The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and Car and Driver have published a report challenging the EPA’s EV range estimate calculations.
As revealed by countless surveys, one of the most critical specifications for EV buyers is how far the vehicle can drive on a single charge. But often, without a way to test it themselves, EV customers are forced to use the number printed on the window sticker or posted on the EPA’s website, which is the agency that has typically tracked and measured these capabilities. Now, those numbers are being challenged by research from SAE International and the Car and Driver magazine.
According to the research published by Car and Driver, the EV range estimates published by the EPA are, on average, 12.5% higher than the numbers they achieved in their testing, which could be quite a shock for a car buyer. In comparison, Car and Driver’s ICE vehicle testing was only 4% off of the EPA’s estimates, which were actually lower than their testing results.
As noted in the published report, this range discrepancy was entirely expected, thanks to the difference in testing methodology, but that was ostensibly the point. First, because the EPA only provides consumers with a single highway/city combined range number – which is slightly weighted toward city driving (55/45) – customers who predominantly drive on the highway will consistently fail to reach the estimated range number. Further, the inverse is true for drivers who spend most of their time in the city.
The EPA was not immediately available to comment to Teslarati on their testing procedures.
The second discrepancy point highlighted in the paper concerns testing methodology, in which the EPA currently provides options for automakers on how to complete the testing. This means different automakers, or even different models, will be dramatically different in their estimated range compared to their real-life range, adding to customer confusion.
Nowhere is this second point seen better than in highway testing, which is once again significantly skewed upwards. Instead of testing the vehicles at actual highway speeds, 75mph (the speed used in Car and Driver’s testing), automakers test at a lower speed and then multiply their results by a “reduction factor,” determined by how many runs the vehicle completes.
Third and perhaps worst of all, these slight discrepancies, mixed with automakers’ self-reporting their results, can mean that different brands take wildly different approaches and report drastically different figures compared to real life. Perhaps the starkest example found by Car and Driver was the difference in EV range reported by Tesla and Porsche. While the German brand was incredibly conservative with its range estimates, Tesla was slightly more generous than the testing completed by the car magazine.
Luckily, according to Car and Driver, fixing these issues would be fairly simple. First, the paper suggests providing consumers with an EV highway and city range number, with each of those estimates being found by separate testing, similar to current gas vehicle testing. Second, removing or adjusting the “reduction factor” toward more realistic use (higher highway speeds) will provide a more accurate number to consumers. And third and finally, enforcing more consistent testing standards between automakers will help consumers more accurately gauge the capabilities of the cars they are buying.
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Tesla FSD fleet is nearing 7 billion total miles, including 2.5 billion city miles
As can be seen on Tesla’s official FSD webpage, vehicles equipped with the system have now navigated over 6.99 billion miles.
Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) fleet is closing in on almost 7 billion total miles driven, as per data posted by the company on its official FSD webpage.
These figures hint at the massive scale of data fueling Tesla’s rapid FSD improvements, which have been quite notable as of late.
FSD mileage milestones
As can be seen on Tesla’s official FSD webpage, vehicles equipped with the system have now navigated over 6.99 billion miles. Tesla owner and avid FSD tester Whole Mars Catalog also shared a screenshot indicating that from the nearly 7 billion miles traveled by the FSD fleet, more than 2.5 billion miles were driven inside cities.
City miles are particularly valuable for complex urban scenarios like unprotected turns, pedestrian interactions, and traffic lights. This is also the difference-maker for FSD, as only complex solutions, such as Waymo’s self-driving taxis, operate similarly on inner-city streets. And even then, incidents such as the San Francisco blackouts have proven challenging for sensor-rich vehicles like Waymos.
Tesla’s data edge
Tesla has a number of advantages in the autonomous vehicle sector, one of which is the size of its fleet and the number of vehicles training FSD on real-world roads. Tesla’s nearly 7 billion FSD miles then allow the company to roll out updates that make its vehicles behave like they are being driven by experienced drivers, even if they are operating on their own.
So notable are Tesla’s improvements to FSD that NVIDIA Director of Robotics Jim Fan, after experiencing FSD v14, noted that the system is the first AI that passes what he described as a “Physical Turing Test.”
