Are Teslas easily totaled? Read about the shocking truth behind the Tesla technology and the real quality of Tesla car manufacturing.
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Are Teslas Easily Totaled? The Shocking Truth Behind Tesla Technology
It’s easy to be bowled over by Tesla’s smart technology, incredibly reasonable prices and innovative car designs. And what’s more, Teslas are clean, green and energy-conserving. If we are all about sustainability, then a Tesla is a dream come true.
But wait. Are we being fooled? Is Tesla everything that it is marketed about? Are we really saving money and energy by buying a Tesla? By buying Tesla smart cars, are we being smart too? Or are we all falling into a large green-washed trap of lies, luxury and liabilities?
Are Teslas Easily Totaled?
‘Totaled’ is a slang word used to refer to severe car damage. It refers to an automobile that has been wrecked beyond repair. So in that sense, are Tesla cars easily damaged so much that it’s difficult to repair them? If that is the case, are Teslas worth the money at all?
The short answer is yes! Electric vehicle drivers may not want to hear this, but Tesla cars are easily totaled. I am not referring to the kind of damage that happens in a massive accident where the car gets crushed beyond repair. But I’m referring to those minor damages that can be easily repaired in an internal combustion car.
Why do Teslas get Totaled So Easily?
Driving around town in a flashy new Tesla supercar maybe your idea of cool. But most car mechanics will tell you that repairing a Tesla in case of damage is very difficult or even impossible in most cases.
You may think you are being smart by buying a Tesla because you are saving money otherwise spent on gas, but electric vehicle repair costs can be massive. This is because the Tesla technology is tremendously complex. It contains a multitude of sensors, cameras and custom body parts that align with its smart technology.
Its system is like a fragile construction of cards. One small tap gone wrong can disrupt the whole system. You really can’t find a Tesla that has been used well for decades. The award for long-lastingness and sturdiness easily goes to internal combustion cars. The complicated technology in Tesla cars makes them very difficult to repair when damaged.
Since repairing a Tesla is complicated, it costs more too. Insurance companies are increasingly declaring Teslas totaled in a car crash because paying to get them repaired, in most instances, is cheaper than getting a new one. This happens commonly, even if the car has suffered light superficial damage.
Tesla cars are being declared totaled and sent to scrap yards also because Tesla spare parts are highly specific. In addition, a Tesla can only be fixed by a Tesla service center or one of its approved body shops.
However, when a Tesla is declared totaled and sent to the scrap yard, most of its drivetrain can be salvaged and recycled. Tesla has also made many initiatives to reduce their scrap rate. But that is small consolation for Tesla drivers. When your entire car is totaled, there is little you can gain from selling your car for parts.
Another reason why Teslas are so easily totaled is their structural battery pack. Its batteries have zero reparability since they are closely integrated with the car’s body. Repairing the battery of a Tesla also costs more than it takes to buy one. And battery replacements are expensive. They cost as much as a new Tesla.
Did you know that according to Reuters, more than 120 Model Ys of the company that ‘totaled’ had fewer than 10,000 lifetime miles?
This high cost of repairing a Tesla also means a high insurance premium. Even the CEO Elon Musk acknowledged that the Tesla car insurance was ‘unreasonably high.’ Tesla did make some design changes in their vehicles to make repairs easier and made some spare parts more available, but that has not made a big difference in Teslas being totaled.
Tesla cars have been made cheaper, and they are now one of the cheapest cars in the market. But though sales rose briefly, people still do not see to dig the newly low prices. The cheap prices are also raising questions if the car is manufactured with cheap material.
So at the end of the day, owning a Tesla may be costing you more than an internal combustion car, inclusive of the number of times you have to pump gasoline. A gasoline car is easier to repair and does not get totaled so commonly.
And think of the increased energy that goes into manufacturing new cars every day, the materials wasted, and the global warming caused. Perhaps, driving a Tesla is not so much about sustainability after all.
Another reason why Tesla cars get totaled so easily is due to the monopoly of Tesla-approved body shops. Because there are only a few such centers across the state, these shops charge however much they like. If Tesla was easier with letting more mechanics repair their cars, car repair costs may be lower.
Most insurance companies use a basic formula to total Teslas. If the cost of repairing and the salvage value of the car is more than the cost of declaring it a loss, then it’s a loss. It’s often cheaper to total a car than to pay for repairs.
Tesla spare parts are difficult and expensive to replace because the company does not endorse the secondary parts market. So since Tesla spare parts come from Tesla, too, they are more expensive.
Learn here about what actions can void your Tesla car warranty.
Are Teslas Easily Totaled? Conclusion
Yes, insurers are increasingly declaring Teslas totaled even after minor damage. This is because repairing a Tesla is complicated and expensive. Its battery pack is unrepairable as its closely integrated with the car body. The car contains so many sensors, cameras and functions that make repairing it more difficult than totaling it and salvaging the remains.
Also read: Why are Teslas made so cheap?
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