Nat Barr has called for a crackdown on false advertising after it was revealed several electric vehicle brands had misled motorists about the driving range of their cars.
The n Automobile Association (AAA) tested five EVs in its Real-World Testing Program and found some models drove up to 111km less on the road than they did in laboratory testing.
The 2023 BYD Atto 3 was the worst performer, with a driving range of 369km on a single charge — 23 per cent less than the 480km recorded in its lab testing.
The 2024 Tesla Model 3 had a real-world range of 441km, which was 14 per cent less than the 513km it achieved in the lab.
The 2022 Kia EV6 and the 2024 Tesla Model Y both had driving ranges of eight per cent shorter than their lab tests.
The best performer was the 2024 Smart #3, which logged a real-world driving range of 432km, which was five per cent below its compulsory lab test.
Barr asked Sunshine Coast Mayor Rosanna Natoli on Thursday morning if companies should be forced to be more forthright about their cars’ ability in the real world.
‘Just looking at the reasons why you get less than advertised on the battery,’ Barr said.
‘Hot weather can change it, cold weather can change it, driving on different terrain can change it, stopping and starting can change it, braking can change it.
‘A lot can change the amount you get from the standardised testing. Basically, everything can change it.
‘Do you think they should maybe change what they advertise?’
Natoli said the lack of accuracy about the range of EVs was concerning for regional owners and that ‘range anxiety is a real thing’.
‘I guess, for the moment, it is a wait and see with that, particularly when you get outside of the cities, it’s a real danger,’ she said.
The AAA found last month that 60 per cent of likely EV buyers flagged range and recharging as the main reasons that might prevent them from buying an EV.
‘As more EVs enter our market, our testing will help consumers understand which new market entrants measure up on battery range,’ AAA managing director Michael Bradley said.
The AAA said Aussies deserved to know how vehicles performed on roads.
The Real-World Testing Program has tested 114 fuel-powered cars, vans, and utes since it began in 2023, finding that more than 77 per cent exceeded fuel consumption recorded in lab tests.
The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries found that EV sales have stalled, remaining below eight per cent of new vehicle sales in 2025.
It’s the Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles that have exploded, with sales up 183 per cent in the past 12 months.
Daily Mail contacted BYD, Kia and Tesla for comment.