Tesla Model 3 owner Lawrence, who has driven nearly 155,000 miles over the past 5 years, shared his ownership experience via a YouTube video. Lawrence owns the 2018 Model 3 Performance with dual motors and all-wheel drive, which can accelerate from 0-60 miles per hour in just 3.5 seconds. The 2018 version had 310 miles of EPA-estimated range and an MSRP of $64,000.
Right off the bat, Lawrence spoke about his Tesla Model 3’s battery degradation. Referring to the Tessie app, which logs real-time vehicle data, Lawrence estimated that he lost between 8-11 percent of battery capacity in 5 years. The app showed 75.2-kilowatt hours of usable battery capacity when his Model 3 Performance was new, and now the maximum capacity is 66.2 kWh – an 11.4 percent loss over time.
In terms of usage pattern, Lawrence loves exploring his Model 3’s performance, and floors the throttle frequently. He also regularly uses the Tesla Supercharger.
“There is conflicting data on whether supercharging is bad for battery health or not. Compared to owners who mostly use slow charging, there’s a negligible difference,” he said. He also added that the drop in maximum range isn’t noticeable on a daily basis.
Remember that battery health is impacted by numerous factors like climate, driving style, terrain, charging patterns, and more. Another Model 3 owner, Ed Fressler, reported to have lost just 6 percent battery capacity after 100,000 miles, while our friend Kyle Conner lost about 11 percent range after reaching the same milestone.
Next, Lawrence spoke about maintenance. He avoided the standard service until 145,000 miles. “I wanted to see how far it would go before something broke,” he said. Eventually, he had to replace the following parts: the charging socket ($600), one of the upper control arms ($300), 12V battery ($125), and the cabin air filter which he purchased from Amazon for $15.
He also replaced the Model 3’s original Michelin 4S tires – which cost $400 per tire – with a cheaper Chinese alternative. He said the Triangle tires cost him just $75 per tire. After 5 years and 155,000 miles, Lawrence spent about $2000 in overall maintenance costs, which is pretty remarkable.
Even though studies have revealed that EVs require less maintenance than gas cars, they’re not maintenance-free, and keeping your vehicle health in check can positively impact road safety and longevity. Tesla listed service recommendations to maintain optimum vehicle health.
That said, watch Lawrence’s ownership review above to find out more about the Model 3’s interior, quality issues, and the Full Self-Driving Beta feature update that he recently got. Also, let us know in the comments what you think of the Model 3. How does it age compared to other EVs?
