A European electric car battery repair shop has warned that some Chinese battery packs in popular Tesla models cannot withstand rigorous use.
What happened?
EV Clinic reports that Model 3 and Y vehicles equipped with LG NCM811 batteries from LGES’ Nanjing factory have “extremely high failure rates.” The report notes that while Chinese-made batteries are often touted as “the best,” this claim has “never been proven in real-world practice.”
It compared these cells to American Panasonic NCA battery packs, which lasted significantly longer and even had a better base to begin with. EV Clinic said most of the LG models it tested had multiple irreparable battery failures. This occurs after approximately 250,000 kilometers (155,343 miles) of use. Single battery failure on Panasonic models is repairable after 400,000 kilometers (248,548 miles).
EV Clinic says: “For reference, a healthy Panasonic battery typically shows around 10 milliohms, while a new LG Nanjing battery starts with a resistance of around 28 milliohms. A failed Panasonic battery reached around 28 milliohms, which is what the LG battery measured when it was new.”
In conversations about the news on social platform The relevant part number is 17000012-00-B.
The company added that it had tested more than 40 units in three stores and that because the first battery pack produced by Tesla was such a “disaster,” “failure rates will be higher” over the next two years.
Why is this important?
This is certainly unwelcome information for anyone who owns an electric car that uses LG batteries. While electric vehicles save drivers money by eliminating gas costs and reducing maintenance requirements, they can also give potential buyers pause. While electric vehicles come with battery warranties, no one wants to go through the hassle of replacing such an important part relatively soon after purchasing the vehicle.
South Korea-based LG has a history of similar issues. In 2021, the company paid General Motors $1.9 billion over defective batteries in the Chevrolet Bolt. This year, it also recalled 500,000 stoves, also because of fire risks.
What are these batteries doing?
Croatia-based EV Clinic said in the report that the best lithium-ion batteries are produced in the United States and Europe, including Panasonic, LG Chem and Samsung SDI. It noted that customers can get a maintenance inspection for 1,200 euros ($1,412), while repairs cost 5,500 euros ($6,473). It recommends replacing old Panasonic batteries as the best solution for the failed battery pack, which costs €8,000 ($9,415).
On the
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Others pointed out that Chinese batteries are reminiscent of domestic manufacturers such as CATL and BYD, rather than LG. “BYD Blade battery packs demonstrated superiority in Model Y manufactured by Giga Berlin,” they wrote.
Another X user wrote: “People will blame LG, but Tesla is the culprit. They knew exactly what they were ordering. If Apple had a failure rate like this or lower quality, they would stop production almost immediately.”
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