As the owner of a Tesla Model S in my fleet, I was surprised when my car suddenly started indicating a serious battery fault. According to Tesla, the entire battery had to be replaced – an operation that would cost me 15,000 euros. However, I thought that amount was excessive, so I decided to find a solution myself.

The Diagnosis at Tesla

When I took my Model S to Tesla, their conclusion was clear: the battery was “defective” and needed to be completely replaced. The price tag? A staggering $15,000. In an electric car, the battery is indeed the central component, and I understood that repairs could be complex, but this solution sounded far too drastic to me. Especially when you know that a battery pack is a composite of many battery cells and that when a diesel pump fails, you don’t install a completely new diesel engine either.

Seeking Alternatives

I decided to look for experts in my network who specifically specialize in battery technology. It seemed strong to me that the entire battery was really defective. Perhaps a repair could still be possible. Eventually, I found a Wim Verbakel – specialized battery expert who was willing to investigate the matter further. Their approach? Using Tesla’s computer diagnostics, they were able to determine very accurately exactly which parts were causing problems. All work was carried out in Rob Truyens’ garage at www.hassotech.com.

Based on what they were able to read, the cells are still fine. The remaining capacities range between 209 and 213 Ah per brick. That means the battery still has a capacity of 89.7% over the theoretical new capacity. Not bad for a 10-year-old Tesla. The important thing is that the degradation between bricks is even, and that is the case here. Uneven degradation indicates problems with certain cells.

The Actual Solution: Do not replace any battery cell

To my relief, their diagnosis confirmed my suspicions: the entire battery was not defective! Instead, only the readings of one or two cells within the battery pack were problematic. By identifying these specific cells, they were able to take targeted action. After removing the battery, they looked exclusively at the defective cells. The result was amazing, the cells were actually ok, but the electronics to measure the cells were slightly damaged. The green circuit board was replaced and the car functioned like new again, without having to replace the entire battery.

Cost and Result

The best news? Instead of $15,000 for a full replacement, this precise repair cost only $2,000. By replacing only the defective card, we returned the car to optimal condition – at a fraction of the cost Tesla initially charged. Moreover, the specialist gave a one-year warranty on the repaired parts, providing additional security and underscoring the quality of the repair. If batteries would have had to be replaced, the cost would have been higher by about 2000 EUR, still far below Tesla’s estimated costs, which were also excluding transportation. We had the car towed to Hasselt and back within the price.

An Important Lesson for Used Electric Vehicle Buyers

I would like to share this experience to inform people about what is possible with used electric vehicles. It is often thought that a battery problem in an EV means the end of the car, or that a used electric car is too expensive to maintain. But just as with a diesel or gasoline car, where you wouldn’t immediately install a new engine block when a turbo or injector fails, with an electric car you can often repair only the problem area as well. By replacing only the faulty cells, the cost is manageable.

Conclusion: Always Investigate the Possibilities First

My advice? Research alternatives and don’t always be put off by high replacement costs for battery problems. Look for reliable battery experts and ask for a detailed analysis. That way you can save yourself a lot of costs and a used electric car remains an attractive, affordable choice.

This article should clearly inform readers about affordable battery repair options and reassure them about buying a used electric car!

Naam(Required)
Enter the employer's VAT number in the format: "BE 0123.456.789"
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
This field is hidden when viewing the form

Next Steps: Sync an Email Add-On

To get the most out of your form, we suggest that you sync this form with an email add-on. To learn more about your email add-on options, visit the following page (https://www.gravityforms.com/the-8-best-email-plugins-for-wordpress-in-2020/). Important: Delete this tip before you publish the form.
Name(Required)
Privacy(Required)
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
scroll to top