Here is the summary and recommendation from this article:
- Yes, the Tesla vehicle battery can be replaced. But only Tesla service centers are allowed to do it. No third-party vehicle repair shop can perform this job.
- Tesla battery replacement costs around $20,000.
- If you purchased a new Tesla vehicle, sell your vehicle before the battery warranty expires, typically 8 years or 120,000 miles, whichever comes first.
- Don’t buy a used Tesla as its battery warranty is limited.
Every Electric Vehicle, including Tesla, uses Lithium-ion battery packs. It’s proven that these batteries degrade over time, similar to our phone batteries.
If we plan to use a Tesla vehicle for 6-7 years, no doubt, the battery will degrade over time. Can it be replaced if the car’s range is lost due to degradation or the Tesla high voltage battery pack gets damaged?
Yes, Tesla batteries can be replaced. But only Tesla service centers can replace the battery, as Tesla does not allow third-party body repair shops to do it. Moreover, Tesla does not sell their vehicle battery to outside parties. After the repair, Tesla will not give you the old battery pack. Tesla would keep it for their use even if you paid for the new battery pack.
If you purchase a new Tesla vehicle, then you don’t need to worry about the battery. It’s because your newly purchased vehicle is under warranty from Tesla. According to Tesla, they give the following warranty:
| Model S Model X | 8 years or 150,000 miles, whichever comes first, with minimum 70% retention of Battery capacity over the warranty period. |
| Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive | 8 years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first, with minimum 70% retention of Battery capacity over the warranty period. |
| Model 3 Long Range Model 3 Performance Model Y Long Range Model Y Performance | 8 years or 120,000 miles, whichever comes first, with minimum 70% retention of Battery capacity over the warranty period. |
Tesla will fix any battery-related issues free of charge under this warranty. However, as a Tesla owner, you have to keep a few things about the Tesla service center.
Similar to Apple, Tesla holds an anti-repair policy. It means, other than Tesla, no one is allowed to work on Tesla vehicle electronics. Therefore, you must take your Tesla car to the Tesla service center.
Replacing a Tesla battery is costly. According to various reports, the cost hovers around $20,000 with labor. It’s not cheap.
Moreover, Tesla doesn’t do tiny battery repairs related to modules, contacts, battery cooling systems, etc. Tesla’s universal solution to battery-related issues is to replace the whole battery pack.
Here is a YouTube video where Tesla wanted to replace the entire battery pack for $16,000. However, a third-party EV shop fixed the problem for only $750.
These service centers are not everywhere. Use this Tesla map to find the nearest Tesla Service Center (TSC). It’s common knowledge among Tesla owners that the further you are from a TSC, the harder your life would be as a Tesla owner.
Many Tesla owners praise the Tesla Service Center. However, we have seen numerous owners getting frustrated by TSC services.
Each year, the Tesla vehicle fleet is multiplying, but the required number of Tesla service centers is not increasing at a similar pace. As a result, a more extended wait period and longer service time are typical.
Furthermore, we highly recommend not to buy a used Tesla car. It’s because you will not get any renewed battery warranty. Here’s the used vehicle battery warranty from Tesla:
“Tesla used vehicles are covered by the remainder of 4 years or 50,000 miles left on the Basic Vehicle Limited Warranty.”
Here’s an example to make it clear.
We know that a new Tesla Model 3 Long Range has 8 years or 120,000 miles battery warranty from the above table. Now, if you purchase a used Model 3 Long Range with 80,000 miles odometer reading, your remaining battery warranty is only 120,000-80,000 = 40,000 miles.
Therefore, if your vehicle shows major battery issues after these 40,000 miles, you must pay for a new battery pack.
Another example. If you purchase your used Tesla at 40,000 miles odometer reading, then your battery warranty is NOT 120,000 – 40,000 = 80,000 miles. Instead, it’s only 50,000 miles according to the used vehicle warranty.
In conclusion, if you purchase a new Tesla, you don’t need to worry about your vehicle battery unless you bought a used Tesla.