This 3-Year-Old Tesla Model Y Went 100,000 Miles And Barely Fast-Charged. Here's How The Battery Held Up

Live fast, die young, right? Well, maybe not for an EV.

Common EV wisdom says that DC fast charging, while incredibly convenient and necessary for many drivers, can increase battery degradation over time. Shoving electrons into the battery as fast as possible isn't typically ideal for battery longevity. However, YouTube host Branden Flasch recently bought a used Tesla Model Y with over 110,000 miles on—and it shows a surprising amount of battery degradation despite almost never being fast-charged.

So what gives?

A Tesla Model Y Battery After 100,000 Miles

The 2023 Model Y Long Range All-Wheel Drive in question only had 2 megawatt-hours of DC fast-charging, but over 40 MWh of AC charging, according to Tesla's battery health test. It even had more charging from regen braking than DC fast-charging. With 110,000 miles in right around three years, the previous owner clearly drove a ton. But EVs that pack on this kind of mileage in a short time span often also DC charge a lot—because they're Uber drivers or the like. This owner, though, may have simply had a very long commute that they were able to manage by plugging in at home or at work.