A European electric vehicle battery repair shop has warned that some Chinese packs for Tesla’s popular models may not stand up to the rigors of use.
what’s going on
EV Clinic reports that Model 3 and Y vehicles with LG NCM811 batteries from the LGES Nanjing factory “show extremely high failure rates.” It noted that cells made in China are often touted as “superior,” a claim “that has never been confirmed in real-world practice.”
It compared the batteries to American Panasonic NCA packs, which last significantly longer and also start their life on a good footing. EV Clinic said most of the LG models it tested had multiple cell failures that were not repairable. It lasts about 250,000 km (155,343 mi) in use. Panasonic models show repairable single-cell failures after 400,000 km (248,548 mi).
“For reference, a healthy Panasonic cell typically shows ~10 megohms, while a new LG Nanjing cell starts at about 28 mΩ. A failed Panasonic cell reaches ~28 mΩ, which is what LG cells measure when new,” EV Clinic said.
In conversations about the news on social platform X, users wondered if their EVs had “bad” batteries and how many makes and models were affected. The part number in question is 17000012-00-B.
The company added that it has tested more than 40 units in three stores and that the “failure rate will be even higher” over the next two years because Tesla’s first production pack was such a “disaster.”
Why is this important?
This is, of course, unnecessary information for people with EVs with LG batteries. It may also give potential buyers pause, even though EVs save drivers money by lowering gas costs and reducing maintenance needs. While EVs feature a battery warranty, no one wants to go through the hassle of replacing such an important component right after buying a vehicle.
LG, which is based in South Korea, has a history of similar problems. In 2021, it had to pay General Motors $1.9 billion for defective batteries in the Chevrolet Bolt. This year, it also recalled half a million stoves due to fire risks.
What is going on with these batteries?
In its report, the Croatia-based EV Clinic named Panasonic, LG Chem, and Samsung SDI as the best lithium-ion cells made in the United States and Europe. It noted that customers can get a repair check for 1,200 euros ($1,412), while repairs will cost 5,500 euros ($6,473). It recommended swapping in a used Panasonic battery as the optimal solution for the faulty pack, which costs 8,000 euros ($9,415).
At X, several people asked the institute for details, one asking: “How can you drop such a bombshell and not explain with extreme precision which cars (model, version, year and factory) are concerned? Every 3/Y long range and perf owners are now concerned and we don’t know which battery pack to help us understand.”
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Someone else pointed out that Chinese batteries bring to mind domestic manufacturers like CATL and BYD rather than LG. “The BYD Blade Battery Pack Giga is featured prominently in the Berlin-built Model Ys,” they wrote.
Another X user wrote: “People will blame LG when it deserves the Tesla hate. They know what they are ordering. If Apple has the same failure rate or low quality, they will cut it immediately.”
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