A Facebook user in the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y Owners Club asked the owners of high-mileage Teslas what their battery condition was. The comments were illuminating.
The first commenter said that his 2016 Tesla Model S still had the original battery and 211K miles on the odometer -- and full range is 289 miles.
Another with a 2018 Tesla Model 3 that's over 150,000 miles says his full battery range is 250 miles.
Yet another with an unspecified 2023 Tesla model says that he has lost only about 13 miles of battery capacity over 110,000 miles.
It tends to go like that, though one owner says his 2019 Tesla Model 3 Performance model has dropped to 200 miles at 80 percent -- that's no longer enough for this owner's road trips, though he doesn't list his mileage.
One user points out that the best, most accurate way to determine battery degradation at high mileage is to have it tested -- but testing, somewhat ironically, will degrade the battery.
Torque News Says "Here's Why This Matters"
It's not just about Tesla, though Tesla has sold enough cars now that the company can be used as a measuring stick. When it comes to electric vehicles, regardless of brand, used-car buyers who are considering an EV might want to know how batteries degrade over time -- and what the range is after so many miles have been put on a car.
This is because, for obvious reasons, used-car intenders will want to know what kind of range to expect as they purchase a previously owned Tesla. Or consider purchasing one.
And, as noted up top, automotive industry pundits, analysts, and, yes, journalists like us want to get a sense of what happens to batteries when the amount of miles on a car reaches over six figures.
Caveats, Cautions, And What Torque News Found Researching The Issue
There are obvious caveats to consider here. A random sampling of a Facebook group for Tesla owners isn't statistically significant, and it excludes Tesla owners who aren't members of the group, as well as group members who could weigh in but chose not to post. And, obviously, it ignores EVs sold by other brands. It's anecdote, not data, and even for anecdotal information, there's a lot missing.
That said, it can be illuminating to hear car owners' perspectives in their own words -- and to put a human context behind any actual data.
And there is data out there -- the topic has been studied. And what we're seeing from this one Tesla owners group on social media seems to match what the research firms are seeing.
Electric-vehicle research company Recurrent found that, on average, 95 percent of electric vehicles still had their original projected range after five years. Furthermore, the company found that EVs from Cadillac, Ford, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, and Rivian had suffered no degradation at all.
Similarly, EV blog EVConnect cites a report from GeoTab that suggests batteries lose only 1.8 percent of maximum capacity per year.
Anecdote and actual data seem to suggest that what consumers have been told about the longevity of EV batteries is true. We've been told that most batteries should last 15-20 years and most automakers have warranties on batteries guaranteeing at least 70 percent of capacity for eight to 10 years and 100,000 miles. The state of California pushes that out to 10 years and 150,000 miles.
Battery of longevity of 15-20 years puts EVs on par with internal-combustion-engine vehicles and hybrids.
It's important to note here that longevity goes beyond the powertrain and energy supply. Both an internal-combustion-engine vehicle and an electric vehicle could reach the end of their life because the body falls apart, even if the powertrain is fine, for example.
With such low battery degradation, on the average, used-car customers who are considering an EV might find little to worry about, at least in terms of battery capacity and associated range. Buyers will still need to worry about other wear and tear items, of course -- tires, brakes, suspension, et cetera. Not to mention the condition of the body and the interior.
Overall, this is good news for used-car shoppers who are considering EVs -- and EV owners who are hoping to maximize resale values. Now that we're significantly far into an era in which EVs have a decent slice of the market, we're seeing that batteries seem to generally last a long time. One of the early concerns about EVs seems to have been assuaged.
But before you go, I propose you take a look at this article, in which Tesla owners with 200,000 to 554,000 miles reveal the charging habits that kept their original batteries alive, and one critical threshold regarding the 10% charging that destroys packs when crossed.
About The Author
Tim Healey is an experienced automotive writer and editor from Chicago. He has covered automotive news at Consumer Guide Automotive, Web2Carz, AutoGuide, and was the managing editor at The Truth About Cars. Tim is a member of the Midwest Automotive Media Association. You can find him on Facebook, X/Twitter, and on LinkedIn.
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