Quick answer: A Model 3 battery slowly loses capacity over the years, usually most in the first stretch and more gradually after that. In Australia the battery is covered for 8 years, with a kilometre limit that depends on the version, and Tesla guarantees at least 70% capacity during that time. The dashboard range is only an estimate, so the reliable way to know a used Model 3's battery condition is a state-of-health test.
The Model 3 is one of the most common used EVs on Melbourne roads, which means plenty of choice and plenty of cars with very different histories. Two cars of the same year can have batteries in quite different condition.
Which battery is in your Model 3?
There isn't one Model 3 battery. It depends on the version and where the car was built.
- Rear-wheel drive (RWD, earlier "Standard Range Plus"): many Australian cars were built in Shanghai with an LFP (lithium iron phosphate) battery. LFP is tough and handles being charged to 100% well. Tesla's guidance for LFP cars is to keep the charge limit at 100% and to charge to 100% at least once a week, which helps the car balance the cells and keep its range estimate accurate.
- Long Range and Performance: these use a nickel-based battery with more energy for the same size. They're happiest kept between about 20% and 80% day to day, with 100% saved for long trips.
The charging screen is a quick clue: on LFP cars the charge limit slider is marked 50% and 100%, while on the other versions it's marked "Daily" and "Trip".
What the Australian battery warranty covers
Tesla's battery and drive unit warranty in Australia runs for 8 years. The kilometre limit is 160,000 km for rear-wheel-drive versions and 192,000 km for Long Range and Performance versions, whichever comes first. During that period Tesla guarantees the battery keeps at least 70% of its original capacity.
The warranty starts from when the car was first delivered, not when you buy it second-hand. Check the first registration date, and check the exact terms for that car with Tesla, because the details depend on the version.
Why range alone doesn't tell you much
The range on the screen is a calculation based on the battery's estimated capacity, recent driving and temperature. It can move noticeably after a cold morning, a long highway run or a software update. A Model 3 that shows a lower range than you expect may have a healthy battery, and the reverse can also be true.
What wears a Model 3 battery
- Time and heat: batteries age faster when they sit hot and full for long periods, for example parked in the sun at 100% (this matters most for nickel-based batteries).
- Lots of fast charging: occasional DC fast charging is fine. Very frequent fast charging, especially in heat, adds wear.
- Kilometres: more charge cycles add up over time, though less than many people expect.
Buying a used Model 3: what to check
- First registration date and how much battery warranty is left
- Which version it is (RWD with LFP, or Long Range / Performance)
- How it was usually charged: home, work or mostly fast chargers
- Any battery or charging warnings on the screen
- Service history, including any high-voltage battery work
- An independent battery health report
How our battery health check works
We come to the car, at home, at work or at the seller's driveway anywhere within about 60 km of Melbourne's south-east. A diagnostic tool connects to the car and reads the battery's state of health, every cell group's voltage, module temperatures and stored battery fault codes. Nothing is opened up or changed. It takes about 45 minutes and you get a plain-English PDF report the same day.
It's $149 including GST, with nothing to pay upfront. Tell us the exact car when you book and we'll confirm what can be read for it before we come out.
EV Pitstop is an independent business and isn't affiliated with Tesla.