- This 2021 Tesla Model 3 has racked up over 180,000 miles.
- It’s out of warranty, but it still has plenty of battery life left.
- As an affordable used daily driver, the Model 3 is hard to fault.
Like it or not, the Tesla Model 3 is one of the best used cars on the market right now. It’s practically the Apple iPhone of cars—not particularly groundbreaking, but it’s very efficient and cheap to run. And if you spend some time searching for a good one, you could land a great deal.
We have a comprehensive buyers guide on the Tesla Model 3 if you want to dig deeper, but right now let’s focus on the CarGurus video embedded below. It’s a great example of how a used, high-mileage Model 3 can work flawlessly as a relatively cheap daily commuter.
This particular EV is a 2021 Tesla Model 3 Long Range All-Wheel Drive, so it gets all the goodies that came with the 2021 facelift, including a slightly nicer interior with redesigned front door cards. But you’re not interested in that. You want to know about the mileage and battery degradation from this former Uber mobile.
The car racked up 180,000 miles in just four years due to its previous life as an Uber ride, so it’s no longer covered under warranty. It’s on its original battery though, and 90% of the original capacity still remains, according to a specialist EV company that did a battery health test. When new, the 2021 Tesla Model 3 Long Range AWD had a usable battery capacity of 75 kilowatt-hours. This particular example has 67.5 kWh left.
Per the independent battery health report, the new owner can expect a combined driving range of 249 miles. However, in the real world, the car can go upward of 300 miles on a warm day with some careful driving, while a cold winter day will slash that figure to roughly 230 miles, according to the new owner.
When new, the 2021 Model 3 Long Range AWD had an EPA-estimated range of 353 miles in the United States, but that was a bit optimistic. In our 70 mph highway range test, the car went 310 miles on a full charge.
Owning a used EV isn’t just about the battery, though. It’s also about how the car looks inside and how it has stood the test of time. On this front, the Model 3 is quite good. The fake leather seats look fine despite the car being used to ferry passengers every day. Overall, the interior is well-kept, but there are some rattles coming from the rear.
For a market value of around $16,000 (£12,000), there are few cars out there that can compete with the Model 3 in terms of performance, refinement and running costs.
