Buying a used Tesla Model 3 is one of the best moves you can make in today’s electric vehicle market. The Model 3 is rich, cheap, high-tech, and extremely efficient even after several years of road performance. However, as with any EV, the most significant query a buyer is prone to is battery performance in the long run. The good news? Evidence indicates that some versions of the Model 3, those that are fitted with lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, are much more resistant to age.
Below, we break down why LFP-equipped Model 3s may be the best choice, how they compare with Tesla’s nickel-cobalt-aluminum (NCA) batteries, and how to identify which chemistry a used Tesla has.
The Case for Tesla’s LFP Batteries
Voltest battery-health information, a company that developed an app to assess the health of the battery in EVs, provides a fascinating glimpse into the long-term Model 3 performance. Their results indicate that the Teslas that have LFP battery packs retain significantly larger parts of their initial capacity when compared to Teslas that do not have NCA cells.
There are several advantages inherent in LFP chemistry:
- Longer life expectancy and reduced deterioration.
- It can charge up to 100 percent with no damage regularly.
- Increased heat and high voltage resistance.
- Lower manufacturing cost.
All these features render LFP batteries the best choice for drivers who need to charge often, high daily range, or even have plans to use their cars over an extended period.
Real-World Battery Health: LFP vs. NCA
Volvest examined 20 Model 3s with a high mileage of more than 100,000 miles each. Half of them were LFP batteries (2022 models), and the other half were NCA packs (2019-2022 models). Although the sample size was limited, the findings were coherent and eye-opening.
NCA Battery Results
Models with NCA packs showed 71%–83% state of health. The majority of these were concentrated in the mid-to-high 70% range.
These figures are lower than the usual figures that Volvent observes in the EV market, where approximately 70% of vehicles tend to be in a minimum of 80% of state of health. The comparatively poor performance implies that NCA packs might deteriorate faster when the use is intensive.
LFP Battery Results
The Model 3s with LFP were significantly improved with 87%–93% state of health. More vehicles are still under 90% at 150,000 and above.
In one instance, it was found that 92% of the health existed at 140,000 miles, and in another that the health remained at 90% at nearly 165,000 miles, an excellent performance.
Although LFP cars in the sample were also newer, the performance difference is too high to be attributed to the age factor. The evidence is quite strong that LFP chemistry does indeed degrade at a slower rate than it is claimed to.
Why NCA Batteries May Degrade Faster
Beyond chemistry differences, there is another explanation provided by the CEO of Volgest, Davide Giacobbe: pack size and charging habits.
The NCA packs (52.4 kWh) are slightly smaller than LFP packs (60.5 kWh)
It implies that cars with NCA need to be charged more often to travel the same distance. Then there is the fact that Tesla suggests NCA only be charged to 80% (as opposed to 100% with LFP), and NCA vehicles are likely to experience more charge/discharge cycles in aggregate, which makes them wear out faster.
Should You Always Choose LFP?
LFP batteries are excellent for longevity and daily charging flexibility, but they aren’t the perfect choice for everyone.
Choosing an NCA-equipped Model 3 may offer:
- Longer driving range
- Faster charging speeds
- All-wheel-drive availability
A larger long-range NCA pack could still outperform a smaller LFP pack in total lifetime miles, even with faster degradation.
