One of the big concerns with electric vehicles is battery life. It’s often said that batteries only last a few years before their capacity drops below usable levels. Anecdotes are never data, but this 430,000 mile Tesla Model S is a strong counter example. Let’s look at how the battery held up, and how everything else held up too.
AutoTrader presenter Rory Reid introduced us to the vehicle in question, a facelifted 2016 Tesla Model S P90D that had clocked 430,000 taxi-driving miles, and to our delight, this four-door workhorse was given a lift and a full medical check-up to show us all what so many miles can do to a modern electric car.
As you’d expect with a car this old, it’s showing a bit of wear and tear: broken daytime running lights, damaged windshield wipers, a dent in the bonnet – all these little details show its age.
(Editor’s note: This is an interesting problem, so I wanted to actually share some of it. Here we see DRL failing.
Matt Cleavelly, an EV repair expert featured in AutoTrader’s YouTube video, says this is fairly common: “You can see the daytime running light eyebrows are broken, which is a common fault. Both headlights are the same,” he said, adding that the repair would require replacing both headlights, costing a total of £1,800, or about $2,300.
The wiper issue is also worth mentioning, because the wipers actually cut into the hood.
“The wiper spindle wears down the wiper linkage, and it only happens on the driver’s side wiper, but because it’s close to the bonnet it actually erodes when it’s activated,” says Cleavelly. “You’ll see the grooves cut into the bonnet.” Cleavelly says it will cost £250 to repair the linkage, plus another £800 or £900 for the bonnet – nearly $1,400 in total.
It’s also interesting to note that the giant touchscreen appears to be showing some delamination.
“One thing I noticed is that they’re 21-inch tires. They’re not very sturdy. I can’t imagine putting 400,000 miles on them,” Cleveley points out. He also notes that the horns are prone to failure, and that horns on vehicles with over 400,000 miles have failed. Interesting. -DT)
Either way, most of the bodywork is in good condition, including the rear taillight seals which are said to be a particular problem on older models, but what about the electrical and mechanical systems?
More worryingly, there’s some free play in the steering which would cause the car to fail an MOT inspection in the UK where it’s located. Some of the suspension bushings are also showing their age and were noticeably wobbly when we put the car on a lift to inspect it. The dash also warned that the fuse attached to the battery was worn out and needed to be repaired. That’s the part this is, and the high-voltage battery box has its own service cover built into it.
This is because the PyroFuse in Tesla’s battery pack has its own small battery that is essential to its operation. This battery will die after around 8 years, requiring the fuse unit to be replaced. Later Tesla models got around this issue by using a self-powered fuse that doesn’t need its own battery.
You might think that the Model S’s service mode contains all the interesting data, but that’s not the case with this model. The first-generation MCU (Media Control Unit) doesn’t allow for easy battery diagnostic checks. Instead, it’s done through an external remote diagnostic app called Tessie. The report states that the battery’s current health is 76.9%, which is about 23.1% degraded compared to new. The current capacity is reported to be 64.9 kWh, with an estimated range of 216 miles.
More rigorous testing by EV health testing company Altelium recorded the battery’s “health” at 72 percent. Compared to other Teslas of its era, the report said the model was “above average,” with an estimated range of 190 miles on the highway and an even more impressive 293 miles in city driving, where the regenerative braking benefits. Indeed, during road testing in June, this Model S showed a level of degradation in line with that: it drove 186.8 miles on a single charge in mixed weather conditions on the highway before the engine started. The video doesn’t reveal the model’s original listed range, but the EPA rated the new car’s range at 315 miles on a full test cycle.
It’s a common belief among many owners that Tesla cars (and other electric cars) don’t need maintenance. It’s electric, right?! But that’s simply not true. It’s true that you don’t need routine oil changes at intervals under 10,000 miles, and the brakes last much longer than an internal combustion engine car. But that doesn’t mean they’re not worth inspecting over time.
A particularly good example is the apparent oil leak from the rear drive unit of this Model S. The motor and gears need lubrication, and it’s worth checking and possibly changing the oil in the unit every 80,000 to 90,000 miles, Cleavelly says. “A lot of people, including the owner of this car, look at a Tesla and think, your car doesn’t need servicing, and they never will,” Reid says. “But there are clearly parts in there that would benefit from being serviced.”
Ultimately, this is a testament to the power of EVs. With nearly 500,000 miles on the clock, this Tesla can go hundreds of miles without complaining. Of course, it’s only 8 years old and has never been driven in hot weather, but this is one car that proves EV batteries are not the fragile, easily depleted time bombs that many naysayers would have you believe. Don’t be fooled by the nonsense.
Image credits: AutoTrader, via YouTube screenshot
