Official: Replacement Battery Option

[hvb]

Have you seen the statement on Tesla's Bulletin Board regarding battery replacement? It seems to contradict your source.

When it comes time to replace my battery, can I exchange it for a different size battery pack? | Forums | Tesla Motors

 

[jerry33]

Have you seen the statement on Tesla's Bulletin Board regarding battery replacement? It seems to contradict your source.

Tesla will only put in writing what they are prepared to do right now. They don't put what might happen in the future. Example: removing the rear LED reading lights from the specs page while they were getting them finalized. This caused quite a stir until folks understood the policy of what gets published.

 

[bosgig]

Have you seen the statement on Tesla's Bulletin Board regarding battery replacement? It seems to contradict your source.

When it comes time to replace my battery, can I exchange it for a different size battery pack? | Forums | Tesla Motors

I think having the option to go from a low end (40kWh) current battery to the high end (maybe 150kWh?) new generation battery is definitely questionable; as I suggested, this might be opening up the upgrade path too wide and may be impractical for other reasons. I have little doubt, though, that they currently intend to provide a path for owners to migrate to whatever the new, higher range battery technology is when the time comes in 2020+. I think this obviously will be good for owners, in that their cars won't become obsolete, but also good for Tesla. The more they lessen fears of technological obsolescence and range anxiety, the more cars they will sell!

 

[brianman]

I'd love it if they adjusted the language to make the battery replacement plan use a refundable reservation model. In other words, treat it like a loan to Tesla for 7-8 years that is refundable if/when I decide to not leverage the plan (because there's a more appealing battery size option, or a cheaper 3rd party manufacturer, or ...).

 

[SuperCoug]

I'd love it if they adjusted the language to make the battery replacement plan use a refundable reservation model. In other words, treat it like a loan to Tesla for 7-8 years that is refundable if/when I decide to not leverage the plan (because there's a more appealing battery size option, or a cheaper 3rd party manufacturer, or ...).

That is a fantastic idea!

 

[Raffy.Roma]

I understand from a very reliable source at the company that it is their intent to offer an upgrade to newer technology (i.e., better range) batteries when it comes time to replace our batteries. This is fantastic news in my opinion. I don't know how the battery replacement option will play into this. I suspect that the current BRO ($8/10/12k) will get you a "like new" equivalent of your current battery, and that the newer technology battery will be available for a premium. Theoretically you could pay a "double premium" and upgrade to the newer technology and upgrade the level of battery (e.g., low-end equivalent to mid-or high-end equivalent) although they may very well decide against making the upgrade choices that wide open. I also suspect that we will be able to purchase the newer technology battery outright, without the BRO, perhaps for a slight premium over what people who bought the BRO paid given the time value of money.

This is a good news. I hope that Tesla has the same intention also for the Roadster. Waiting for this news to be formalized by Tesla.

 

[bosgig]

. .Waiting for this news to be formalized by Tesla.

I'm guessing it won't be made formal anytime soon, although they could in theory put some non-committal language in the BRO which would be a great signal. The problem is there are still a lot of uncertainties between now and eight years from now, so I think it would be prudent for them to wait.

 

[Raffy.Roma]

I'm guessing it won't be made formal anytime soon, although they could in theory put some non-committal language in the BRO which would be a great signal. The problem is there are still a lot of uncertainties between now and eight years from now, so I think it would be prudent for them to wait.

But from the point of view of potential Tesla clients it would be important to know what will happen if they will decide to get the second battery replacement in case that new technology batteries would come out.
I read the Tesla agreement for second battery replacement for the Roadster and no mention at all is done on this matter. I think that at least the agreement could contain a paragraph saying that in case of new technology batteries an extra money should be paid equal to the difference between the old second battery replacement price and the new one. This would calm down a potential Tesla client having the Shakespearean dilemma:

To get the second battery replacement or not to get it. That's the question.

 

[bosgig]

I completely agree with you, and made a similar comment earlier in the thread. For me, if there's no new technology roadmap language in the BRO, I'll pass. If there is, I'll be more inclined.

 

[Raffy.Roma]

Thank you. Nice to know that somebody agrees with me. Now let's hope that Tesla will consider our views.

 

[bosgig]

Although to be fair, ultimately allowing an upgrade to new technology batteries is far more important to me than language in the BRO. In that sense, I feel like they've already considered our views, and I'm thankful for it!

