Model 3 Performance Battery Degradation One Month (Story)

[kbecks13]

Do we know for sure that M3 battery chemistry is different to MS & MX?

Yes, and it will certainly be better. Jeff Dahn knows his stuff, if you have some time i'd strongly recommend some of his Youtube videos on batteries. This one in particular is very good/technical:

Battery capacity fluctuations are normal and probably not real, just measuring error as others have stated. Here's a graph of my max battery level over time:

 

[tomas]

That is not a concern. As Model S owners know, degradation is NOT linear. You lose a bit over first 12-18 months and little to nothing thereafter.

Read this Tesla battery degradation at less than 10% after over 160,000 miles, according to latest data

I know it is old and S chemistry but this is supported by 7 years of S data now and is what to expect for 3 until real data says anything else.

I’m going to bump this post every time someone starts worrying about small losses in rated range during their first year.

I just hate to see people doing acrobatics like driving down their battery unnecessarily or charging to 100% unnecessarily - both acts that will surely cause degradation if they become habitual.

 

[artsci]

I’ve had my Model 3 for 3 months now. I charge it to 90 percent every night and get 278 miles of range every single time.

 

[Vines]

After 4 months and 12k miles, my battery suddenly lost about 4% capacity. Interesting that it happened just after the last Tesla Corsa event.

I called Tesla about it and asked if my car was subject to the TSB battery issue with improper connections of the cells. They said that it is not.

90% charge is now 268, and 100% is now 299 miles. I tried charging to 100% to see if it would recover but it didn't. Other users reported that they slowly regained mileage as the battery balanced near 100%, often taking an hour to get the last few miles. Mine at 297 said 1 hour 10 minutes to charge, and was still charging at a decent rate. When it hit 299 it abruptly stopped charging.

I guess I am within the 5% in the first year, but I didn't expect the whole range loss to happen in 1 weekend, thought it would be slowly lost. Granted I drove the car harder than it had ever been driven, maybe that had some effect.

 

[diamond.g]

After 4 months and 12k miles, my battery suddenly lost about 4% capacity. Interesting that it happened just after the last Tesla Corsa event.

I called Tesla about it and asked if my car was subject to the TSB battery issue with improper connections of the cells. They said that it is not.

90% charge is now 268, and 100% is now 299 miles. I tried charging to 100% to see if it would recover but it didn't. Other users reported that they slowly regained mileage as the battery balanced near 100%, often taking an hour to get the last few miles. Mine at 297 said 1 hour 10 minutes to charge, and was still charging at a decent rate. When it hit 299 it abruptly stopped charging.

I guess I am within the 5% in the first year, but I didn't expect the whole range loss to happen in 1 weekend, thought it would be slowly lost. Granted I drove the car harder than it had ever been driven, maybe that had some effect.

How low did you let it go?

 

[Vines]

35 miles, just over 10% capacity.

 

[diamond.g]

35 miles, just over 10% capacity.

Dang. That is a bummer.

 

[paranoidroid]

After 4 months and 12k miles, my battery suddenly lost about 4% capacity. Interesting that it happened just after the last Tesla Corsa event.

I called Tesla about it and asked if my car was subject to the TSB battery issue with improper connections of the cells. They said that it is not.

90% charge is now 268, and 100% is now 299 miles. I tried charging to 100% to see if it would recover but it didn't. Other users reported that they slowly regained mileage as the battery balanced near 100%, often taking an hour to get the last few miles. Mine at 297 said 1 hour 10 minutes to charge, and was still charging at a decent rate. When it hit 299 it abruptly stopped charging.

I guess I am within the 5% in the first year, but I didn't expect the whole range loss to happen in 1 weekend, thought it would be slowly lost. Granted I drove the car harder than it had ever been driven, maybe that had some effect.

Do you have a Teslafi graph to correlate the drop with Tesla Corsa? I also ran at Buttonwillow but don't see a drop on mine..

 

[diamond.g]

V3 Supercharging will probably make this degradation worse/faster for those that use it a bunch. I hope this doesn't turn into the same problem that the 90kWh packs had (forced taper to save battery).

 

[SigNC]

V3 Supercharging will probably make this degradation worse/faster for those that use it a bunch. I hope this doesn't turn into the same problem that the 90kWh packs had (forced taper to save battery).

Just speculation. I doubt they would enable a charge rate that would significantly degrade life.

