The Biggest 3 Causes of Tesla Model S and Nissan LEAF Battery Capacity Loss

Yesterday, there was an interesting discussion, going on at Tesla Model S Owners group on Facebook, in which Model S owners were discussing the biggest causes of battery, and therefore, the range loss. So what is the biggest cause of battery loss anyway?

Ivan Jue comments.

"The biggest cause of capacity loss is time, recharging cycles, and heat. A well-designed thermal management system and chemistry make a big difference to prevent capacity loss in an EV battery. So far, most Model S batteries have held up. There are a few cases where there is some capacity loss, but it looks minimal compared to the early Nissan Leafs (which have no thermal management system).

"The Leaf batteries were especially vulnerable, given the volume of cells in the pack and no active cooling capability. Regen, fast charging, and high ambient temperatures all shorten the battery lives of many Leafs in warm/hot climates."

Some Tesla Model S owners say one of the ways to minimize battery degradation and range loss is for most EVs not to use quick charging unless necessary. However, Tesla actually says range loss from using its Supercharger network is negligible because Tesla haas a good thermal management.

Also See How To Optimally Charge Tesla Model S at Home and at Work: Efficient Charging While Away.