Tesla battery warranty: coverage by model, and how it has changed

The Battery and Drive Unit Limited Warranty covers repair or replacement of a malfunctioning or defective battery or drive unit. Tesla may use new, reconditioned or remanufactured parts. When it replaces a battery, Tesla says the replacement will have at least the original pack's energy capacity before the failure, taking the car's age and mileage into account.

The warranty also covers damage to the vehicle from a battery fire, even one caused by driver error. It does not cover damage that existed before the fire, or a fire after the car was already totaled.[1][2]

Every current Tesla battery warranty guarantees at least 70% capacity retention over the warranty period. For a capacity claim, the replacement pack only has to be in a condition appropriate to the car's age and mileage and enough to meet the 70% minimum for the rest of the original warranty. Tesla also notes that the range estimate is an imperfect measure of capacity.

Gradual energy or power loss with time and use is not covered except as the 70% rule provides. Changes in battery performance from Tesla's own software updates are not covered either.[1]

The warranty excludes battery damage from collisions, flooding, direct flame (other than the covered battery-fire case), and servicing or opening the battery or drive unit by non-Tesla or non-certified personnel. It also excludes deliberate attempts, physical or through programming, to extend the battery's life beyond what Tesla allows or to shorten it. Problems caused by not following Tesla's battery-care and charging instructions are not covered.[1]

Tesla's warranty says a Model S or Model X bought before its effective date is covered by the battery warranty in force on the purchase date. The Cybertruck warranty says the same about delivery date. Tesla's annual filings show those terms have changed several times.

From fiscal 2015 through 2018, Tesla's 10-Ks describe an 8-year, infinite-mile battery and drive unit warranty for Model S and Model X that did not cover capacity loss. The fiscal 2019 10-K describes the 8-year, 150,000-mile warranty with 70% retention. Tesla's fiscal 2017 10-K adds that a used-vehicle limited warranty does not extend or alter the original battery and drive unit warranty.[1][2][5][6][7][8]

For model year 2026 and later, Tesla's warranties add ZEV Limited Warranties for vehicles in the U.S. and Canada. The Initial ZEV warranty applies only to California-certified cars registered in states that enforce California's rules. The set includes an 8-year or 100,000-mile Battery ZEV warranty covering defects that would push capacity below 70%. Tesla calls these minimum coverages set by regulation. They run alongside the longer Battery and Drive Unit warranty and do not replace it.[1][2]