There is no secret recipe for retaining an ideal 100% of your electrical automotive’s authentic vary after racking up these miles, at the very least not but. However with some TLC and by sticking to the fundamentals, EV homeowners can limit battery degradation to a minimal over time.
For the entry-level rear-wheel-drive Tesla Mannequin 3 with the lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, the most effective methods to attenuate battery degradation, in response to Tesla, is to completely cost to a 100% at the very least as soon as each week.
However would that basically guarantee the perfect vary retention? How does battery well being fluctuate while you cost recurrently to 80 p.c as a substitute of 100%? And what’s the common degradation proportion in Mannequin 3’s LFP battery? Some homeowners weighed in by way of a Reddit thread to assist reply these questions.
Earlier than that, this is some important battery info: LFP batteries are usually extra inexpensive and have an extended cost cycle in comparison with NMC (nickel-manganese-cobalt) counterparts, making them extra appropriate for entry-level fashions just like the rear-wheel-drive Mannequin 3.
In recent times, carmakers have moved away from metals like cobalt for sure use circumstances as a consequence of moral causes. LFP batteries, regardless of being much less energy-dense and delivering a relatively decrease vary, have grow to be fairly widespread as a consequence of their cost-effectiveness. Tesla makes use of CATL’s LFP batteries for the usual Mannequin 3 and Mannequin Y globally.
Transferring on, dozens of householders of the LFP-battery-equipped Mannequin 3 appear fairly darn proud of their EVs. It appeared like 10- to 12-month-old Mannequin 3s skilled related degradation ranges – of roughly two p.c – throughout myriad use circumstances starting from charging to 80 or 100% each day or simply as soon as every week.
A number of homeowners echoed that battery age was extra of a consider degradation than the variety of miles pushed, at the very least within the preliminary few years. Observe that components like driving type, local weather, upkeep, and charging sample are amongst a number of causes that may impression the long-term vary of your EV.
That mentioned, for one proprietor, the utmost vary was down by 2.2 p.c after having pushed over 20,000 miles.
Mannequin 3 LFP, purchased in January 2023. 21,504 miles, full cost reveals a 266-mile vary over the unique 272-mile vary, 2.2 p.c degradation. I stay in an condo, so I cost to 100% every time doable, and do not stress about it. I have been very proud of the efficiency and battery retention. I actually recognize that the battery is statistically longer lasting, the truth that it’s safer and would not use battle minerals is a superb bonus too. @TechSupportTime (through Reddit)
Nonetheless, there have been some exceptions. Older fashions naturally had extra degradation, with this proprietor saying his Mannequin 3 misplaced practically 5 p.c vary in two years:
2022 RWD LFP. 85,000 miles. [Bought the Model 3] about two years in the past (Nov 2021). The present max vary is 259 miles. So about 4.8 p.c degradation. Every day cost to 100% however more often than not I exploit the automotive inside half-hour from when it finishes the cost (So the automotive doesn’t sit at 100% lengthy). @tontot
It’s additionally doable that, for some homeowners, the battery administration system (BMS) might not have displayed the true vary as a consequence of calibration inaccuracies and shifting voltage inside particular person cells, in response to the information logging app Tessie. However the BMS might be simply recalibrated by letting the vary drop to beneath 10 p.c for an hour after which recharging to 100%. This permits the system to reset and present a extra correct vary, as per Tessie.
9-month-old [Model 3] RWD with 13,684 miles. Cost to 100% 5 days per week and Tessie says I’ve 2.3 p.c degradation. I do not fear about it and nor do you have to… do what the guide says and benefit from the automotive. The BMS is wise and the battery will probably be simply fantastic. @krdell
Dozens of different homeowners have shared recommendation for extracting the utmost vary from the Mannequin 3’s LFP battery over time. Whether or not you are an early adopter or a newcomer, you may need some takeaways from these drivers who’ve already clocked 1000’s of miles on their EVs.