New Research on Electric Car Batteries: Tesla Model 3 with LFP Pack Outperforms Nickel Versions
New Research on Electric Car Batteries: Tesla Model 3 with LFP Pack Outperforms Nickel Versions
A new analysis conducted on nearly 10,000 tests of electric vehicle batteries highlights significant differences in the performance of the Tesla Model 3 based on the technology used for the battery pack. The study shows that the version equipped with lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells produced by CATL retains a higher residual capacity compared to the variants equipped with nickel chemistry batteries.
The research was conducted by the Swedish company Carla, specialized in the sale of used electric cars, which examined 9,954 checks performed between 2022 and 2026 using the AVILOO diagnostic system. Unlike estimates shown by the vehicle, this technology directly measures the actual state of health of the battery. The analysis focused on vehicles that had traveled over 100,000 kilometers, equivalent to about 62,000 miles.
In this scenario, the Tesla Model 3 with LFP battery recorded an average health of 93.3%. Versions with LG Chem batteries based on NMC chemistry achieved 91.5%, while the two Panasonic configurations with NCA technology stopped at 89.8% and 88.2% respectively. The difference between the best and worst configuration is about five percentage points, suggesting that LFP technology ensures superior capacity retention in the long term.
The Behavior of the Tesla Model 3 Varies According to the Battery Pack
According to the study, this behavior is consistent with the characteristics of lithium iron phosphate chemistry. Although these batteries offer lower energy density and a higher weight for the same capacity, they are more thermally stable and better withstand full 100% charges. In contrast, nickel batteries are typically charged up to 80-90% in daily use to limit wear.
The authors also emphasize that these results align with previous studies funded by Tesla and other independent analyses that had already highlighted the greater longevity of LFP batteries.
The overall ranking of the study sees Kia e-Niro and Hyundai Kona with a 64 kWh battery taking the top spots, both capable of maintaining over 97% of the average capacity after over 100,000 kilometers. All other twenty models analyzed also exceed 91%. Finally, the study also references data from Geotab, indicating that the average degradation of electric vehicle batteries is around 1.8% per year, a value that could allow batteries to remain operational for about twenty years.