 

[Vines]

Do you have a Teslafi graph to correlate the drop with Tesla Corsa? I also ran at Buttonwillow but don't see a drop on mine..

I don't currently subscribe to TeslaFi, so don't have that data. I cant say it was due to that weekend, but certainly thats when the capacity driopped.

 

[M109Rider]

V3 Supercharging will probably make this degradation worse/faster for those that use it a bunch. I hope this doesn't turn into the same problem that the 90kWh packs had (forced taper to save battery).

I suspect it could. Tesla has (since day one) indicated that supercharging too often will impact the charge speed. V3 supercharger is no different.
Follow the suggestions for long life, and you’ll be fine.

Just speculation. I doubt they would enable a charge rate that would significantly degrade life.

The charge rate likely won’t affect the battery, but charging on any supercharger all the time will promote slower charge rates, and possibly battery life.

Follow the suggestions from Tesla, and you’ll be fine.

 

[SigNC]

Agreed, about using it exclusively and excessively but just because it's charging faster occasional usage should not have any significant impact.

 

[timk225]

Folks here might be interested in this youttube video that I think is really fine - explaining some of the vicissitudes of Li Cobalt graphite battery tech.

Vicissitudes, vicissitudes... dictionary dot com, oh yes, here it is:

the definition of vicissitudes

 

[Needsdecaf]

Yes, and it will certainly be better. Jeff Dahn knows his stuff, if you have some time i'd strongly recommend some of his Youtube videos on batteries. This one in particular is very good/technical:

Battery capacity fluctuations are normal and probably not real, just measuring error as others have stated. Here's a graph of my max battery level over time:
View attachment 376510

Man, thanks for posting this. I have watched about 50 minutes and feel like I am treading water in the deep end of the pool but it’s really cool stuff!

 

[007Bond]

Haven't posted in a bit. Just did a 100% charge (not sure why it shows 2 I only did 1) to see where things landed. Seems by charging to 100% I noticed a good drop. There are a few trips where it was down to 20% most are shorter. Again using car just like I would any ICE and keeping it plugged in at Tesla says to do. I guess a good trip taking it down to under 20% then a full charge to 100% may dial in some calibration. What I find odd is I seen this guy with 25k on his M3 and he uses it as daily driver, granted drives more then me, but when he charges to 100% still gets the full 310 range. I would say some batteries have just lost cells where others have not luck of the draw I guess.

 

[007Bond]

Looks like this thread had died but last few SW updates seem to have taken range for me. Also last few updates car charges multiple times in the day. I notice if the battery even drops 1% the car will charge sometimes not even and it will charge again.

I had seen a post about a service bulletin where some batteries last year were missing straps and needed to be replaced. My car falls in the range but I was in for service a month back and they did not have that one listed for my car. Beginning to wonder I am at 3.3% loss after 11k were there are others with 25k+ still at full no loss, makes me wonder.

 

[M109Rider]

Looks like this thread had died but last few SW updates seem to have taken range for me. Also last few updates car charges multiple times in the day. I notice if the battery even drops 1% the car will charge sometimes not even and it will charge again.

View attachment 398499 View attachment 398500

I had seen a post about a service bulletin where some batteries last year were missing straps and needed to be replaced. My car falls in the range but I was in for service a month back and they did not have that one listed for my car. Beginning to wonder I am at 3.3% loss after 11k were there are others with 25k+ still at full no loss, makes me wonder.

Depends on a lot of things.
Most of us show a state of charge that might indicate loss. However, most times it just means you need calibration instead.

 

[007Bond]

Just a few days ago I was down to 5% and charged to 90% did not go to 100% as had no plans to drive soon.

 

[tomas]

Plz listen to a 6 year Tesla S vet plus 2 Model 3s. Stop obsessing! Fluctuation in displayed rated range is normal. Some range loss, up to 5%, in first 6 months is normal. It then levels off. I lost 5% of my 2012 range by summer 2013 AND NONE DETECTABLE SINCE! Range changes with software update is normal. Range restoration with a few 90%+ charges is normal. But don’t keep doing deep charges or discharges just to “calibrate” and soothe your psyche, because that WILL eventually cost you real degradation!!!

There have been rare cases where people have experienced real range loss due to bad cells. The symptoms are not subtle, and Tesla has the tools to diagnose accurately.

If you just love to analyze and worry, go ahead. But to those who might get alarmed by threads like this: stop worrying and drive your car!!