Tesla battery degradation

Since it’s not that simple, Tesla customers frequently wonder how to determine the Tesla battery degradation or establish its health. The longer a battery pack can run, the longer it will be able to keep the car running as a whole and avoid being discarded for recycling. well in this article we’ll be discussing Tesla battery degradation, how to check a battery’s degradation, and every other thing to know. So, let’s begin!

tesla battery degradation

Contents

How To Check A Tesla’s Battery Degradation

Checking the battery’s condition is a good idea if you intend to purchase a secondhand Tesla. Comparing the displayed range to the EPA-rated range after the car has been fully charged is the quickest way to determine how much a battery has degraded. The problem with this approach is that Tesla can change the displayed range through software upgrades. For instance, Tesla expanded the range of the Model 3 Long Range RWD from 310 miles to 325 miles in 2019 as a result of a software upgrade that increased motor efficiency. The conclusion would be wrongly unbalanced if someone utilized the initial 310 miles to calculate battery depreciation today.

Charge a Tesla from 10 percent to full and note the “+kWh” amount displayed on the upper left of the Model 3/Y main screen, the Model S/X instrument cluster, or from the Tesla app. This is another simple approach to monitoring battery degeneration. Compare the result to the factory-stated usable battery capacity when the battery was brand-new by dividing that value by 0.9. Although this method is flawed as well, it should provide you with a reliable estimate of battery degeneration.

Tesla made a battery health check available to all owners in its Service mode at the end of 2022. A car must be connected to a 240-volt Level 2 charging station and have a battery charge of 50% or less in order to perform the procedure. Although starting from a lower state of charge, say 10% instead of 50%, speed up the process, the test can take up to 24 hours to complete.

Go to the Software page for the vehicle, hold down the Model logo for a short period of time, enter “Service” for the access code, and then hit Enable to activate Service mode. Select Battery from the Service mode menu, followed by High Voltage and Health Test. Then, as directed on the screen, raise the turn-signal stalk, apply the brake, and position your Tesla key card on the center console until the screen indicates that the vehicle is in the Gateway State: Unlocked state. The process for the Health Test can then start.

When the battery pack is completely discharged to zero and then progressively recharged to 100 percent, the vehicle will make some peculiar noises. A new battery health percentage will be displayed in the HV Battery column once the test is complete. It should be noted that this figure refers to battery health rather than battery capacity, and we are unsure of the criteria used by Tesla to get the final conclusion. As an illustration, we just performed the battery health test on a Model 3 that still has 69 kWh of its original 74 kWh of energy capacity and earned an 86 percent battery health score.

We advise against performing the battery health test frequently. Tesla won’t provide a warranty for pack deterioration unless the result is below 70% after the discharge to zero and charge to full operation adds wear to the pack. If you own a car, you could be interested in adopting one of the aforementioned techniques to examine it once a year but don’t stress over it. A certain amount of battery deterioration is natural and expected.

What Tesla Says About Battery Lifespan

Tesla’s 2021 impact report states that its batteries are intended to last as long as the life of the car, which, according to the manufacturer, is around 200,000 miles in the United States and 150,000 miles in Europe. According to Tesla’s own research, batteries for the Model S and X maintain roughly 90% of their initial capacity after 200,000 miles of service. Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, also stated in a previous tweet that the battery pack in the Model 3 and Model Y was intended to survive 1,500 charging cycles, or roughly 300,000 miles for Standard Range models and 500,000 miles for Long Range models.

However, the business has lately begun utilizing lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries in less expensive Model 3 models. Up until this point, the majority of Tesla vehicles produced in the U.S. have employed a nickel-cobalt-aluminum (NCA) lithium-ion chemistry. Despite having less energy density than NCA batteries, these cells ought to be more resistant to deterioration. The Texas Gigafactory-produced Model Y Standard Range AWD is now using Tesla’s new, bigger 4680 nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM) cells. Before we fully comprehend how these new cells perform in everyday situations, it will probably be more than ten years.

Tesla gives update on Tesla battery degradation

A rare update from Tesla on the battery deterioration in its electric vehicles has been made public. According to the company, even after 200,000 miles, batteries only lose roughly 12% of their capacity. One of the main issues for consumers of new electric vehicles is battery degradation, which is the gradual loss of capacity and range with increased mileage. Making electric cars more environmentally friendly is also crucial. The longer a battery pack can run, the longer it will be able to keep the car running as a whole and avoid being discarded for recycling.

In spite of how infrequently it has done so, Tesla has included information on that front in its yearly “Impact Report” because it is important for determining the environmental impact of its electric vehicles. Tesla revised its data on battery deterioration and today published its 2022 Impact Report. The carmaker now reports 12% battery degradation after 200,000 miles. Additionally, Tesla is only mentioning battery deterioration in relation to the Model S and Model X, probably because it has more extensive data on those vehicles. It’s interesting to note that the carmaker plans to begin sharing additional statistics for new battery chemistries used in more recent cars.

How Much Does It Cost To Replace A Tesla Battery?

Depending on the model, nearby labor prices, and taxes, you should anticipate paying between $10,000 and $20,000 if your Tesla requires an out-of-warranty battery replacement. To keep the cost of a replacement lower than purchasing a new pack, Tesla frequently uses refurbished battery packs. Additionally, it ensures that the new pack’s capacity is at least as large as the old one so that clients won’t experience range loss. A remanufactured 85-kWh Model S pack costs approximately $12,000, while a 74-kWh Model 3 pack costs about $10,000, according to invoices provided online by several Tesla owners.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the degradation of Tesla batteries is a normal and expected aspect of their lifespan. These batteries gradually lose some of their power and range over time, but Tesla’s advanced battery management systems and ongoing advances in science assist to limit this decline. Tesla owners may be proactive about extending the battery life of their vehicles by maintaining the best charging practices and avoiding excessive temperatures. Additionally, the business frequently covers severe capacity loss under its warranties, giving Tesla drivers additional piece of mind.

Although battery degradation is still a concern for owners of electric vehicles, Tesla’s continual efforts to advance battery technology and its dedication to customer happiness help to lessen the effect it has on the entire ownership experience.

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