Tesla was dealing with 2,000 cases a week amid a surge in driving-range complaints from frustrated customers, report says

• Tesla dealt with up to 2,000 cases a week amid concerns over driving ranges, per Reuters reported.
• Citing sources, Reuters reported that Tesla set up a secret unit to shut down customer complaints.

Tesla was dealing with up to 2,000 complaints cases a week from customers over issues around driving range after it set up a secret team to shut down complaints, Reuters reported as part of an investigation.

Elon Musk's EV company had been frequently contacted by customers demanding service appointments after finding their Teslas were failing to meet the driving range advertised to them, Reuters reported, citing several people familiar with the matter.

Reuters reported that Tesla sought to shut down complaints linked to battery range in various ways, including an update to its smartphone app, which prevented Tesla drivers complaining about range from booking appointments.

The app update led complaints about range to be sent to a secret team in Nevada, known as the diversion team. The team ended up receiving up to 2,000 cases a week and was directed to cancel service appointments.

The findings highlight the challenges Tesla owners have faced in getting Musk to take concerns over EV driving range seriously, with the company accused of exaggerating the range of its vehicles.

Range anxiety is a critical concern facing many would-be EV owners, who worry that the vehicles would run out of charge before they reach their destination.

Advisers tasked with dealing with customer queries had reportedly been trained to tell customers that range estimates were "not an actual measurement," but were instead a prediction, and that batteries were expected to get worse over time and impact range.

Reuters reported that the diversion team was expected to close around 750 cases a week, with advisers told to close a case if a Tesla owner failed to pick up a call on the first instance. Advisers had to try and end calls that were answered within five minutes, the report said.

Tesla did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.