To compensate for the power lost by a lack of gasoline or diesel, electric vehicles use large, lithium-ion powered battery packs, usually placed underneath the floor of the car to power its motors. This can leave many to wonder how much the batteries weigh in Tesla’s range of cars.
Tesla batteries weigh between 1060 lbs (480 kg) and 1200 lbs (540 kg), with the heaviest belonging to the Model S, which has the longest range of all the Tesla models. The Tesla Model 3 has the lightest battery and the shortest range. Batteries are the heaviest components in Tesla cars.
While the obvious conclusion to make would be that the larger the battery, the longer the car’s range, other factors such as battery capacity must also be considered. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the weights of Tesla batteries and compare them to some other manufacturers.
Tesla Battery Weight By Model
Model | Battery Weight | Car Weight | Capacity | Charging Time (Home Charger) | Charging Time (Tesla Supercharger) | Range |
Model S | 1200 lbs / 544 kg | 4561 lbs / 2069 kg | 100 kWh | 8.7 hours | 40 minutes | 405 miles / 652 km |
Model 3 | 1060 lbs / 481 kg | 3805 lbs / 1726 kg | 50 kWh | 4.3 hours | 20 minutes | 272 miles / 438 km |
Model X | 1183 lbs / 537 kg | 5185 lbs / 2352 kg | 100 kWh | 8.7 hours | 40 minutes | 295 miles / 475 km |
Model Y | 1168 lbs / 530 kg | 4255 lbs / 1930 kg | 82 kWh | 6.5 hours | 30 minutes | 330 miles / 531 km |
The size and weight of Tesla batteries varies depending on the model of the car. The heaviest battery in Tesla’s lineup is in the Model S, which is also the car with the longest range. Unfortunately, there is little information regarding the battery weight of Tesla’s Plaid, Long Range and Performance models, but it can be assumed that the increase in car weight means an increase in battery weight.
The lightest battery belongs to the Model 3, which has the shortest range of the lot, giving some idea of the correlation between battery weight and the range of the cars. The Model 3 is also the lightest car out of the Tesla range, and the most popular electric vehicle in the world.
How Much Does A Tesla Model S Battery Weigh?
A Tesla Model S battery weighs around 1200 lbs (2250 kg), and the battery pack is the heaviest single component in the car. It is also the heaviest battery used in any of the 4 main Tesla models. The Model S also has the highest battery capacity in the standard Tesla range, taking it to 405 miles.
Some of the batteries for Model S cars are made in-house by Tesla, while some are made externally, in partnership with electronics company Panasonic. A lot of the weight of the battery comes from the metal combinations used to create it, with aluminum, nickel, and cobalt all used as part of the manufacturing process. The Model S’ battery is the heaviest Tesla battery and has the longest range.
KEY FACT: The Tesla Model S battery makes up almost 28% of the car’s weight
The Model S Plaid, an alternative version of the car, contains a slightly lighter, updated battery pack which has reduced the number of modules from 16 to 5. It is also more energy-dense than the previous Model S battery. It is the same battery system that is used in the Model X and Y.
How Much Does A Tesla Model 3 Battery Weigh?
The Tesla Model 3 battery weighs 1060 lbs (481 kg). This makes it the lightest battery in the main Tesla range, with the lowest battery capacity at 50 kWh. This means the range is also lower than in other models, with the ability to travel 272 miles (438 km) when fully charged.
The Model 3 is the lightest of the main Tesla models, weighing 3806 lbs (1726 kg), meaning that the battery makes up for over a quarter of the car’s overall weight. The performance and long-range versions of the Model 3 weigh 4072 lbs (1847 kg), and with 15 kWh of extra battery capacity, both have a longer range. Unfortunately, the exact battery weight of these two models are unknown.
It would be fair to assume that, with added battery capacity and added car weight, that the batteries in both the performance and long-range models would be slightly heavier than the battery in the standard Tesla Model 3.
How Much Does A Tesla Model X Battery Weigh?
The Tesla Model X’s battery weighs 1183 lbs (537 kg), and the weight of the car is 5185 lbs (2182 kg). This means that the battery in the Model X takes up less of a proportion of the overall car’s weight than that of the Tesla Model 3 and Model S.
KEY FACT: The Tesla Model X’s battery weighs 17 lbs (8 kg) less than the battery in the Model S, despite the X being the largest and heaviest model in the range
This partly explains the Model X’s lower range than the Model S, as it can travel 295 miles (475 km) on a full battery, compared to the 405 miles/650 km of the Model S. The car being heavier and somewhat chunkier also plays a part in this decreased range.
The slightly heavier Model X Plaid has a longer range of 333 miles (536 km), which lends to the theory that once again Tesla have implemented a heavier, energy-boosted battery into the Plaid edition of the car.
How Much Does A Tesla Model Y Battery Weigh?
The Tesla Model Y’s battery weighs 1168 lbs (530 kg). Although it is classed as an SUV, the Model Y is a smaller car than the Model X, and therefore has a smaller battery. In fact, the Tesla Model Y is 12% lighter than the average SUV, which is surprising considering it is an electric vehicle.
