Tesla updates battery warranty
There have been some changes to the Tesla warranty terms. For Model S and Model X, an upper limit for mileage is introduced. However, a shift from usage time to mileage affects all Tesla drivers.
The previous eight-year unlimited mileage warranty on the Model S and Model X for the battery and drivetrain has been eliminated and replaced with a 150,000 mile (approx. 240,000 km) limit. Tesla also accommodates the drivers of a Model S and Model X and improves the warranty conditions for the battery in other areas: a fixed value for the minimum capacity is now specified, as in the case of the Model 3 (where it has been since its introduction), it is 70 per cent.
With Model 3, however, different ranges apply for this minimum capacity. With the smaller battery of the Standard Range+ version, the range is 160,000 kilometres, and with the larger batteries (Long Range) of the Dual Engine and Performance version, it is 192,000 kilometres. According to the warranty conditions published by Tesla, these values will also apply to the Model Y. If the usable capacity falls below 70 per cent of the original capacity within the eight years or the specified mileage, customers are entitled to a replacement or repair.
However, all new Tesla electric cars sold from the end of January onwards will be affected by a further change, which could leave the company considerable leeway: If battery performance drops due to software updates to protect the battery, this is not covered by the warranty.
With this loophole, Tesla could circumvent the previously guaranteed 70 per cent again – for example, if software updates limit the battery and the 70 per cent threshold is not undercut due to degradation. Some users in online forums have already begun to criticize the lack of legal security.
It is possible that this wording is a reaction to an incident that occurred last August. At that time, a Tesla owner had complained that the company had limited the capacity of the battery by software. In this way, the company wanted to avoid a costly recall due to defective cells. After an update, in which the charge and heat management was changed due to a fire at a Model S in Hong Kong, the range of his Model S dropped from 247 to 217 miles, according to the plaintiff. With the new clause, customers would no longer have any leverage against such a restriction – after all, it was done to protect the battery.