Tesla Motors is arguably the world’s top EV automaker, selling the all-time best-selling plug-in electric cars and trucks. But just how many miles will a fully-charged Tesla last?
Any time a conversation turns to electric vehicles, there is one company that is always mentioned: Tesla. While not the first battery electric vehicle (BEV or EV) manufacturer, Tesla has become the benchmark by which all other EVs are compared.
Battery electric vehicles go back in history much further than most people would assume — 1894, in fact.
Built in Pennsylvania, the Electrobat was one of the first electric vehicles that used adapted technology of the time to garner the first BEV patent back in 1894.
Many others experimented with electric vehicle propulsion technologies, even applying them to their existing cars, like Chevrolet’s controversial-in-its-own-right Corvair.
The technology was even applied to the race to the moon, with electricity powering the famous Lunar Roving Vehicle, a partnership between NASA, Boeing, and GM’s Delco division.
Much like the controversial executive order facing the gas-powered future of vehicles today, California made similar ripples in the automotive world with the mandate in 1996 that automakers sell a small percentage of vehicles with zero emissions.
This led to the creation of the now-famous General Motors EV1, which you can see in action in the Motor Week video, above.
Tesla Changes the EV Industry
Founded in 2003 by a group of investors who felt the true potential of EVs had yet to be discovered, Tesla set out to build a “better, quicker, and more fun to drive.” Elon Musk, the now ubiquitous face of Tesla, did not enter the picture until 2004 with an investment of $30 million.
The first Teslas to hit the road were the Lotus-based Roadster models, essentially a Lotus Elise of the era with a battery pack and electric motors where the internal combustion engine would reside.
The first-generation Tesla Roadster was produced and sold from 2008 until 2012, which was when the production of Tesla’s first ground-up designed car, the Model S, would enter the market.
From there, Tesla expanded their lineup to include their first crossover, Model X, their first entry level car for the masses, Model 3, and subsequent crossover version, Model Y. Tesla is also currently building the production facility for the upcoming Cybertruck just outside of Austin, Texas.
Tesla’s Build Quality
It has been noted over the years that the Achilles heel to the leader in EVs is Tesla’s service, parts, and build quality. From inconsistent panel gaps, to condensation buildup in tail lights, Teslas show issues that many car buyers in 2021 take for granted as having already been solved.
However, since Tesla has only been making and selling vehicles since 2008, they are still in a steep learning curve that other manufacturers have already experienced in their 100+ years of existence.
One big thing that Teslas, and other EVs, have in their favor is the long-term cost of ownership. While usually more expensive to purchase outright, tax incentives as well as overall vehicle complexity being lower in EVs, the cost of ownership should be cheaper for EVs in the long-term.
A test by Car and Driver examined this theory, finding that a Mini Electric was “a mere $358 cheaper to own and operate over the first three years than its electric counterpart—essentially a wash.”
However, they noted that the EVs they tested were not designed to be EV-only and do have gasoline powered counterparts, which can inhibit overall efficiencies.
Dedicated EVs, like Teslas, have been designed and engineered to get the most out of the electrons powering them and will save you money over a comparable gas-powered car when maintenance is concerned. Say goodbye to oil changes and fuel-system maintenance.
How Many Miles Will a Tesla Last?
This is the real question all first-time EV buyers face. For many, it is a jump into the unknown. The average consumer is familiar with the basics of how gas-powered vehicles work, but EVs can be new, different, and frightening.
Range anxiety, or “what an electric vehicle driver feels when the battery charge is low, and the usual sources of electricity are unavailable,” according to J.D. Power, is the first hurdle buyers usually need to grapple with when considering an EV for their daily driver.
Can this EV fit into my current lifestyle without any major alterations? Generally, the answer is yes.
Battery technology has come a long way, with Tesla being the leader and pioneer in that space. With ranges that would fit most Americans’ typical day-to-day lifestyles (263 miles for the cheapest new Model 3) and the impressive Supercharger network to fuel road trips, Tesla buyers should have no real concern with range anxiety.
With what we are learning from companies like Gruber Motor Company and owners worldwide, it would not be unheard of to have your Tesla last you for over a decade or over 400,000 miles, well over AARP’s 200,000 mile estimated lifespan of an internal combustion car.
Battery Degradation
The other perceived issue of EVs is battery degradation, or capacity loss. Anyone with an old smartphone or laptop knows that the older their device gets, the more they find themselves tethered to a plug. This can be acceptable in computing devices, but not in the machine designed to take you places.
Two factors play into how quickly a battery degrades, or loses capacity:
- Cyclic aging – how many times the battery has been used and recharged
- Calendar aging – how long it has been since the battery was manufactured
The video below goes into the details of battery construction, life, and what can cause degradation:
The longer claimed range an EV has, in theory, the less it will need to be recharged thus reducing the impact of cyclic aging leaving the only concern to be the overall age of the batteries.
We are still learning a lot about the impacts of long-term real-world usage of EVs, in particular Teslas as they have only been around since 2008. Gruber Motor Company, the first viable commercial independent Tesla service organization, has learned a lot from their position as the leader in aging Tesla battery repairs.
In the video below you will see exactly how battery technology has changed in Tesla vehicles over the years and what to expect as Tesla batteries age:
Pete Gruber, founder and CEO of Gruber Motor Company, says they are “writing the book on the entire battery issues in electric vehicles because they have not been around long enough to give us any type of a benchmark.”
He notes that the initial projections of the first Tesla Roadster batteries were ten years, but with many being over thirteen years old and still going strong, there is much still to be learned about this battery technology.
Battery Replacement
Gruber cites used Toyota Prius models that should be worth $6,000 or more selling for as little as $500 online due to their failed battery packs that would cost $5,500 to replace.
Similar issues are arising in older Tesla Model S vehicles at this point; taking an otherwise valuable vehicle down to a cheap $9,995 due to the $20,000 Tesla-quoted battery replacement price.
Gruber Motor Company can do the necessary repairs (not replacement) for around $5,000, making these particular Model S vehicles a steal if you know where to take it for the necessary repairs.
The future of Tesla batteries is also very bright, leading to batteries with even longer expected lifespans. Tesla has teased the world with the possibility of a million-mile battery at their September 22, 2020 Battery Day presentation.
Tesla Lifespan: Final Thoughts
We are at the dawn of a new age with many legacy, mainstream brands like General Motors pledging to make only electric vehicles by 2035.
Teslas are and have been the leader in the EV segment for most of the past decade and are still the brand to which most first-time buyers turn when considering purchasing an EV.
Teslas have the track record of mileage and the added fun-factor that attract many into the EV market. Now that the first production Tesla models are aging over ten years old, we are starting to see exactly how long Teslas, and EVs in general, will last.
With what we are learning from companies like Gruber Motor Company and owners worldwide, it would not be unheard of to have your Tesla last you for over a decade or over 400,000 miles.
The Tesla Model X in the video below is perhaps the highest mileage Tesla in existence:
Many long-time owners are taking to the internet to help educate owners and potential owners on how to extend the life of their batteries. Below are some helpful charging tips for Teslas to improve battery life from That Tesla Channel on YouTube.
- Don’t charge all the way
- Avoid discharging completely
- Avoid Superchargers
- Alter your charging speed
- Set a charging schedule
- Switch over to percentage mode (for your in-car range display)
- Systematically measure output
- Don’t expose your battery to extreme temperatures
If you are looking for a new or used Tesla, but do not know which is right for you, we have a list of the Top EV Picks from the Tesla Lineup.
Photos: Tesla; Deposit Photos