The Model Y’s fairly average battery weight correlates with its range of 330 miles (531 km), which is impressive, but not close to the range achievable in the Model S. However, the range of the Model Y ranks well when compared to other brands of electric SUVs. The Performance edition of the Model Y has a reduced range of 303 miles (488 km) but makes up for it with its increased speed.
Does A Fully Charged Tesla Battery Weigh More?
A fully charged Tesla will weigh around 4 nanograms more than a Tesla with a drained battery. This won’t be noticeable at all and won’t take away any acceleration power or top speed from the car. This is one of the main differences between electric vehicles and standard fuel-powered vehicles.
A gallon of gasoline weighs around 6 lbs (2.7 kg), and as most cars can hold around 12-16 gallons of fuel, having a full tank will add a substantial amount of weight to a car – 100 lbs or more in some cases (45 kg). This will not only slow the car down slightly, but also reduce the mileage, as the car must carry around a heavier weight (although this is a minor effect that decreases as fuel is used).
Thankfully, Tesla owners don’t have to worry about this added weight, as four nanograms is the equivalent of 0.000000004 grams. To put this into perspective, a standard sized paperclip weighs one gram, a grain of rice weighs around 0.03 grams, and a feather weighs around 0.008 grams. So, while a fully charged Tesla battery does weigh more, the difference is so slight it is not noticeable!
Are Tesla Batteries Heavier Than Other Electric Cars?
Model | Battery Weight (lbs) | Range |
GMC Hummer EV | 2923 lbs / 1326 kg | 329 miles / 529 km |
Audi E-Tron | 1543 lbs / 700 kg | 225 miles / 362 km |
Porsche Taycan | 1389 lbs / 630 kg | 300 miles / 483 km |
Jaguar I-Pace | 1344 lbs / 610 kg | 292 miles / 470 km |
BMW i4 | 1212 lbs / 550 kg | 318 miles / 512 km |
Tesla Model S | 1200 lbs / 544 kg | 405 miles / 652 km |
Tesla Model X | 1183 lbs / 537 kg | 295 miles / 475 km |
Tesla Model Y | 1168 lbs / 530 kg | 330 miles / 531 km |
Volkswagen ID.4 | 1086 lbs / 493 kg | 175 miles / 282 km |
Ford Mustang Mach-E | 1069 lbs / 485 kg | 273 miles / 117 km |
Tesla Model 3 | 1060 lbs / 481 kg | 272 miles / 438 km |
KIA EV6 | 1052 lbs / 477 kg | 316 miles / 508 km |
Hyundai Ioniq 5 | 992 lbs / 450 kg | 238 miles / 383 km |
Mini Electric | 572 lbs / 259 kg | 145 miles / 233 km |
Tesla batteries fall in the middle ground of electric vehicle battery weights. The average weight for an electric vehicle battery is around 1000 lbs (450 kg), with some electric vehicles, such as the GMC Hummer EV, containing mammoth-sized batteries weighing almost 3000 lbs (1360 kg). The Hummer is a definite outlier however, as it is built with its gigantic size in mind, unlike most modern EVs.
Battery Weight & Range
Battery weight doesn’t always correlate to the car having a higher range, with the Audi E-Tron having a substantially sized battery weighing in at 1543 lbs (700 kg) but having a lower range than the Tesla Model S, despite the latter’s lighter battery. One of the lightest batteries in any electric vehicle belongs to the Mini Electric, weighing just 572 lbs (259 kg).
This is a situation similar to that of the Hummer, as the Mini has been built with its compact size in mind and has less room for battery storage than the larger Tesla models. The lightest Tesla battery is in the Model 3, which at 1060 lbs (481 kg), falls almost dead on the average battery weight for electric vehicles. Despite it having the lightest battery, it has an impressive range of 358 miles.
It seems that the more luxurious brands such as Jaguar, Audi and Porsche have gone with heavier batteries to power their cars, with their main electric models’ batteries all weighing substantially above the average EV battery weight. In the electric vehicle world, Tesla can be placed in the luxurious category, although their batteries aren’t as heavy as the ones in the previously mentioned models.
Tesla Battery Weight Compared To Normal Car Battery
Average weight of a Tesla battery: 1152 lbs / 522 kg
Average weight of a normal car battery: 41 lbs / 18 kg
The difference in weight between a Tesla battery and a normal car battery is astronomical, mainly because of the different uses that they have. A Tesla battery powers the motor(s) throughout the journey as well as performing technical functions. A standard car battery is responsible for starting the car as well as functions like activating windshield wipers and lights.
While a Tesla’s battery is responsible for the actual running of the car, that is left mainly to the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) in a normal car. Tesla batteries must be large in order store enough energy to supply drivers with a long range. They are usually placed flat along the floor of the car, whereas you can fit a standard car battery under the hood next to the engine.
Most standard ICEs weigh between 300 to 700 lbs (140 to 320 kg). This is still a lot lighter than Tesla batteries, despite the intricacy of car engines and the role that they play in moving the car along. Electric cars have a long way to go before the batteries begin to weigh even close to the same as their combustion engine counterparts.
Final Thoughts
Tesla batteries weigh between 1060 lbs (480 kg) and 1200 lbs (540 kg). As with most electric vehicles, the batteries in Teslas are the heaviest components in the cars, as they must be in order to provide enough range. Compared to other electric vehicles, Teslas have average sized batteries.