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Ron Burch Chose a New Battery Over a New Model S

Ron Burch Chose a New Battery Over a New Model S

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About this episode

Ron Birch explains why he kept his 10-year-old 2016 Tesla Model S 85D and replaced its main battery instead of buying a newer car. He breaks down real-world degradation (about 245–250 miles down to ~230 at 90%), slower supercharging due to aging limits, and the cost comparison between Tesla and third parties. Tesla’s swap bumped him to a 90 kWh pack, added a structural upgrade, and came with a fresh warranty. Charging performance jumped from ~72 kW max to ~150 kW, and he reports no noticeable loss in acceleration.

Topics: battery replacement cost tesla model s 85d degradation supercharging speed limits with aging batteries tesla vs third-party battery swaps 90 kwh upgrade from 85 kwh pack battery swap warranty extension range and charging on long road trips regenerative braking and brake wear model s discontinuation and buying uncertainty battery recycling and lithium recovery
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Tesla Model

"...nd of hers and Steve's. And Ron has a 10-year-old Tesla Model S. And Ron decided to replace the battery in that..."
Car

Tesla Model S

"...hers and Steve's. And Ron has a 10-year-old Tesla Model S. And Ron decided to replace the battery in that M..."
Car

Tesla Model 3

"...t hour batteries in the new, like the Model Y and Model 3 is like 304. So, it's kind of interesting that th..."
Car

Dodge Charger

"... So, around the town, I'm just charging at my own charger at home. Okay, okay, that's cool."
Car

Toyota A90

"having those really quick acceleration times was because they had this bigger battery and they could source more current quickly. So going from an 85 to a 90 obviously is not a big deal. But then if the battery is a little bit heavier, then you have two things that are offsetting each"
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