# Shouldn't a new battery deliver the rated range of a new car?



## Bill Hohensee (Oct 9, 2018)

My 2018 Model 3 Performance had 101k miles on it when I ran over an 8” rock and damaged the battery. The estimated range at the time according to Recurrent Auto on a full charge was 280 miles – a battery degradation of 11% from the rated range of 315 miles on a full charge.

After spending $11,400 with Tesla Service for a new battery I charged the car the next day to 100% expecting to see the rated new range of 315 miles. Instead at 100% charge, the displayed range was 284 miles or 9% degradation from 315.

My simple question is: shouldn’t a new battery charged at 100% give me pretty darn close to the rated range of 315 miles? Does a new battery start with a 9% degradation from new? And what is the proper means to take this issue back to Tesla?


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## garsh (Apr 4, 2016)

First, are you sure that your car was originally rated at 315 miles? My 2018 Model 3 Performance was rated at 310 miles, and I don't remember the range of the Performance models ever being increased beyond that.

Most likely, you didn't actually purchase a brand-new battery. This is probably a refurbished/remanufactured battery. Especially given the price that you paid. It sounds like you paid less than the person whose battery replacement invoice is listed in this article:



https://www.currentautomotive.com/how-much-does-a-tesla-model-3-battery-replacement-cost/



But this could also be a Battery Management System (BMS) issue. This is the system that tries to estimate how much capacity your battery actually has. I would suggest attempting to recalibrate the BMS to make sure that it's correctly estimating battery capacity before doing anything else. Perhaps the estimated range will increase after a couple of long charge/discharge cycles.

Josh's post does a pretty good job of explaining how to perform such a procedure:









Battery Longevity


So many things affect the range value that your car and Teslafi uses for that plot. It is not a real gauge of your battery's physical condition and degradation. It's a software algorithm that averages tons of parameters over a long period of time, and it doesn't recalibrate all that often. The...




www.teslaownersonline.com


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## FRC (Aug 4, 2018)

garsh said:


> Most likely, you didn't actually purchase a brand-new battery. This is probably a refurbished/remanufactured battery. Especially given the price that you paid. It sounds like you paid less than the person whose battery replacement invoice is listed in this article:
> 
> https://www.currentautomotive.com/how-much-does-a-tesla-model-3-battery-replacement-cost/


I suspect that @garsh is dead on here. Take a look at the invoice in the article that was referenced. Compare your invoice to it. Does your invoice use the letters RMN in identifying the replacement battery? If so, your battery is "remanufactured" and may not have the full 310 mile range of a new 2018 Performance battery.

By the way, many here would love to peek at your invoice!!


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## Klaus-rf (Mar 6, 2019)

I agree with the OP:

Reman parts are supposed to be in "like new" condition and should provide the same range as when the car was new. A "used" or "previously-owned" battery may not provide the same as new range but a reman unit definitely should



> After a new battery is installed, the broken one is sent back to the factory where technicians fix it to like-new condition.


IMHO If the replacement (new or reman) doesn't provide the same range, then it's not "like new" and is, therefore, defective.


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## Bill Hohensee (Oct 9, 2018)

Thank you Garsh for the quick and helpful reply. Yes, I recall the 2018 M3P


FRC said:


> I suspect that @garsh is dead on here. Take a look at the invoice in the article that was referenced. Compare your invoice to it. Does your invoice use the letters RMN in identifying the replacement battery? If so, your battery is "remanufactured" and may not have the full 310 mile range of a new 2018 Performance battery.
> 
> By the way, many here would love to peek at your invoice!!












Good point on the 310 miles rated on a new M3P in 2018. However, I vaguely recall that being boosted to 315 (today's current rated new range) with an early OTA update - I could be wrong. 

The quoted Current Automotive article references the same battery replacement Tesla p/n (1137375-01-K) as was on my invoice above. Why the Current Automotive invoice priced the replacement battery at $13,500 and mine was $9,000 I can not say. 

The p/n on both invoices shows RMN. I was not informed by Tesla Service or anywhere that RMN refers to a "remanufactured" battery or that I was receiving anything less than a new battery. I had no reason to expect that the replacement battery - remanufactured or otherwise - should deliver 9% less miles than a new battery.

To make matters worse I asked to receive my old battery so that I might salvage or sell it. They said sure, for a packaging fee of several thousands of dollars I could have my old battery back. I declined. 

If one wanted to redress this issue what would be the best avenue?


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## FRC (Aug 4, 2018)

The RWD was bumped from 310 to 325 back in 2019. I do not believe that the 2018 P has ever moved off of it's original 310. If you believe that your current range should be 310 (or more), I suggest that you follow @garsh's suggestion about rebalancing the BMS. Then, if you're unsatisfied, contact whoever installed your RMN battery.


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## JMc (9 mo ago)

My 2018 LR AWD (not performance) Model 3 with 19" sport wheels was rated at 315 mi by Tesla when I bought it, FYI.


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## garsh (Apr 4, 2016)

JMc said:


> My 2018 LR AWD (not performance) Model 3 with 19" sport wheels was rated at 315 mi by Tesla when I bought it, FYI.


Can you share your Monroney showing the 315 mile range? I think you're misremembering, but I'd like to be proved wrong.
All of the 2018 Monroneys I've found online only show 310 miles.


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## JMc (9 mo ago)

garsh said:


> Can you share your Monroney showing the 315 mile range? I think you're misremembering, but I'd like to be proved wrong.
> All of the 2018 Monroneys I've found online only show 310 miles.
> 
> View attachment 44251


Well, I don't know what a "manroney" is, but I got the number off Tesla's web site when I ordered my vehicle from their used inventory. Actually, now that I have reviewed, it appears I was mistaken. It does indeed show a 310 mi EPA range for my model. I was wrong. I apologize.


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## FRC (Aug 4, 2018)

JMc said:


> I was wrong. I apologize.


Takes a grown-up to use those words!! Apology unnecessary. Even @garsh was wrong once.


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## garsh (Apr 4, 2016)

JMc said:


> Well, I don't know what a "manroney" is


That's just the official name of a new car's "window sticker"


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