Tesla has shipped four cell formats and four chemistries across its lineup since the original Roadster, and which one sits in your car decides almost everything about ownership: daily charge habits, expected degradation rate, warranty terms and out-of-warranty replacement cost. This is the one-page reference.

Cell formats and chemistries

Format Era Used in Chemistry Supplier
18650 (cylindrical, 18 × 65 mm) 2008–present Roadster, Model S, Model X NCA Panasonic
2170 (cylindrical, 21 × 70 mm) 2017–present Model 3, Model Y, Semi SR NCA / NMC Panasonic, CATL, LG ES
LFP prismatic (blade) 2021–present Model 3/Y base RWD LFP CATL
4680 (cylindrical, 46 × 80 mm) 2022–present Cybertruck, some Model Y, Semi LR NMCA Tesla in-house (Giga Texas)

Lithium-ion battery chemistries split along the cathode: NCA (nickel-cobalt-aluminium) and NMC (nickel-manganese-cobalt) push for energy density, while lithium iron phosphate (LFP) trades ~10% of that density for far better thermal stability, longer cycle life and lower cost. The IEA's Global EV Outlook 2024 treats NMC and LFP as the two principal EV chemistries today — LFP dominates the Chinese market, NMC/NCA still dominate Europe and the US.

Which battery is in your Tesla?

Model Variant Pack Cell Chemistry
Model S / Model X 2016–2025 75 / 90 / 100 kWh 18650 NCA
Model 3 Highland base RWD (2024–) ~60–66 kWh LFP prismatic LFP
Model 3 Highland LR / Performance ~78–82 kWh 2170 NMC / NCA
Model Y Juniper RWD (2025–) ~60–64 kWh LFP prismatic LFP
Model Y Juniper LR / AWD ~75–82 kWh 2170 NMC / NCA
Cybertruck AWD / Cyberbeast ~123 kWh 4680 "Cybercell" NMCA
Semi SR / LR 548 / 822 kWh 4680 NMCA

To check yours from the touchscreen: Controls → Software → Additional Vehicle Information → "High Voltage Battery type". Anything that names "Lithium Iron Phosphate" is an LFP pack; anything else is NCA/NMC family.

LFP vs NMC/NCA — the practical differences

Factor LFP NMC / NCA
Annual degradation (stabilised) ~1.0–1.5 % ~1.8–2.5 %
Cycle life 3,000–5,000 cycles 1,500–2,000 cycles
Daily charge target 100 % recommended 80 % recommended
Cold-weather range Drops sharply below 5 °C Holds up better
Thermal-runaway risk Very low (stable chemistry) Higher, especially NCA at a high state of charge
Energy density ~10 % less range per kg Higher
Factor LFP NMC / NCA
Peak DC fast-charging ~150–175 kW ~200–250 kW (Model Y Juniper LR hits 250 kW)
Peak / sustained discharge power Lower — caps acceleration in performance variants Higher — supports >500 kW pack output

That power-density advantage is why every Tesla performance variant — Model 3 Performance, Model Y Performance, Cybertruck Cyberbeast, the discontinued Model S Plaid — runs NCA / NMC / NMCA, never LFP. LFP's flat discharge curve and lower nominal cell voltage (≈3.2 V vs ≈3.7 V) make it durable and thermally calm, but the same characteristics cap the sustained current it can push into the motors. NMC also charges faster on DC peaks for the same reason. | Peak DC fast-charging | ~150–175 kW | ~200–250 kW (Model Y Juniper LR hits 250 kW) | | Peak / sustained discharge power | Lower — caps acceleration in performance variants | Higher — supports >500 kW pack output |

That power-density advantage is why every Tesla performance variant — Model 3 Performance, Model Y Performance, Cybertruck Cyberbeast, the discontinued Model S Plaid — runs NCA / NMC / NMCA, never LFP. LFP's flat discharge curve and lower nominal cell voltage (≈3.2 V vs ≈3.7 V) make it durable and thermally calm, but the same characteristics cap the sustained current it can push into the motors. NMC also charges faster on DC peaks for the same reason.

Tesla's 2023 Impact Report puts average Model 3/Y Long Range capacity loss at ~15 % over 200,000 miles — 85 % capacity retained. The Model S/X 18650 fleet does even better (~12 % loss in the 2022 report). One verified example clocked 380,000 miles on its original Model 3 LR pack.

For per-chemistry care advice, see our LFP charging longevity guide and NMC longevity guide.

For European owners

Most EU-market Model 3 and Model Y cars come out of Giga Berlin or Giga Shanghai, which means the base RWD trim is the CATL LFP prismatic pack and the LR/AWD trims are the CATL or LG ES NMC 2170. Tesla S/X were withdrawn from Europe in 2025; surviving EU examples remain on Panasonic NCA 18650. EU Teslas use a G48-equivalent glycol coolant — if a Tesla service centre tops up coolant, ask them to run the Service Mode coolant-bleed routine afterwards, as autopilot-ECU overheating from trapped air is the most common pack-adjacent fault on European Model S cars from 2018-2020.

Warranty and out-of-warranty replacement

The standard battery warranty across all current models is 8 years with a 70 % capacity floor (and a mileage cap of 100,000–150,000 mi depending on trim). Pre-2020 Model S/X had no capacity-floor clause — only outright failure was covered, not slow degradation.

Scenario Typical cost (USD, 2024–2026)
In-warranty defect or premature failure $0 (Tesla replaces under warranty)
Out-of-warranty Model S/X 18650 pack at Tesla SC $12,000–$20,000
Out-of-warranty Model 3/Y pack at Tesla SC $11,000–$18,000
Independent rebuild (18650 / 2170, specialist shops) 30–50 % off Tesla SC pricing

4680 structural packs (Cybertruck, Semi LR, some Model Y) cannot currently be repaired outside Tesla — the cells are bonded into the chassis. Plan budgets accordingly if buying a 4680-equipped car out of warranty.

Further reading

Wikipedia content used under CC BY-SA 4.0.