How Long Do Tesla Batteries Last?
One of the main questions that potential Tesla (and really, all EV) buyers have when looking at making the switch from their gas-burning vehicle is the longevity of the battery components and the cost to replace them down the line.
While EVs typically have fewer maintenance items than traditional cars, they still have components that experience wear and tear over time and will require replacement at some point. One of these is the vehicle’s battery pack, as the lithium-ion cells within it will experience gradual degradation.
Why Do Tesla Batteries Need Replacement?
Like the rechargeable batteries in our phones or laptops, the batteries that power Teslas degrade over time and lose their ability to hold a charge.
The reason for this degradation lies in how lithium-ion batteries work. During charge and discharge, lithium ions move from one side to another within an electrolyte between two electrodes, known as the anode and the cathode.
Over time these electrodes will fall victim to “structural disordering”, where shuffling ions in and out of electrodes can cause depletion of battery capacity.
Another reason batteries encounter degradation is due to side reactions within the battery creating compounds that “trap” free lithium and reduce the number of ions that can move between the electrodes.
It should be noted that EV batteries rarely experience a quick failure, and instead degrade gradually throughout every use.
How Long Do Tesla Batteries Last?
Because of Tesla’s hardware updates over the years and the relatively young age of the EV segment, it’s hard to give a hard and fast answer to the lifespan of Tesla batteries.
The warranty of batteries in new Tesla Model S and X vehicles is 8 years or 150,000 miles. The less expensive Model 3 RWD carries a warranty of 8 years or 100,000 miles, while the Model 3 Long Range, Model 3 Performance, Model Y AWD, Model Y Long Range, and Model Y Performance all have 8-year or 120,000-mile warranties.
However, batteries generally last longer than the warranty they come with. Plug In America reports data that shows that most Teslas past 100,000 miles will still provide over 90% battery capacity. At higher mileage marks, this number worsens. For the vehicles in the study that had reached 200,000 miles, the capacity was still between 81%-87%.
Battery age also plays a major role in understanding the degradation of Tesla vehicles. According to data from Plug In America, Tesla battery degradation usually starts at about 1% capacity loss per year for the first seven years, and that rate increases afterward. By about the 10-year mark, the cars were reported to be 82.5% battery capacity.
The lifespan of an EV battery is decided by a multitude of factors that would be too much to cover, however, modern EV batteries are very durable and could last up to 20 years with 70%-80% of capacity remaining if current projections are accurate.
Tesla Services at Carlsbad Auto Service
If you’re looking for a quality option for Tesla services in the North County area, the experts at Carlsbad Auto Service have the specialized training and equipment to properly take care of your EV! From computer diagnostics to battery replacements, give us a call or schedule online today.