 miles recorded on one example, one can't help but question why a battery pack manufactured in 2020 at the very least is not being fitted to all 2021 cars. There seems to be no pattern to follow either, as not all demo cars listed are done so with the same disclaimer.

The vast majority of the responses on Twitter have been scathing, but some users are suggesting that the wording of the disclaimer is simply incorrect. The prevalent theory, however, is that Tesla is aiming to get out in front of a PR disaster before an internal whistleblower makes the company infamous once again. The reasoning behind using these packs instead of new ones must be cost-related, but with no clear explanation from Tesla, all we have is speculation.

What is not up for debate is the pricing of these vehicles. While a new base trim Model 3 costs under $45,000 and the top-tier Performance is a little under $59,000, these used demo cars with degraded batteries are still selling for premium money at the $62,000 mark. A sizeable discount would make sense, but that isn't being offered. We await Tesla's response to the new controversy.