Two-Thirds Of Early Tesla Model S Drivetrains May Fail By 60K Miles

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Tesla Model S owners better hope that this article is wrong. Could you imagine having to replace the drivetrain on a Tesla after only sixty thousand miles?

Survey data collected by Plug-In America from current early-model Tesla Model S owners has predicted that up to two-thirds of early model electric-drive units may fail by 60,000 miles. If their predictions are even remotely accurate, that’s bad news. As reported by Green Car Reports, the sample data was run twice with the information they collected from early Model S owners.
 
60000? I do around 5000 a year so that would kind of work for me.
 
Tesla seems to be good about taking care of their customers, so I'd assume they'd replace them at no charge if it is truly a widespread problem.
 
Time2Kill said:
Until you go to resell it and it has no value because the next owner will need to replace it.
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Better to drive it 60,000 in 6 years and hopes that it breaks before the end of the 8 year warranty for the drivetrain.
 
I'm guessing Tesla will replace them when they fail. The iterate-fast (fast prototyping) approach often causes this to happen and it's usually in the companies best interest to handle it appropriately. The ModelS line had a ton of new designs to the drive-train including custom motors.

Plus, the drive-train in an electric vehicle sounds worse than it is. It's literally an electric motor or two. They don't have a ton of other components typical cars have, and this repair can probably be done in a matter of hours. As long as it's not the battery, I don't think Tesla will see it hit them too hard.
 
Spidey329 said:
I'm guessing Tesla will replace them when they fail. The iterate-fast (fast prototyping) approach often causes this to happen and it's usually in the companies best interest to handle it appropriately. The ModelS line had a ton of new designs to the drive-train including custom motors.

Plus, the drive-train in an electric vehicle sounds worse than it is. It's literally an electric motor or two. They don't have a ton of other components typical cars have, and this repair can probably be done in a matter of hours. As long as it's not the battery, I don't think Tesla will see it hit them too hard.
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This x1000. Direct drive motor in the wheels. Half a day tops.
 
The title is a bit click baity. Tesla says the earliest drive trains are less reliable than newer, no big surprise, I'm sure they are learning a lot about their own product. Also, an 8 year/125,000 Mile warranty is nothing to snuff at. The biggest thing we are missing is cost of replacement. I would not be surprised to hear that it is much cheaper than the costs associated with competing vehicles (engine/trans/fueling/etc.).
 
like to know what they expect to fail.. its a motor and a reduction gear are they counting the battery?
 
Even if it were the battery, cost aside, the labor to do it and physical time would be mere hours.
 
britjh22 said:
The title is a bit click baity. Tesla says the earliest drive trains are less reliable than newer, no big surprise, I'm sure they are learning a lot about their own product. Also, an 8 year/125,000 Mile warranty is nothing to snuff at. The biggest thing we are missing is cost of replacement. I would not be surprised to hear that it is much cheaper than the costs associated with competing vehicles (engine/trans/fueling/etc.).
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8 year/infinite mile warranty; FTFY

https://www.teslamotors.com/blog/infinite-mile-warranty
 
This article and headline are stupid. 2/3 of 350 something cars that were actually surveyed. Not only that but it doesn't even account for the actual reasons any service was done.
 
Glyphic said:
This article and headline are stupid. 2/3 of 350 something cars that were actually surveyed. Not only that but it doesn't even account for the actual reasons any service was done.
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That's a reasonably large sample. Large enough to confirm that the Model S's drive unit is much less reliable than practically any engine/transmission found on any other vehicle on the market today.

And besides there are only two reasons why the drive units are replaced, they have failed or have developed noises that are indicative of failure.
 
SLee said:
That's a reasonably large sample. Large enough to confirm that the Model S's drive unit is much less reliable than practically any engine/transmission found on any other vehicle on the market today.

And besides there are only two reasons why the drive units are replaced, they have failed or have developed noises that are indicative of failure.
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I think this statement isn't really that useful. From what I can tell the maintenance schedule for the Model S, where it relates to the actual drivetrain, is very minimal. Imagine getting 60,000 miles out of a Mercedes S Class without any direct maintenance on the engine/transmission, that would be a more useful discussion point. I'd love to see what the reliability is on a Mercedes V8 without any direct maintenance for 60,000 miles, I'm guessing it will be lower then the Tesla.

Also, with an electric engine, replacement is likely the most efficient method of repair/maintenace. Instead of having to chase down an issue, they just replace it (under warranty, and a fairly quick procedure), and likely send it back to the factory to be refurbished.
 
Someone did a web page comparing buying a model s to getting a Honda Odesssy van. http://www.teslacost.com/the-model

Turns out it was about 600 a year cheaper to get the Honda (and that was calculated at 4 dollars a gallon...given gas prices I am guessing it would be even more). That does not factor in the coolness of driving a model s versus a mini van...
 
Time2Kill said:
Until you go to resell it and it has no value because the next owner will need to replace it.
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Always owned a car till the end. Never sold one on. My last one wast worth about £400 by the time I traded it in for scrap with just 40000 on the clock.
 
lucidrenegade said:
Tesla seems to be good about taking care of their customers, so I'd assume they'd replace them at no charge if it is truly a widespread problem.
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What about the batteries that died wif you did not use the car for 3 months. When people learned about that tesla said in screw you at first. Then came the outrage and they backed down...Same could happen here
 
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