I had no idea. Mind share an article on that topic? Would love to read a bit more on that.
I've heard it mentioned here on the forum several times, like here, but hadn't seen a reference.
It could be but it does not have to be. Tesla is free to choose any number below 0.7. That is kind of my point. To compare apples to apples with the Bolt's range, you would compare 334 vs 238 NOT the number that Tesla has sandbagged. The same sandbagging likely has been used for the 220...
teslamotorsclub.com
They refer to the choice between taking simple values and multiplying by a 0.7 fudge factor, or choosing to do the more complicated 5 cycle testing procedure. Most other car companies are choosing one method, but Tesla is choosing the other. So I did some searching and found the references to it in a document on fueleconomy.gov. They do mention that most auto makers use the 0.7 method.
Here's a quote of the section about it.
Electric Vehicle - Adjustment Procedure used to Derive FE Label (Window Sticker) Estimates - EPA
regulations require fuel economy, energy consumption, CO2 and driving range values listed on the FE Label
(window sticker) to be adjusted to more accurately reflect the values that customers can expect to achieve in the
real world. EPA currently allows fuel economy, energy consumption, CO2 values, and range values listed on the
FE Label (window sticker) for electric vehicles to be adjusted using one of the following methods:1
by multiplying city/highway fuel economy and range values by 0.7 and dividing city/highway energy
consumption and CO2 values by 0.7;
using the derived 5-cycle method described in 40 CFR 600.210-12(a)(2) and EPA guidance letter CD-15-
15, June 22, 2015 (available at
Transportation, Air Pollution, and Climate Change | US EPA
using a method which is equivalent to the vehicle specific 5-cycle method described in 40 CFR 600.210-
12(a)(1) (with prior EPA approval) such as the method provided in Appendix B of SAE J1634 July 2017
Recommended Practice;
using adjustment factors which are based on in-use data (with prior EPA approval).
Currently, most EVs use the first or third method (the 0.7 factor).