Electric Cars and Their Odometers: Who Cheats and Who’s Accurate?
Did you know that odometers in electric cars aren’t always reliable? The Norwegian Automobile Federation (NAF) conducted a test revealing that even the most modern electric vehicles have discrepancies in their displayed mileage. Some models cheat, while others are nearly perfect!
Odometer Testing – What Was Discovered?
NAF tested odometer accuracy alongside electric vehicle range tests, comparing the odometer readings to a professional GPS system as the ground truth. The results are shocking:
- Tesla Model Y showed the smallest error at just 0.15%, meaning the odometer displayed slightly more kilometers than actually driven.
- Tesla Model 3 had a larger error of 1.1%, overestimating the distance traveled.
- Polestar 3 was the worst performer with a 2% error, but in the opposite direction – the odometer showed fewer kilometers than the car actually traveled.
- Volvo EX90 showed a 0.7% deviation, which is still significant.
- Volkswagen ID.7 was the only model with a perfectly accurate odometer during the test.
Why Does This Matter?
At first glance, deviations from 0.15% to 2% might seem trivial. But imagine driving 10,000 kilometers – a 2% error means your odometer could show 200 kilometers more or less than you actually drove! In leasing or used car sales, such differences can lead to serious financial penalties or losses.
Who’s to Blame for These Errors?
Reasons vary – from manufacturer software settings, odometer calibration, to how electric cars measure distance. Some manufacturers might intentionally set odometers to show higher mileage to avoid suspicion of odometer rollback, while others might simply have imprecise software algorithms.
What Does This Mean for Buyers?
Electric car buyers should be cautious and not blindly trust odometer readings. It’s recommended to use additional mileage tracking devices or insist on checks with professional GPS systems, especially when buying used cars or returning leased vehicles.
Fun Fact: Volkswagen ID.7 was the only model to pass the test with perfect accuracy! Is this a sign that VW knows how to make proper odometers, while Tesla and Polestar fudge the numbers a bit?
Conclusion
Electric cars are the future, but they’re not perfect. Odometer errors may be small but have big implications for owners. Next time you check your mileage, remember this test and ask yourself – is that number really accurate?
And you, have you ever noticed your odometer not matching reality? Or know someone who paid more because of it? Drop a comment, let’s see who’s been “odometer fooled”!
Sources: Norwegian Automobile Federation NAF, Kurir, Blic, Autoblog
