Pipping Kia’s generous 7-year warranty period isn’t an easy feat, but electric automaker Tesla is trying its best with an 8-year warranty that will surely and significant reduce the initial anxiety that comes with owning a fully electric vehicle.
However, unlike Kia’s unlimited kilometre programme, the California EV maker covers either the Model S saloon or Model X SUV up to 200,000km, as long as the period of ownership from new does not exceed 8 years. This updated policy from Tesla essentially doubles the period previously covered, which stood at 4 years and 80,000km. However, conditions stemming from the battery or electric motor is covered.
That cap on the odometer count does put the South Korean’s own warranty proposition in a better light, as one would could conceivably (and perhaps even expectedly) travel more than 160k kilometres before the 8 year coverage period expires. Indeed, other automakers are offering similar unlimited distance warranties.
Automakers such as Renault, Skoda, Honda and sister-company Hyundai offer a 5-year, unlimited kilometre programme, which sounds like it might be better value despite being 3 years less lengthy. And as you might have already guessed, Tesla’s newest car, the Model 3, is not eligible for the extended warranty.
The ‘New Vehicle Limited Warranty and the Battery and Drive Unit Limited Warranty’, to give its its full official title, covers the repair or replacement necessary to correct defects in the materials or workmanship of any Model S or X parts that occur under normal use for a period of 8 years or 160,000 km, whichever comes first, and as long as the failed parts were manufactured by Tesla.
As the name already confirms, the warranty covers all issues relating to the Model S and Model X, crucially providing peace of mind for those wary of a malfunctioning or defective lithium ion battery, the only real point of serious mechanical degradation with the car(s).
With the exception of the original 60kWh battery pack offered. The warranty protects the car’s most important components, even from a battery fire or driver error (subject to certain exclusions). All owners of the S or X delivered prior to 30th March 2018 can have the 8-year Extended Warranty Insurance, provided that that particular Tesla is not older than 4 years from first registration and that mileage has not exceeded 80,000km.
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