Used Teslas & EVs: battery health, explained
The battery is the most valuable part of an electric car. Every EV page shows its range and a labeled battery figure: a test result for that car, the range that car displays at a full charge, or an estimated battery health for its age and mileage. Teslas also show what similar Teslas display. Estimates are not tests, and you can request a report for any VIN.
Range vs. new
The range the car displays at a full charge, as a percentage of its original EPA-rated range.
Range today
Full-charge range the car shows today, next to its original EPA range, with an illustrative range map.
Warranty left
Remaining Tesla battery & drive unit warranty, by years and miles.
What the numbers mean
| Battery health | Rating | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 90–100% | Excellent | Like-new range. |
| 85–89% | Very good | Normal for a few years of use. |
| 80–84% | Good | Typical for higher-mileage cars. |
| Under 80% | Fair | Noticeably less range; check warranty coverage. |
Battery health FAQs
- What is battery health?
- Battery health (state of health) is how much energy the battery can store today compared with when it was new. A Tesla at 90% battery health has about 90% of its original usable capacity, and roughly 90% of its original range.
- What is a good battery health for a used Tesla?
- 90% or higher is excellent, 85–89% is very good, and 80–84% is good. Tesla batteries typically lose a few percent in the first years and then degrade slowly. Tesla's warranty covers capacity falling below 70% during the warranty period.
- How do you estimate battery health?
- We compare the range the vehicle displays at a full charge with its EPA-rated range when new. For example, a car displaying 268 miles at full charge versus a 310-mile original rating shows about 86% of its original rated range. This is not a laboratory battery-capacity test or a guarantee of actual battery capacity or future range.
- How long is the Tesla battery warranty?
- For 2020 and newer Teslas it's 8 years from original delivery, with a mileage cap of 100,000 miles (Model 3/Y Standard Range or RWD), 120,000 miles (Model 3/Y Long Range and Performance) or 150,000 miles (Model S and X), and at least 70% capacity retention. It transfers to the next owner.
- What does "similar Teslas display" mean?
- For a used Tesla, the page can show the full-charge range that similar Teslas display today: the same model, trim and model year, within the same 10,000 miles. The figures come from TeslaTracker, based on about 49,500 used Teslas in Tesla's own inventory. It describes similar cars, not a test of that car's battery. We also use it to sharpen the estimated battery health for that Tesla. Where TeslaTracker doesn't have enough similar cars (for example, most Teslas over 100,000 miles), the estimate uses TeslaTracker's fleet-wide retention by age and mileage.
- What does a "~" estimate mean?
- When we haven't recorded a car's battery test or displayed full-charge range yet, its page shows the typical battery health for its model, age and mileage, and the range that implies. For Teslas it combines TeslaTracker's range-retention data from 49,307 used Tesla listings (current range vs. original EPA rating) with TeslaTracker's per-trim figure for similar Teslas when there is one; for other EVs it uses Geotab's real-world study of 22,700+ EVs (about 2.3% loss per year). It is an average, not a reading from that car. Ask us for the VIN-specific number.
- Why can displayed range vary?
- Displayed range and battery performance can vary due to battery calibration, software, temperature, driving conditions, charging habits, vehicle use and other factors. Battery degradation is normal and will continue over time at a rate that varies by vehicle and usage.