“Despite knowing exactly how robot learning works, I still find it magical watching the steering wheel turn by itself. First it feels surreal, next it becomes routine. Then, like the smartphone, taking it away actively hurts. This is how humanity gets rewired and glued to god-like technologies,” Fan wrote in a post on X.
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Tesla starts showing how FSD will change lives in Europe
Local officials tested the system on narrow country roads and were impressed by FSD’s smooth, human-like driving, with some calling the service a game-changer for everyday life in areas that are far from urban centers.
Tesla has launched Europe’s first public shuttle service using Full Self-Driving (Supervised) in the rural Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm region of Germany, demonstrating how the technology can restore independence and mobility for people who struggle with limited transport options.
Local officials tested the system on narrow country roads and were impressed by FSD’s smooth, human-like driving, with some calling the service a game-changer for everyday life in areas that are far from urban centers.
Officials see real impact on rural residents
Arzfeld Mayor Johannes Kuhl and District Administrator Andreas Kruppert personally tested the Tesla shuttle service. This allowed them to see just how well FSD navigated winding lanes and rural roads confidently. Kruppert said, “Autonomous driving sounds like science fiction to many, but we simply see here that it works totally well in rural regions too.” Kuhl, for his part, also noted that FSD “feels like a very experienced driver.”
The pilot complements the area’s “Citizen Bus” program, which provides on-demand rides for elderly residents who can no longer drive themselves. Tesla Europe shared a video of a demonstration of the service, highlighting how FSD gives people their freedom back, even in places where public transport is not as prevalent.
What the Ministry for Economic Affairs and Transport says
Rhineland-Palatinate’s Minister Daniela Schmitt supported the project, praising the collaboration that made this “first of its kind in Europe” possible. As per the ministry, the rural rollout for the service shows FSD’s potential beyond major cities, and it delivers tangible benefits like grocery runs, doctor visits, and social connections for isolated residents.
“Reliable and flexible mobility is especially vital in rural areas. With the launch of a shuttle service using self-driving vehicles (FSD supervised) by Tesla in the Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm, an innovative pilot project is now getting underway that complements local community bus services. It is the first project of its kind in Europe.
“The result is a real gain for rural mobility: greater accessibility, more flexibility and tangible benefits for everyday life. A strong signal for innovation, cooperation and future-oriented mobility beyond urban centers,” the ministry wrote in a LinkedIn post.
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Tesla China quietly posts Robotaxi-related job listing
Tesla China is currently seeking a Low Voltage Electrical Engineer to work on circuit board design for the company’s autonomous vehicles.
Tesla has posted a new job listing in Shanghai explicitly tied to its Robotaxi program, fueling speculation that the company is preparing to launch its dedicated autonomous ride-hailing service in China.
As noted in the listing, Tesla China is currently seeking a Low Voltage Electrical Engineer to work on circuit board design for the company’s autonomous vehicles.
Robotaxi-specific role
The listing, which was shared on social media platform X by industry watcher @tslaming, suggested that Tesla China is looking to fill the role urgently. The job listing itself specifically mentions that the person hired for the role will be working on the Low Voltage Hardware team, which would design the circuit boards that would serve as the nervous system of the Robotaxi.
Key tasks for the role, as indicated in the job listing, include collaboration with PCB layout, firmware, mechanical, program management, and validation teams, among other responsibilities. The role is based in Shanghai.
China Robotaxi launch
China represents a massive potential market for robotaxis, with its dense urban centers and supportive policies in select cities. Tesla has limited permission to roll out FSD in the country, though despite this, its vehicles have been hailed as among the best in the market when it comes to autonomous features. So far, at least, it appears that China supports Tesla’s FSD and Robotaxi rollout.
This was hinted at in November, when Tesla brought the Cybercab to the 8th China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, marking the first time that the autonomous two-seater was brought to the Asia-Pacific region. The vehicle, despite not having a release date in China, received a significant amount of interest among the event’s attendees.
Tesla FSD fleet is nearing 7 billion total miles, including 2.5 billion city miles
Tesla starts showing how FSD will change lives in Europe
