If you’ve ever owned anything that requires batteries, from TV remotes to laptop, you know that the battery – no matter how good – will require replacing at some stage. In some cases, this is a wildly expensive project.
With the rise of electric cars the question the cost of replacement batteries has occupied many experts and owner forums. In a tweet last week Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, indicated the cost of replacing battery modules in the companies Model 3 will cost about $3000 – $7000 USD.
Not a bad price considering the current batteries are designed to last 300,000 to 500,000 miles, which is the equivalent of 1,500 cycles. Its key to note that the car has been designed so that only the battery modules, not the whole pack needs to be replaced.
Batteries are complex creatures and exactly how long a Tesla battery can last and the final costs whether that is replacement or refurbishment remains to be seen. However, the car company is certainly trying to build cars that last. Musk has pointed out that the Model 3 was designed with a commercial truck mentality, that is for a million-mile life.
The Model 3’s body has also been designed for long life. The body of the popular electric car is made of ultra-high-strength steel and aluminum. This also adds to its safety reputation, and the family sedan is rated among the safest you can buy in its class achieving a perfect 5-star rating from the NHTSA.
Right now Tesla offers an 8-year warranty on their Model 3 cars or a warranty to 160K, whatever comes first. In addition, Tesla offers a guarantee that their batteries will maintain retention of capacity to 75% under normal use.
Tesla is throwing resources at trying to improve its battery technology to make its cars and other battery systems better and better. Part of this push saw them acquire Maxwell Technologies. This will mean better and cheaper batteries in the future.
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