Tesla battery degradation: how much range do they lose?

A Tesla Model 3 or Model Y typically loses 5 to 6 per cent of its battery capacity in the first 31,000 miles, then fades slowly: independent tests put a Model Y at 90.3% after about 93,000 miles, and Tesla’s own data puts the average Model 3 and Model Y Long Range at 85% after 200,000 miles. For a Model Y Long Range that works out at losing 40 to 60 miles of its 383-mile WLTP range over the life of the car, not half of it.

Battery degradation is the biggest worry for anyone buying a used Tesla, and it is also the area where the data is now strongest. Below we bring together Tesla’s fleet figures, two large independent test databases and a fleet telematics study, and turn them into a simple table of how much range you can expect to keep at each mileage.

How much range does a Tesla lose?

The pattern is the same in every dataset: a quick early drop, then a long, shallow decline.

Austrian diagnostics firm Aviloo published the largest independent study so far in September 2026, based on more than 500,000 battery tests across 20 models (Electrek). The median Tesla Model Y had 94.4% of its original capacity at 50,000km (about 31,000 miles) and 90.3% at 150,000km (about 93,000 miles). The Model 3 was slightly behind, at 93.8% and 88.9%. So a Model Y loses about six points in its first 31,000 miles, then only about four more over the next 62,000. We cover the full study in our Aviloo battery health results.

Tesla’s own figures go further. Its 2023 Impact Report says Model 3 and Model Y Long Range batteries lose an average of 15% of their capacity after 200,000 miles (InsideEVs). The older Model S and Model X do slightly better, at about 12% after 200,000 miles in the 2022 report (Electrek).

How much range will a Tesla have left at my mileage?

We combined the Aviloo and Tesla figures into a single curve and applied it to a Model Y Long Range RWD, which has a 383-mile WLTP range and a list price of £44,990, according to electrive in February 2026.

Method: average of Aviloo’s Model 3 and Model Y medians at 31,000 and 93,000 miles, plus Tesla’s 85% at 200,000 miles, with a straight line between those points, multiplied by 383 miles.

Mileage	Battery health left (EV Compared estimate)	Equivalent WLTP range, Model Y Long Range RWD
New	100%	383 miles
31,000 miles	94.1%	360 miles
62,000 miles	91.9%	352 miles
93,000 miles	89.6%	343 miles
120,000 miles	88.4%	339 miles
150,000 miles	87.1%	334 miles
200,000 miles	85.0%	326 miles

The 62,000-mile figure sits inside the 88.2% to 93.3% spread that Swedish used-EV retailer Carla measured on Model 3 cars past that mileage (Electrek), which gives us some confidence in the curve.

Two caveats. First, these are medians and averages; Aviloo found individual cars of the same model can differ by up to 13.5 points. Second, the range figures are WLTP equivalents. Real-world range is lower, especially in winter, but the share lost to degradation is the same.

Which Tesla battery degrades the least?

The battery chemistry matters more than the badge. Carla ran 9,954 Aviloo battery tests in Sweden between 2022 and 2026 on cars driven more than 100,000km, and broke the Model 3 results down by pack (Electrek):

Tesla Model 3 battery	Chemistry	Average health past 62,000 miles
CATL, about 60.5 kWh	LFP	93.3%
LG Chem	NMC	91.5%
Panasonic, 77.8 kWh	NCA	89.8%
Panasonic, 52.4 kWh	NCA	88.2%

The CATL LFP pack is the one used in rear-wheel-drive Model 3 cars built in China. The Model Y with the 78.8 kWh LG Chem pack averaged 92.18% in the same study. If you are choosing between two otherwise similar used cars, the rear-wheel-drive LFP car is the better bet for battery life, though it starts with less range. See our guides to the used Tesla Model 3 and used Tesla Model Y for what else to check on each.

Does Supercharging wear out a Tesla battery?

It does a little, if it is how you charge most of the time. Geotab’s January 2026 study of more than 22,700 EVs found average degradation of 2.3% a year, up from 1.8% in its 2024 analysis (Geotab). Cars that relied mainly on DC charging above 100 kW lost up to 3.0% a year, roughly double the 1.5% a year of cars that mainly charged at lower power.

That gap matters for a car that lives on Superchargers, such as a private hire Model 3 with no home charger. For an owner who charges at home overnight and Supercharges on long trips, the effect is small. There are more figures in our piece on rapid charging and battery degradation.

Does age matter as well as mileage?

Yes. Batteries age with time as well as use, which is why Tesla’s figures differ by region. Notebookcheck’s reading of Tesla’s 2024 Impact Report data is that European cars reach 80% capacity at around 150,000 miles on average, fewer miles than in the US, because they cover fewer miles a year and so age more per mile (Notebookcheck).

In practice, a low-mileage older Tesla will not be as healthy as the mileage alone suggests. A 2019 Model 3 with 31,000 miles has had seven years of calendar ageing, so it may sit below the 94% median for that mileage, which includes many younger, harder-driven cars.

What does the Tesla battery warranty cover?

Tesla’s UK battery and drive unit warranty pays out if capacity drops below 70% within the cover period (Motorpoint):

Model	Battery and drive unit warranty
Model 3 and Model Y, standard-range battery	8 years or 100,000 miles
Model 3 and Model Y, Long Range and Performance	8 years or 120,000 miles
Model S and Model X	8 years or 150,000 miles

On a Model Y Long Range, 70% of 383 miles is 268 miles. On the data above, very few cars will get near that within 120,000 miles, so treat the warranty as protection against a faulty pack rather than against normal fade. The basic car warranty is shorter, at 4 years or 60,000 miles. If a pack does fail outside warranty, our guide to the cost of replacing an EV battery sets out what to expect.

How should I check a used Tesla’s battery?

Ask for an independent battery health test rather than relying on the range shown on the screen, which is an estimate that shifts with recent driving and charging. A test such as Aviloo’s measures the pack’s state of health directly. Compare the result with the table above: a car at 93,000 miles showing 85% is below the median and worth a lower offer, while one at 92% is better than average. We explain how to arrange one in how to get a battery health certificate for a used EV.

The bottom line

Tesla batteries degrade less than many buyers fear. On our estimate a Model Y Long Range keeps about 90% of its capacity at 93,000 miles and 85% at 200,000 miles, which is still the equivalent of more than 320 miles of WLTP range. Mileage, age, battery type and charging habits all play a part, so test the individual car, favour the LFP pack if battery life is your priority, and do not pay extra for a car whose health is below the median for its mileage.