[eyesee]

My Model 3 hit some road debris a couple years ago. It damaged the coolant line connector heading into the battery. Tesla replaced the entire battery for ~$15k, which probably could have been a $700 repair like that mentioned in the video.

That said, my insurance covered the cost without a problem and I had my car back in 4 days. I don't know if they took possession of the original battery or negotiated a different rate, but it sounds like Tesla makes bank on this kind of repair. $15k for a new battery pack, a quick turnaround from their service center, and someone gets the old pack which in all likelihood was perfectly fine.

There aren't a lot of shops that know how to repair a battery pack (in most of the country anyway). With less than 2% of cars on the road being EVs that's not surprising, but as more are sold you'll see more come about. The insurance companies will be very motivated to reduce these kinds of claims, and with real competition Tesla will no longer be able to justify the practice.

[bluedino]

Your insurance covered the $15k battery? What does that do to your rates? How much is it to insure one of those cars?

[eyesee]

Surprisingly my rate was not effected (around $1200/yr), though I have been a customer for more than 20 years without a claim.

[r00fus]

Yes. No way that doesn't impact your future premium.

[obenn]

In Ontario it is regulation to be able to obtain any of your car parts that got replaced, I wonder if it’s possible to request the old battery…

[brigade]

The $15k is after a "core charge" of ~$10k (iirc)

(aka at least in the US they can basically charge whatever they want extra if you demand your old parts)

[mikestew]

That's because the old parts are worth money. Check how much extra they want if you request your old tires after getting new ones. Hey, they took money off! Because folks might want your old batteries but they sure as hell don't want your old tires.

[_ea1k]

It generally is, but in this case the insurance paid for it. I'd think they would be the ones that could do that.

[asdff]

At some point this is going to automatically cannibalize the used market once used teslas are ~$20000 and fill it with cars with replaced batteries and salvaged titles.