Elon Musk admits that there was a braking issue with Tesla Model 3 sedan

ReutersMay 22, 2018 18:23:04 IST

Tesla Inc’s Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk admitted late on 21 May that there was a braking issue with the Model 3 sedan, pointed out by Consumer Reports, and said it can be fixed with a firmware update that the electric car maker will be rolling out in a few days.

Elon Musk, co-founder of Tesla. Reuters

“With further refinement, we can improve braking distance beyond initial specs. Tesla won’t stop until Model 3 has better braking than any remotely comparable car,” Musk wrote in a tweet.

Musk said that Consumer Reports had an early production car and would request them to test a newer model.

“Model 3 now has improved ride comfort, lower wind noise & many other small improvements”, Musk wrote in another tweet.

Influential US magazine Consumer Reports on 21 May said it will not recommend the affordable Model 3, seen as key to Tesla’s profitability, as it braked slower than a full-sized pickup truck.

Consumer Reports criticized the Model 3 for having overly long stopping distances and a difficult-to-use centre touchscreen.

Research analyst Frank Schwope at NordLB called the report a really bad advertisement and could discourage new customers.

Shares of Tesla were trading slightly up at $286.11 in premarket trading on 22 May, after closing up 2.8 percent at $284.49 on the NASDAQ on 21 May.