Toyota and Hyundai have had advertising campaigns banned by a UK watchdog for misleading consumers about electric vehicle (EV) charging.
The Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) said the Japanese and Korean car makers misled customers about the availability of rapid charging points in the UK and Ireland, as well as exaggerating the speed cars can be charged.
Toyota claimed its bZ4X model made “electric easy” in a campaign on its site, suggesting it would take around 30 minutes to charge the battery to 80% using a 150kW fast-charging system.
The company also claimed charging points could be found easily and in several public locations.
Hyundai ran a similar campaign to promote its Ioniq 5 model electric car, using its own website, billboards in Piccadilly Square and Premier League club Chelsea to suggest the EV could be charged to 80% from 10% in 18 minutes using a 350kW charger.
ASA received complaints about the charging times, which both companies admitted were achieved in perfect factory conditions, where real-world factors such as ambient temperature and age of the battery were controlled.
“If any of those conditions were less than optimal, then charging times would likely take longer,” the ASA said.
Claims regarding rapid-charging points also showed that most rapid chargers were concentrated in pockets of areas across England, with hardly any available in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.