Electrical vehicles (EVs) critical components are Motor, batteries, and electrical support (charge/regen/distribute electronics and computer control). Unlike an engine replacement in an ICE I'd argue a motor replacement in a decently designed EV is relatively plug and play. Not so for most EV batteries - they are large, heavy, and arguably your most expensive component needing replacement in old age.
Having watched my battery range drop in the Nissan Leaf was brutal as an owner. Having watched 'Who Killed The Electric Car' ands it's EV1 crushing scenes I wanted to own not lease. However my 70 mile range turned into 35 - at best, over six years. My EV was becoming a doorstop. I really want my future EV batteries to degrade as little as possible. BTW Nissan has supposedly improved Leaf battery chemistry, but they still do not thermally condition your battery.
Teslanomics - Tesla batteries last forever
So I've picked Tesla at a higher purchase cost. For one thing Tesla has battery fine tuning on it's charging - not just an 80/100 setting like my Leaf. Charging to absolutely full is one battery wear factor that proven to degrade most lithium storage. Multiply the wear if it is hot and by the amount of time the battery sits at 100%. Tesla lets you set daily charging to any value. Experts in Tesla charging say 70% is an order of magnitude less degradation as a charging level. So my rules are:
1. When at home, it's plugged to allow the thermal management to keep the battery temperature just where it should be even in my hot driveway in summer. Easy.
2. For daily use, I set charging via my phone to 70% percent - 220 miles of possible 310 with my long range battery. Trust me this is plenty on 9 out of 10 days.
3. Trip or long range days I set the timer to begin charging to 100% at a time that will let me leave immediately after filling the battery - minimizing time spent at full charge. Another nice Tesla 'fine tuning' charge feature.
These rules I hope will make the TM3 my 'forever' car barring accident.
My ace in the hole - the TM3 battery warranty. 120,000 miles 8 years of at least 70% of new range. I know Tesla guaranteeing this in the LR battery for every owner (when many will not take the trouble to carefully charge) means they are confident in the TM3 packs ability to have low wear - which is backed up by the battery range loss stats in the youtube link above. Worst case in eight years I have a standard range TM3 but I believe based on my research at better than 90% range in ten years.
Battery sourcing, composition, and recycling
My research shows Tesla has really gone the distance to make the Model 3 pack the most advanced and environmentally friendly in the world. My grandkids may be using the pack in whole house backup and solar time shifting long after I'm gone. Tesla is committed to end of life recycling as well. As for manufacture the only rare earth - Cobalt in the battery has been reduced to less than 3 percent vs 20 percent in others. Here's the major components in the battery pack:
NCA Chemistry in new Tesla Model 3 batteries:
Cobalt by weight in battery - 10.6 lb / 4.5 kg see:
Lithium by weight in battery - still unknown. My (Glotfelty) 2012 Leaf was 6 lbs per 24kwh so a round guess 20 lbs or less? Contrary to BS by the oil shills, lithium is plentiful and can be mined economically, ethically, and environmentally soundly. See previous entries.
Graphite, Aluminum, Nickel, Steel, Copper, Plastic - all plentiful.
Just in case someone is selling you FUD on batteries so they keep you breathing exhaust, baking your world, and drowning you in ever more expensive oil and gasoline.
Finally - a real world example of Tesla excellent battery durability:
Model-X-300000-miles-2-years
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