Tesla is starting to offer LFP battery pack retrofits for earlier Model 3 vehicles as it starts running out of the old battery pack.
However, it is still only for people under warranty. Tesla is not big on payable battery pack upgrades – not that it is often needed anyway.
Model 3 has been in production for 7 years now, and it has evolved quite a bit in the last few years.
Most of them are now made with a new battery pack using LFP battery cells. It’s a technology different from Tesla’s nickel-based chemistry, which is still in use today in its most high-end trims.
LFP chemistry is less energy-dense than nickel-based NCA and NCM chemistries, but it is cheaper and offers other advantages, like less degradation if often charged at 100%.
The cheaper price has made it very popular for entry level EVs and the chemistry is now in most of Tesla’s Model 3 vehicles.
Several Tesla owners are now reporting that Tesla is offering them a LFP battery pack instead when getting a battery replacement under warranty.
It appears to be primarily due to Tesla not having enough parts for the old battery pack with nickel-based cells and similar energy capacity. Therefore, it makes for them to start offering the newer pack.
However, the LFP pack is heavier and Tesla owners have to agree for the automaker to also upgrade their suspension:
It’s apparently still possible to still get the same battery pack, but it can take some time.
One owner who talked to Electrek said that he would have to wait a month to get the same battery. These LFP retrofits are apparently much faster.
It also results in slightly more range and the ability to charge over 80% every day without affecting the longevity of the battery pack.
Electrek’s Take
Tesla’s batteries have extremely good longevity, as far as we can tell so far. However, issues can still arise and battery replacements are not entirely uncommon, especially now that some Tesla vehicles are getting older and accumulating a lot of mileage.
I’ve owned two Tesla vehicles that had battery replacements, but those were on a 2012 Model S after almost 8 years and over 120,000 km (75,000) and a Model X after over 510,000 km (320,000 miles).
Both were under warranty. Lucky me.
I would assume that Tesla will also eventually start offering this LFP battery replacement also off warranty as the supply of the old pack becomes limited. It will be interesting to learn about the price at that point.