Is one of your big concerns when switching to an electric car based on the fear that the batteries will have to be replaced soon due to their degradation and astronomical cost?
If so, you might be reassured to know that there are currently 309 Teslas in use in Britain with over 200,000 miles on them, and more than 5,300 have covered over 100,000.
But this pales in comparison to what is believed to be the highest mileage example in Britain.
Concerned about the longevity of electric vehicle batteries? There are Teslas on UK roads that have racked up incredibly high mileage
Official figures from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) show there is a Model S being driven with almost 700,000 on its odometer.
This is based on the mileage data recorded at the time of the MOT.
The UK-registered Tesla, which covered 697,744 miles at its last annual check, has already traveled the equivalent of theoretically going around the world 28 times, says LeaseLoco, which analyzed DVSA statistics.
The highest mileage Tesla registered in the UK is a Model S which clocked 697,744 miles. That’s the equivalent of theoretically going around the world 28 times.
This is Money believes the high-mileage Model S is likely a taxi or private hire vehicle used for airport tours, which explains its monumental use.
It’s a notable achievement given that Tesla launched the Model S, its first mainstream electric vehicle, in the UK a decade ago, in the summer of 2014.
The car leasing website says there are five Tesla Model S on UK roads that have covered more than half a million miles.
The second most used Tesla, another Model S, has 564,860 miles on it, DVSA records suggest.
On a single charge, the latest version of the Model S boasts a range of up to 405 miles (depending on specs), assuming it doesn’t degrade over time.
Based on this autonomy, the owner of 700,000 Tesla would have been paid at least 1,723 times since purchasing the car.
However, previous Model S variants offered a closer range of around 285 miles, meaning many more network connections.
What is not clear from DVSA records is whether any of these high mileage Teslas had their original batteries replaced under warranty.
Based on the version of the Model S with greater autonomy, the owner of the almost 700 thousand Tesla would have charged at least 1,723 times
The American electric vehicle giant led by Elon Musk offers a battery and power unit warranty of eight years or 100,000 to 150,000 miles, whichever comes first.
The warranty guarantees that the battery capacity will be at least 70 percent during the warranty period.
If the battery degrades more than 70 percent within the warranty period, Tesla will replace it with a battery that meets the 70 percent limit.
Musk tweeted in 2019 that a Tesla battery should last between 300,000 and 500,000 miles.
If that’s true, there are 54 Teslas in the UK with between 300,000 and 500,000 miles on the clock that could be due to a new battery, provided they haven’t replaced the original unit yet.
Incredibly, five Teslas have surpassed Elon’s prediction if they haven’t already had a spare battery.
According to DVLA figures, there were more than 194,000 Tesla owners registered to drive on UK roads in the first quarter of 2024.
It means that the 0.2 percent have more than 200,000 hours on the clock and 2.8 percent have driven more than 100,000 miles.
And it’s not just the Tesla Model S that has accumulated higher mileage.
There are 807 Model 3s in Britain with more than 100,000 on the road and 491 Model Xs.
Incredibly, given there are fewer than 30 Tesla Roadsters registered in Britain, six of them have over 100k on the odometer, DVSA records suggest.
The Model S was the first mainstream Tesla launched in the UK in 2014. Many are used as eco-friendly private hire services, luxury taxis and airport shuttles.
“The fact that a Tesla in the UK has covered 700,000 miles is a testament to the durability and longevity of electric vehicles,” said John Wilmot, CEO of LeaseLoco.
“It’s incredible to think that, just a decade after the Model S first hit UK roads, several Teslas have surpassed half a million miles. “This milestone demonstrates that with proper care and maintenance, electric vehicles can go far, making an electric car a smart choice for those considering purchasing a new car.”
Wilmot adds that despite current concerns about battery life, most electric car owners will not have to worry about this until the future.
However, he says there are still obstacles in the way that prevent consumers from making the switch to electric.
“The most immediate problem is charging their electric vehicles while they’re on the road,” he told us.
“EV owners are not only dealing with range anxiety: the fear of running out of power without finding a charging point in time.
‘They are also experiencing charging anxiety – the uncertainty of whether a charging station will be available and working when they need it.
‘If we want to see a massive transition to electric vehicles in the next decade, we must address these anxieties.
“EV owners need to have confidence that there will be enough reliable charging points to ensure they never run out of battery, and that these stations will be operational and available when they need them.”
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