CONSUMERS HAVE PLENTY OF reservations about many of the claims made by car companies, not least fuel consumption, EV range and now, charging times.
The UK watchdog, the Advertising Standards Authority, has ruled two ads from Hyundai and Toyota as “misleading”.
Complaints have led to the ads being banned, and could have ramifications for all EV brands.
The basis of the complaint is that EV manufacturers have a responsibility to ensure consumers are aware of the conditions and variables involved.
And obviously, many simply are not aware, if the number of complaints about charging times and claimed range of EVs is any indication.
In winter, batteries cannot deliver the same range they deliver in summer (especially in particularly cold climates). Owners are also discovering that after paying to fully charge their batteries, the charge can leak away if the EV is left idle for periods of time.
One owner of a Volvo C40 posted online that even though his battery was showing as fully charged, the car’s on-board computer declared a range of just 180 miles (290km) despite the specifications claiming a range of 270 miles (435km).
The ASA case in the UK involved advertising claims relating to the rapid charging capabilities of the electric vehicles.
The cases involved the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the Toyota bZ4X. Advertising for the Ioniq on billboards, website and YouTube claimed the Ioniq could be recharged from 10 percent to 80 percent in 18 minutes using a 350kW charger. Complainants told the ASA that the charging rate was not accurate, especially in low temperatures.
Hyundai defended itself declaring that its intention was to address consumer concerns about charging times during longer journeys and provided internal testing results to support its claim.
The ASA upheld the complaint, saying consumers would interpret the claims as consistent charging times. The ASA added that the ads lacked crucial information about factors affecting charging time and the limited availability of 350kW chargers.
The second complaint was that Toyota’s claim on its website that the bZ4X would reach 80 percent charge in around 30 minutes on a 150kW fast-charging system was unsubstantiated.
Toyota responded that the claim referred to the maximum charging power of the bZ4X (which is expected in Australia later this year). Supporting its response, Toyota provided real-world testing results, and also highlighted variables that could affect charging times.
As with the Hyundai case, the complaint was upheld on the basis that consumers could interpret the claim as a guarantee of consistent charging times. The ASA emphasised that Toyota should provide more specific conditions and acknowledge the limited availability of 150kW chargers.