Norway Tesla owners unhappy with power-disclosure settlement

That $6,000 that a bunch of Tesla owners in Norway are slated to each receive over allegations that the automaker overstated horsepower figures? Well, that may not be enough to satisfy those owners, Electrek says. And that's even if the company says the payback is unwarranted.

About 125 Tesla owners took issue with the California-based electric-vehicle maker's assertion that the Tesla Model S P85D delivers 691 horsepower. Norway's Consumer Disputes Commission sided with those owners earlier this year, and said Tesla had to pay each of those drivers about $6,000.

Now, those owners aren't happy with that settlement, and have taken the case to an Oslo district court, Electrek says, citing Norwegian publication Dagens Naeringsliv. And Tesla is digging in its heels.

"Testing done by Tesla and independent third parties has demonstrated that the Model S P85D's acceleration and motor power numbers have always been accurate, even understated," a Tesla spokesperson wrote in an e-mail to Autoblog on Friday. "With respect to acceleration, Tesla described the P85D as having a 0-100 mph time of 3.3 seconds, and Motor Trend and others actually achieved a time of 3.1 seconds."

Tesla Model S P85D is said to have 467 horsepower from its the rear motor and 224 horsepower. But while the implication is that the car delivers 691 horsepower combined, that power isn't truly deliverable through the rear wheels.

The irony, of course, is that Norway may be the most EV-friendly country in the world, and has been a steady source of Tesla's European sales. With plentiful hydroelectric power, the Norwegian government has bestowed perks such as free tolls, free parking, and use of bus lanes.