Buying a used Tesla; considerations?
 

Kicking the idea around that getting an electric vehicle for my 50 mile per day commute might be a sensible choice. Used Tesla Model S's are still north of $40k, but aside from the "normal" stuff, is there a way to quickly test how depreciated the battery performance is?

Some helpful reading: https://www.teslarati.com/how-long-w...t-degradation/

CPO Teslas get a certified 2yr 100k warranty, so I think they are expected to have good battery life, or maybe even a fresh battery if one is replaced. Even a P60 is ~200 mi range so you should be good.

There's always a Chevy Volt.

The Tesla battery pack will lose 20% over the first 100k or so miles but it will hold 80% for a few hundred k after that. It levels off pretty fast.

Curious to see where you came across this info.

Please go read the Tesla forums to get all the info before buying a used Tesla. Most of the time, the battery is the least of your worries. There are so many other issues that you will definitely regret it. QC has not improved much, even brand new cars are afflicted with problems. When they work, they're the best, unfortunately, many don't. If you want all-electric for your commute, the Chevy Bolt is more than adequate. It's very reliable.

https://www.teslarati.com/how-long-w...t-degradation/

My parents have owned a P85D since new for a few years... build quality is not there for the price they ask new. They are not the most reliable things ever.

I have nothing to base this on, but I would beware that if you buy one, plan to keep it for a while or you could still be sideswiped with a huge depreciation hit. The technology continues to advance and many manufacturers are jumping into offering electric cars in the next couple years. As model choices grow and battery life and range improve, you will have a used car, with some depleted battery life that just does not compare to new offerings. As the rarity of a Tesla (they are getting fairly common around here) fades, they won't hold the value.

If you plan to run it into the ground, sure. Just be prepared for that. Batteries and motors can last a long time. But I would wager that recent models will still have a decent depreciation curve ahead of them as electrics become more mainstream and can be had more cheaply.

But what if I just hate GM that much? Focus EV? Leaf (ew)? I need something with range... :ponder:

Agreed. Very surprised the 2014s are still somewhat expensive. I thought they'd be down in the 20s by now.