Tesla Model 3 Battery Replacement Cost. What should you do if your Tesla battery begins to deteriorate or completely fails? Can you do it at home? Is that even legal?! Tesla is the current electric car king. It outperformed numerous automakers with over 100 years of experience. Even if electric vehicles are the future, they are not impervious to damage and wear and tear.
Despite the fact that electric vehicles do not require annual oil changes or radiator coolant refills, their battery pack degrades over time. When that happens, whether due to an accident or normal wear and tear, you’ll want to replace it so you can keep driving. But how much does it cost to replace a Tesla battery? And can you do it on your own?
Tesla Model 3 Battery Replacement Cost
Tesla Battery Life Expected:
If you’re looking at battery replacement costs to prepare for a future replacement, you shouldn’t be too concerned. Tesla claims that even after 200,000 miles, the Model S and Model X retain 90% of their capacity. This claim is supported by third-party research data from NimbleFins, which shows that 150,000-mile models have 90% capacity and 200,000-mile cars have more than 80% capacity.
Given that the average American drives around 14,000 miles per year, it would take about 14 years for the average Tesla to reach 200,000 miles. Because most Americans keep their car for nearly 12 years, there’s a slim chance you’ll need to replace your Tesla’s battery during its lifetime.
Aside from that, Tesla provides an outstanding warranty on its battery and drive unit. All of their vehicles are covered for eight years or 100,000 miles (for the base Model 3) to 150,000 miles (for the Model S and Model X), whichever comes first. The guarantee states that batteries will retain at least 70% of their capacity during this time period.
However, suppose you inadvertently damage your car’s battery. Or it dies unexpectedly due to a factory defect after the warranty period has expired. In that case, you’ll have to spend money to replace it. But what is the price?
What Is the Price of a Tesla Battery? Elon clarified:
Elon Musk stated in 2019 that replacing battery modules would only cost $5,000 to $7,000. Each Tesla model uses four to five battery modules, which means a complete replacement will cost between $20,000 and $35,000.
The battery accounts for nearly half of the vehicle’s cost, with the most affordable Model 3 costing $44,990 before rebates. However, actual dealer prices differ from those stated by their CEO.
The Cost of a Tesla Battery Replacement at the Dealer:
A complete 75kWh battery replacement for a Model 3 costs $16,550.67, according to a Tesla invoice shared by Current Automotive. That works out to $2,299.27 in labour and $14,251.40 in parts, with the battery itself costing $13,500.
However, battery prices may vary depending on the model of your vehicle. According to Rich Rebuilds, remanufactured packs range in price from $9,000 to $10,000, while new batteries can cost up to $22,500.
The average cost of replacing a damaged battery pack with a remanufactured one would be around $13,000 to $17,000, depending on the complexity of the work. However, if you want a completely new battery, you should be prepared to pay up to $25,000.
How Tesla Replaces Batteries:
A Tesla’s battery pack can fail for a variety of reasons. It could be a voltage regulator problem, a fuse problem, or any of a number of other minor causes. If the problem is contained within a single battery module, the entire battery pack is affected. Because the voltages across all battery modules must be comparable. Even if only one module displays a value that is vastly different from the others, the entire pack may fail.
Bring your vehicle to Tesla and they will repair it. They will not, however, replace a single module. Instead, they install a brand-new or remanufactured battery pack and then send the old one to one of their battery plants for repair and refurbishment. Once the old battery pack has been repaired and inspected, it is returned to the system, ready to be installed in another vehicle that requires a battery swap.
Tesla Model 3 Battery:
Tesla shops do not replace battery modules because they want to ensure that the battery they install in your car is in perfect working order. As a result, instead of replacing just one part of the battery, putting it back in your car, and calling it a day, they have their professionals go over it in their plants. While this is an excellent method for ensuring that your car is returned to near-new condition after service, it is also costly and may be out of reach for some owners. This is where independent repair shops come in.
If spending $15,000 on a new battery for your Tesla doesn’t make sense right now, you can visit third-party repair shops. These shops will thoroughly inspect your vehicle to determine the exact problem and perform the necessary repairs.
While you may not receive a brand-new battery, they will repair the problem and get you back on the road. Most importantly, the repair costs at these shops will be significantly lower than what Tesla charges. However, because these shops are not regulated by Tesla, you should exercise caution when selecting one to service your electric vehicle. Before making a commitment, read reviews from previous satisfied customers or get a referral from a friend who has had their car serviced there in the past.
Can a Tesla Battery Be Replaced at Home?
If you intend to repair your Tesla yourself, you may encounter difficulties unless you have invested time and money in equipment and training. This is due to the fact that you must be familiar with the car’s operating system in order to diagnose problems reliably.
Furthermore, hard to find specialised parts, plans, and schematics. So, unless you’re an expert in electric car maintenance or willing to risk damaging your Tesla, you shouldn’t do it. However, if you’re serious about working on your Tesla, there are several groups you can join and YouTube channels you can watch to learn how.
But keep in mind that if you’re working with these batteries, you must exercise extreme caution because these are dangerous high-voltage devices for those who don’t know what they’re doing. To summarise, changing a Tesla battery at home poses significant health risks.
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