Types of electric car batteries lifespain

Tesla was asking $22,500 to change a battery. An independent repair shop fixed it for $5,000.

The battery of an electric car is the heart of that car. It's like the engine in a gasoline car. It is the most expensive element and the one that makes the difference with respect to rival brands and models. The cost of replacing it when it malfunctions after its warranty has expired can be enormous. Especially when it can only be fixed in an official workshop of the brand.

The latest example of this situation is given by youtuber Tyler Hoover ( Hoovie's Garage ) who, as he always does, bought a used car in poor condition. In this a Tesla Model S P 85 that after a while only had a maximum autonomy of about 80 km. Tesla asked him for $22,500 to replace the entire battery .

Thus, in the purest style of the YouTube world, he collaborated with another YouTuber, Rich (Benoit) Rebuilds , so that he -or rather his workshop, Rich Rebuilds' Electrified Garage- fixed the Tesla's battery. The nuance is important, as Rich's team didn't change his battery but instead changed two battery cell modules. These were responsible for the widespread failure.

Each module cost $1,500, plus labor, testing, and coolants and so on, bringing the total bill to $5,000 . In the end, he fell far short of the more than $22,000 Tesla was asking for.

It is striking, of course, and we already know that official workshops are more expensive than independent ones. Whether in the case of a Renault or a Ferrari, the independent will always be cheaper for a result, in principle, at least similar to that of the official workshop.

However, this video emphasizes a reality typical of Tesla and almost unusual in the car. Tesla does not let any independent workshop touch its cars , except in the case of authorized ironworkers. And it's not the publication of a basic maintenance manual (change windshield washer fluid, check tire pressure, or install a license plate holder) for the Model 3 that's going to change things.

The right to repair what one has bought

It is especially true in the United States where to fix a Tesla you have to go through an official center yes or yes. With one exception, in the state of Massachusetts where, legally, no brand can force a customer to go through their workshop.

In fact, Rich Benoit's success stems from that simple fact: residing in Massachusetts, Benoit was able to fix and salvage several Teslas. He was documenting it on YouTube and from there they began to rain requests to fix Teslas. Not without having to overcome the obstacles that the brand put on him anyway.

Things doesn't mean Tesla makes it simple for them just because the law is on your side.. For example, you can refuse to sell certain parts, specific tools or battery analysis software. And without that, no matter how much the law is on your side, you can't fix a car.

It is something that is also appreciated in consumer electronics. A broken screen is not changed, half of the mobile is changed. A faulty battery is not replaced or fixed, just a new phone is provided.

Although this attempt at control by brands is no longer legal in Europe (at least in theory), it is possible in the United States.

Hence the popular Electronics Right to Repair initiative arose . They are trying to get a law passed that gives consumers the right to have their product repaired and not just thrown away and given a new one at a cost as if it were a major repair.

Thus, while repair per se is legal and feasible, owners are often prohibited from performing repairs or hiring trusted technicians to assist them due to manufacturer limitations on access to repair materials such as parts. , tools, diagnostics, documentation and firmware.