 

[Raffy.Roma]

Of course Tesla is doing a big work of development both on batteries upgrade and on electric cars. Nowadays Tesla is far ahead of any car brand in the world on these subjects. That's why I am an enthusiast of Tesla and dream to get a Roadster. But I think that Tesla has margins of improvements both on the matter of service and upgrade and on the matter of car development for which Tesla clients can contribute. On this respect this forum is a good tool of communication between us and Tesla in order to improve the final product.
This is the principle of total quality.

 

[SFOTurtle]

I completely agree with you, and made a similar comment earlier in the thread. For me, if there's no new technology roadmap language in the BRO, I'll pass. If there is, I'll be more inclined.

I completely agree with this as well. I have a 60kWh. If there was some degree of protection that I could upgrade to a longer range battery in 8 years for a premium above the $10K option offered now, that would peak my interest. Without such a plan, the insurance of buying the option now isn't very attractive.

 

[Sacrament055]

Has anybody looked into what happened to this battery replacement plan? I don't see that I have an option to buy it but at the time it sounded as if Tesla intended to offer it. Just wondering if anyone else has already asked and received an official response about this.

 

[brianman]

Has anybody looked into what happened to this battery replacement plan? I don't see that I have an option to buy it but at the time it sounded as if Tesla intended to offer it. Just wondering if anyone else has already asked and received an official response about this.

I haven't re-asked recently but I'm still curious as well.

 

[aviators99]

I haven't re-asked recently but I'm still curious as well.

I told Tesla I wanted to replace my battery (for one of the same size), and they quoted me $45,000.

 

[SFOTurtle]

I told Tesla I wanted to replace my battery (for one of the same size), and they quoted me $45,000.

I guess those battery swapping stations, when they finally roll out, are going to need some extra staffing trained to run a real-time sophisticated credit check and handle the financing transaction if people expect to swap their 60 for an 85 (or even their old 85 for a newer 85). Hard to see many people swiping their Visa card for a $45,000 charge on a roadtrip.

 

[Blurry_Eyed]

I guess those battery swapping stations, when they finally roll out, are going to need some extra staffing trained to run a real-time sophisticated credit check and handle the financing transaction if people expect to swap their 60 for an 85 (or even their old 85 for a newer 85). Hard to see many people swiping their Visa card for a $45,000 charge on a roadtrip.

This is total speculation on my part, but there probably would be a residual value in your original pack that Tesla would use to offset the price of a brand new pack, so your net cost may not end up being $45k (or what ever the total price is of a new pack at the time of purchase). Now the question is, would Tesla first charge you the entire price of a new pack and then have you wait for a credit to show up? If so, then it would be pretty tough to run the credit card model on a swap station. It would still be a stretch if say Tesla offered a 50% residual rebate on your existing pack in a swap. That would mean a current price of about $22,500. While I'm sure some owners have individual credit card limits that high, I'm also sure a great many others don't have such a high limit available.

It will be interesting to see what develops over time. The intersection of Tesla with SolarCity will add an interesting economic wrinkle to this whole venture with the potential for SolarCity to utilize older battery packs in their backup power installations.

 

[umuhk]

I guess those battery swapping stations, when they finally roll out, are going to need some extra staffing trained to run a real-time sophisticated credit check and handle the financing transaction if people expect to swap their 60 for an 85 (or even their old 85 for a newer 85). Hard to see many people swiping their Visa card for a $45,000 charge on a roadtrip.

It's my understanding that the swap stations will not support buying a new battery on-site. Rather, you'll pay the swap fee to "rent" a new battery for a short while -- nominally until the return leg of your trip brings you past the same swap station again, where you'll get our original battery back, fully charged. If you wish to keep the rental battery, you'll be expected to pay (in a separate transaction) for the computed difference in value versus your original battery; that transaction can be carried out at leisure. If you want both batteries, you'll pay the cost of the rental battery plus shipping of your original to your location from the swap station.

These points all come from my (potentially faulty) recollection of a Q&A session about the swap stations. I'll try to locate the source.

 

[brianman]

Now the question is, would Tesla first charge you the entire price of a new pack and then have you wait for a credit to show up? If so, then it would be pretty tough to run the credit card model on a swap station. It would still be a stretch if say Tesla offered a 50% residual rebate on your existing pack in a swap. That would mean a current price of about $22,500. While I'm sure some owners have individual credit card limits that high, I'm also sure a great many others don't have such a high limit available.

Also, I suspect any applicable sales tax will be on the new pack full price not on the trade-in differential.