There is a Tesla on our roads that has traveled 700,000 MILES and is still running

Is one of your big concerns about switching to an electric car based on the fear that the batteries will need to be replaced after a short time due to degradation and at astronomical costs?

If so, it might give you some peace of mind to know that there are currently 309 Teslas in use in the UK with more than 200,000 miles on the odometer – and more than 5,300 have driven more than 100,000.

But this pales in comparison to what is considered the highest mileage example in Britain.

Official figures from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) show that there is a Model S on the road with almost 700,000 on the odometer.

This is based on mileage data recorded at the time of the MOT.

The British-registered Tesla, which covered 697,744 miles at its last annual check, has already driven the equivalent of a theoretical 28 times around the world, says LeaseLoco, which analyzed the DVSA statistics.

This is Money believes the high-mileage Model S is likely a taxi or private rental car used for airport rides, which explains its monumental use.

It’s a remarkable achievement considering Tesla only launched the Model S – its first mainstream EV – in Britain a decade ago, in the summer of 2014.

The car leasing website says there are five Model S Teslas on UK roads that have clocked up more than half a million miles.

The second most used Tesla – another Model S – has 564,860 miles on the odometer, DVSA data shows.

On a single charge, the latest version of the Model S has a range of up to 400 miles (depending on spec), assuming no deterioration over time.

Based on this range, the 700,000 Tesla owner would have charged at least 1,723 times since he bought the car.

However, earlier variants of the Model S offered a shorter range of approximately 455 miles, which meant many more connections to the power grid.

What is unclear from the DVSA data is whether the original batteries in these high-mileage Teslas have been replaced under warranty.

The American EV giant, controlled by Elon Musk, offers a battery and drive unit warranty of eight years or 100,000 to 150,000 miles, whichever comes first.

The warranty guarantees that the battery capacity will be at least 70 percent during the warranty period.

If the battery degrades more than 70 percent within the warranty period, Tesla will replace it with a battery that meets the 70 percent limit.

Musk tweeted in 2019 that a Tesla battery should last 300,000 to 500,000 kilometers.

If true, there are 54 Teslas in Britain with between 300,000 and 500,000 miles on the clock that may need a new battery, assuming the original unit hasn’t already been replaced.

Incredibly, five Teslas have exceeded Elon’s prediction if they haven’t yet had a battery replacement.

According to figures from the DVLA, more than 194,000 Tesla owners were registered to drive on British roads in the first quarter of 2024.

It means that 0.2 percent have more than 200,000 on the counter 2.8 percent have traveled more than 160,000 kilometers.

And it’s not just Model S Teslas that have racked up big miles.

There are 807 Model 3s in Britain, with more than 100,000 on the odometer, and 491 Model Xs.

Incredibly, given that there are fewer than 30 Tesla Roadsters registered in Britain, six of them have more than 62,000 miles on the odometer, according to DVSA data.

“The fact that a Tesla has driven 700,000 kilometers in the UK is testament to the sustainability and longevity of electric vehicles,” said John Wilmot, CEO of LeaseLoco.

‘It’s incredible to think that just ten years after the Model S first hit British roads, several Teslas have covered more than half a million miles. This milestone shows that with the right care and maintenance, EVs can go a long way, making an electric car a smart choice for those considering a new car.”

Wilmot adds that despite ongoing concerns about battery life, most electric car owners won’t have to worry about this well into the future.

However, he says there are still barriers preventing consumers from switching to electric cars.

“The most immediate problem is charging their electric cars while they’re on the road,” he told us.

‘EV owners not only have to deal with range anxiety: the fear that they will run out of power without finding a charging point in time.

‘They also experience charging anxiety: the uncertainty whether a charging station will be available and function when they need it.

‘If we want to see a mass transition to electric vehicles within the next decade, these concerns must be addressed.

‘Electric car owners need confidence that there will be enough reliable charging points to ensure they never run out of battery, and that these stations will be operational and available when they need them.’