Tesla’s LFP battery holds its charge better, study says
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- Carla's analysis of 9,954 AVILOO battery tests conducted in Sweden between 2022 and 2026 found Tesla Model 3s with CATL's LFP pack averaged 93.3% battery health among cars past 62,000 miles, beating every nickel-based version in the dataset.
- Two Panasonic NCA packs degraded the most in the same Model 3 comparison, producing a five-point gap between the best and worst versions of the identical car.
- LFP's durability edge stems from better thermal stability and tolerance for 100% charges, versus Tesla's recommended 80-90% daily limit on nickel-based cells — a difference that compounds over tens of thousands of miles.
- Tesla moved Standard Range Model 3 and Model Y to LFP primarily to cut cost and free up scarce nickel, but the new data suggests owners received an unexpected longevity benefit in the bargain.
- Kia e-Niro and Hyundai Kona — mechanical twins sharing the same 64 kWh pack — topped Carla's broader 20-model ranking at over 97% average battery health.
- Geotab's separate telematics study of more than 22,700 vehicles found average annual degradation of about 1.8%, concluding EV batteries could last 20 years or more and outlive the cars around them.
- Tesla's own figures show Model 3 and Model Y Long Range packs lose roughly 15% capacity after 200,000 miles, with most of the drop happening early before the curve flattens.
Why it matters: For used-EV shoppers, two 2022 Tesla Model 3s at identical mileage and price can carry a five-point gap in remaining battery health — and nothing on the window sticker identifies which chemistry is inside, making third-party diagnostics like AVILOO the new deciding factor for residual value rather than odometer reading alone.
