A court in Norway has found Tesla guilty of throttling charging speeds and battery capacity through a 2019 software update.
Customers in the country reported reduced range and slower charging times at Supercharger stations. To settle the complaint, Tesla has been ordered to pay each affected owner around $16,000.
The total amount Tesla will have to pay could be fairly steep; Norway’s Nettavisen noted that the Model S named in the complaint was sold around 10,000 times during the period in question. Under the order, Tesla has until May 30 to either pay the fine or file an appeal with the Oslo conciliation council.
The company could end up paying even more since Norway isn’t the only country engaged in legal efforts over this issue. In the U.S., customers have filed a class action lawsuit against Tesla for allegedly slowing charging speeds in older models. Some owners claimed their range was cut by as much as 40 miles as a direct result of a software update.
At the time, Tesla said the update was rolled out to “protect the battery and improve battery longevity” and that it resulted in a range loss for only “a small percentage of owners.”