- The Tesla Model 3 is one of the most popular electric cars in the world.
- It’s particularly popular among big city taxi drivers.
- This rear-wheel drive Model 3 Long Range used to be a taxi, and in just four years, it has racked up no fewer than 238,000 miles.
A recent Consumer Reports study found that used Tesla EVs are at the bottom of the list when it comes to reliability, but there’s some nuance there, and it’s important. CR said that cars made between 2016 and 2021 are the worst offenders, as Tesla was trying to ramp up production any way it could, including using assembly tents.
Starting in 2021, things improved significantly, and it’s clear as day when looking at the blue Model 3 showcased in the RSymons video embedded below. This humble 2021 Tesla Model 3 Long Range had a rough life as a taxi in the United Kingdom, and it racked up an impressive number of miles in just four years: 238,000, to be precise.
After so much abuse, any car would have some faults pop up, and this Tesla is no different. But the severity and costs to repair all the issues are undoubtedly much lower than on a comparable gas-powered car.
First things first, the ex-taxi Tesla still has its original high-voltage battery, original rear electric motor, original brakes, original bodywork and original windows. That’s mighty impressive, but it gets better still. Except for the steering wheel, which has seen better days and should probably be replaced sooner rather than later, the interior is in great shape after so many miles and passenger rides. The same goes for the bodywork.
Getting back to the big battery, it’s still going strong, with a reported 85.5% state of health, which practically means the car can achieve 85.5% of the range it had on its first day.
That’s all good news, but the repairs and maintenance costs are where things get interesting. So far, this Tesla Model 3 Long Range has never broken down, and most of the money was spent on normal maintenance items. It’s now on its seventh set of tires, which seems a bit daunting.
It had several bushes replaced, including the rear motor mounts, and the pedestrian warning sound speaker failed at 232,000 miles. In total, the car’s two owners have spent the equivalent of $7,566 (£5,603), including tires, wiper blades, cabin air filters, suspension components and labor.
That’s not really impressive, but the car makes up for the maintenance costs by saving money on fuel. In total, this Model 3 used 92.6 megawatt-hours of energy, with 28.2 MWh coming from regenerative braking alone. The car used 64,422 kilowatt-hours of payable electricity, and with the average price of $0.17/kWh in the United States, it means that it cost the equivalent of $10,951 to recharge. That’s $2,738 per year or $0.04/mile.
By comparison, a 2021 BMW 330i, which has an EPA-rated fuel economy of 30 mpg, would have needed roughly $29,353 in fuel alone, considering an average Premium gas price of $3.7/gallon. That’s a huge difference in fuel costs–even with the maintenance costs thrown in, the 238,000-mile Model 3 is still way ahead, with a total bill of $18,715. This number can, of course, go higher if DC fast chargers, which are more expensive, are used predominantly.
The fact that the Tesla Model 3 is very efficient helps a lot, with this particular car averaging an impressive 4.2 miles/kWh since February. But there you have it. You might not love Tesla as a brand–or its outspoken CEO–but there’s no denying that the cars it makes are hard to beat.
