Are Tesla Parts Expensive?

Last Updated on January 7, 2023 by Leepu Da Maxim

Whether Tesla parts are expensive or not totally depends on the type of Tesla parts you need and where you get them. For example, if you require a battery pack or electric motor then it will cost you between $5,000 and $7,000.

Key Takeaways

• Tesla is renowned for using higher quality, more expensive materials and it is one of the main reasons Tesla parts are expensive
• The exact cost of the battery pack, electric motor, and other parts will depend on the specific Tesla model you own
• “Manufacturing Limitations” is one of the main drawbacks of Tesla vehicles

Most Expensive Parts In Tesla

Why Are The Parts Of A Tesla Expensive?

Here, we can mention a set of reasons why the parts of Tesla are really expensive. Of course, it is necessary to mention that the maintenance and replacement costs of some parts do not require much money. The budget needed for this can be even less compared to other internal combustion engine vehicles.

However, the money needed to replace some parts is not the same as when it comes to major repairs. So, in the event of a crash or traffic accident, the money needed for Tesla parts could increase too much. Here, we can mention the main reasons why it takes a lot of money to buy the parts for these electric vehicles.

1. Aluminum Parts

Sometimes aluminum parts are incorporated into most Tesla vehicles, such as the Model S. Of course, aluminum is one of the most chosen metals because of its great qualities. This metal can provide a high level of hardness, flexibility, and lightweight at the same time. However, it can also be a little expensive to have this type of part.

2. Tesla Exclusive Parts

Of course, Tesla cars are known for their great variety of high-tech components and parts. All of these components are necessary to optimize the driving ability that people enjoy in the car’s cabin. This great technology is due to the constant research and development that Tesla continues to encourage.

So, this allows for a large number of electronic parts and components to be manufactured only by this company. The owners of these vehicles will not find other factories or companies dedicated to the production of these components. Therefore, the low competition from these parts allows costs to increase considerably today.

3. Low Production Capacity

Today Tesla has waiting lists to deliver various models of vehicles to their new owners. As we have mentioned, this is mainly due to the low production capacity that still limits Tesla’s development.

Similarly, this not only limits the manufacture of vehicles, but also the manufacture of new parts. Therefore, limited productivity is one of the factors that allow the increase of the costs of the parts.

So, the services of third parties and their own spare parts industry are not big enough to achieve a decrease in production costs. Of course, this manufacturer is constantly developing and growing. These limitations have not succeeded in slowing down or decreasing the demand for Tesla vehicles. This is a major disadvantage that even owners must face.

4. A Large Number Of Guarantees

In these times, many relatively new Tesla vehicles are driving on various roads. Even the vast majority of these vehicle owners have different types of warranties. So, in these cases, the purchase of parts and repairs for these electric vehicles are covered by these warranties. Of course, this also influences the costs of parts and services.

In this sense, few people require service and parts and do not have a warranty at the same time. So, this small number of people is insufficient for a decrease in the costs of services and parts. However, the number of Tesla vehicle owners is constantly growing. So we can expect a decrease in parts costs in the coming years.

5. Fewer Used Cars

As with warranties, something similar happens with used cars. The vast majority of Tesla vehicles have very few years of use. Of course, this is mainly because Tesla is a relatively new company compared to the other traditional manufacturers in the automotive industry. Logically, this allows for a very small amount of used Tesla cars.

Thus, this in turn produces a very low possibility of salvaging the parts of some Tesla vehicles that are no longer useful. So, this helps to create a greater shortage of new parts needed when a traffic accident occurs. In a large number of cases, owners have no choice but to wait for the parts to be manufactured by the Tesla company. 

6. Lack Of Balance Between Services And Parts

One more is important to consider is the excessive demand for Tesla vehicles compared to the company’s production capacity. Therefore, it has not yet been possible to reach a balance between services and parts for these vehicles. This makes costs in general increase, and these cars are not as profitable as one might expect.

