Tesla Model S that clocked 430,000 miles gets range tested, reveals a 40-mile range loss in unfavourable driving conditions

Recently, the famous YouTube channel AutoTrader posted a video detailing a Tesla Model S which had covered almost a whopping 430k miles in its 8 years of life, without requiring a single battery replacement or a service of any kind. We covered the story in detail and promised to do the same for any further updates to the story. Now, AutoTrader has posted a follow-up to that video, where presenter Rory took the vehicle off of its owner Paul's hands and range tested it to quantify any range loss.

Before we get into the actual test, however, it is important for us to note that EVs, technically speaking, are not as efficient as ICEs on highways. This is mostly because electric vehicles perform better when driven with frequent stops while making use of regenerative braking as opposed to sustained high speeds, similar to what is expected on highways. Keeping this in mind, the driving conditions that we are about to witness below were far from ideal for maximizing the range. Further, Rory's driving style was self-admittedly more brisk than that of the owner's, impacting the results even more.

The journey began in Richmond, North Yorkshire with a destination set for a potential test center in central Bedfordshire - a distance of nearly 200 miles, most of which is on motorways (highways in the UK). With the trip meter set to zero and the destination fed into the Model S's sat nav, Rory started his drive as he normally would, including frequent use of the heater and overtaking wherever necessary. For the initial phase of the journey, the 430k mileage Tesla exhibited an efficiency of 3.5 miles/kWh - an admirable number despite the ridiculous mileage on the original battery.

However, as luck would have it, things soon took a turn for the worse as the weather got colder and it started to rain. Owing to these circumstances, the efficiency plummeted, requiring a precautionary stop at a Tesla Supercharger. Despite the Model S indicating a mile of remaining range, it lost power just a few meters from the charger. With some much-needed assistance from a fellow Tesla owner as well as a few others, the car was pushed to the charger and successfully connected without issues.

In the end, the 8-year-old Model S covered a decent distance of around 186.8 miles - a good chunk below of what was initially expected based on Paul's testimony, mostly owing to the rather unfavorable weather conditions, increased air-con usage, and Rory's not-so-economical driving.

Compared to the 2016 Model S P90D's originally tested range of around 288 miles (214 in cold weather), a net range reduction of around 40 miles was detected. This sizeable reduction is most likely due to the car's age, with almost half a million miles (with zero services, mind you) on the original battery, and the testing conditions and driving style certainly did no favors towards squeezing out a few more miles from the Tesla.

However, with the car having clocked as many miles as it has, the fact that it still managed to boast a respectable range is an obvious testimony to the reliability and durability that we can expect from EVs. An ICE car with that much on the odometer and zero services would've broken down at least once or twice, but the Tesla Model S proved its might in that regard. AutoTrader's Rory will be conducting several other tests, which will be posted as part of an ongoing series, so keep an eye out, as we will be sure to cover those as well.

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