Say hello to another all-electric high-mileage hero. And–surprise, surprise–it’s a Tesla Model S. Again.
The EV community probably already knows about the German-registered Model S which has covered over 1.24 million miles so far, making it the highest-mileage Tesla in existence. However, that one is now on its 14th electric motor and fourth battery pack. This latest high-mileage EV is still on its original battery and electric motors, making it a very rare example.
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Some consider electric vehicles as being less reliable than their combustion counterparts. But with much fewer moving parts, it's usually the other way around, and this high-mileage Tesla Model S from the UK that still runs on its original battery and electric motors is a testament to the idea that EVs can and are more reliable.
The car in question is eight years old and has been used as a taxi to ferry people to and from airports in the UK since new. Its owner, Paul, told Rory Reid from Autotrader that the black Model S is still under warranty and benefits from free Supercharging, making it the ideal taxi from an operating cost perspective.
Due to its usage, this British electric high-mileage hero is being topped up from a Tesla Supercharger at least a couple of times every day, and often up to 100% state of charge, which is known to degrade nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) batteries faster than just limiting the charge to 80%. Despite this, however, the car only lost around 65 miles of range from its official rating. When it was new, the 2016 Tesla Model S 90D (that’s 90 kilowatt-hours and dual motors) had an NEDC-rated range of 346 miles (557 kilometers) in Europe.
When it comes to repairs, the dual-motor EV shown in the video embedded at the top of this page has only gone through essential preventative maintenance, according to its owner. That said, the car never broke down and never needed an unplanned repair, which is refreshing, considering Tesla’s reputation for build quality wasn’t the best when this particular Model S came off the assembly line.
Gallery: 2021 Tesla Model S
That said, the LED daytime running lights don’t work as they should and one of the windshield wiper arms decided to chew into the hood at one point, leaving a permanent scar on the car. Other than that, there are the usual rock chips and small dings that one would expect from a car that has so many miles on the odometer and has been used to ferry strangers around.
The interior is in pretty good shape, with no tears or other unsightly issues. There are, however, some rattles, as per the owner.
The video is the first from a series that will put the 430,000-mile Tesla Model S to various tests, including a range experiment. And judging from the ending of this first episode, we might see some unpleasant surprises coming in the following episodes. But until that happens, let us know what you think in the comments section below.