Beyond that, the quality of Model 3 manufacturing and construction is still expected to improve. This would be very useful, as it is one of the most popular Tesla vehicles of these times.

Therefore, a higher quality of this vehicle would allow for a reduction in mechanical failures and damage to this car. Of course, this is an excellent factor in decreasing the demand for spare parts and related services. 

What Are Tesla’s Weaknesses?

Beyond the high costs of Tesla parts, it is necessary to consider other weaknesses of this company. Many SWOT analyses identify the causes of limitations or damage to Tesla’s performance. In particular, these main weaknesses are those that decrease business growth as well as competitiveness within the automotive industry market.

1. Manufacturing Limitations

As we have mentioned, Tesla still faces too many limits on the productivity he has been able to achieve. Even there, production risk is combined with mechanical complications when innovation is the standard.

In general, this company continues to face continuous launches with delays. These delays are also found in manufacturing and on the production ramp.

Before launching the Model X SUV, I encountered several manufacturing problems. This is why once again, this vehicle also experienced various delays in delivery of these vehicles. A similar situation occurred in the manufacturing of the battery module assembly line of this vehicle in gigafactory 1. 

2. Lack Of Productivity To Satisfy All The Demand

For some time now, Tesla has been facing a great imbalance between supply and demand for its vehicles. On many occasions, experts mention that this unbalanced situation cannot be maintained for long without any negative consequences. Therefore, Tesla will have to go in search of an increase in productivity and supply for the growing demand.

In the first quarter of 2019, this company was able to deliver only 63,000 vehicles. Compared to the last quarter of 2018, this figure is 30% fewer vehicles distributed.

Thus, at some point, this imbalance between supply and demand could cause demand to decrease in several parts of the world. To date, the high demand has been a great incentive for Tesla’s constant growth.

3. Without High Volume Production

Of course, the energy savings of Tesla vehicles is the main innovation within the automotive industry. Beyond that, the production of large volumes of cars is not yet an achievement that this company has achieved. None of its models have been produced on a large scale. Although a factory is under development in the United States, this is far from complete.

In turn, this company has committed to manufacturing the Model 3 vehicle in large quantities. So, this could further damage the company’s production capacity. This could lead to problems with management resources and production costs. In other words, this could also affect the expansion of space in gigafactory 1 due to limited tesla resources.

4. Low Amount Of Batteries

One of the reasons for the decrease in the production of some tesla vehicles has been a lower supply of batteries. CEO Elon Musk mentioned at an annual shareholders meeting that the production rate was being affected by the low supply of batteries. Of course, this mainly affected energy storage systems as well as electric vehicle sales these days.

5. Limited Tesla Representation

Finally, we can mention another of the weaknesses of this company the exclusive and limited representation that it has. In particular, this is the representation that only Elon Musk can offer to the whole company. Here, a large number of experienced businessmen ensure that this is too big a company to be represented by only one man.

Beyond that, this same entrepreneur is also very much involved in other important projects. Some of them are the space launch vehicles at The Boring Company and Space Exploration Technologies. Even among these projects, this man is determined to start the definitive conquest of the planet Mars. Of course, this is not a light project that can require little effort.

In any case, Tesla continues to be one of the most innovative companies in the automotive industry. That is why we can continue to expect great technological developments that will improve any driver’s experience. 

References:

https://jalopnik.com/advisor/tesla-maintenance-cost/

https://www.motor1.com/reviews/406938/tesla-maintenance-cost/

Leepu Da Maxim

Hi, I’m Leepu Da Maxim, a dedicated car enthusiast with over 10 years of experience in this field, and I’m thrilled to share my passion and expertise with fellow car enthusiasts like you. My journey began in my hometown West Jordan, Utah, where my fascination with the mechanics and design of cars sparked at a young age. Over the years, this passion has evolved into a commitment to providing accurate, insightful, and engaging information about all things automotive through CarsAmazing.