battery health & range
The battery is the single most expensive component in the car, so it's the first thing used-Tesla buyers worry about - and honestly, it's usually the least of your problems. Here's how to think about it.
How Tesla batteries actually age
Degradation is front-loaded. Most packs lose a noticeable few percent in the first 20-30,000 miles, then the curve flattens dramatically. Fleet data across hundreds of thousands of cars consistently shows roughly 10-15% total loss around 150,000-200,000 miles for most pack chemistries. Outright pack failures are rare and were covered by an 8-year battery warranty from new (mileage cap varies by model - check whether any of it remains on the car you're considering).
What's normal, what's not
- Normal: a 2019 Long Range car showing 88-93% of its original rated range.
- Worth investigating: anything below ~85% before 100k miles - ask about charging history (constant DC fast charging and sitting at 100% accelerate wear).
- LFP packs (many 2021+ Standard Range cars): different chemistry, happily charges to 100% daily, and displayed range can read differently - don't panic-compare against non-LFP figures.
How to check before buying
- The napkin math: charge to 100% (or have the seller send a screenshot), multiply displayed range against the original EPA rating for that exact trim and year. That ratio ≈ remaining capacity.
- In-car battery health test: newer software includes a battery health check in the Service menu; it takes hours but gives a definitive percentage.
- Screenshots to demand: the energy screen and a 100% (or 90%+) charge display. Our checklist lists all of them.
Sellers on this site can report battery health right on the listing - and listings with a Verified badge have had their claims checked. Range anxiety about a used Tesla is mostly a solved problem: buy on verified data, not vibes.