Which battery does my Tesla have? NCA, NMC, LFP, 4680 lookup by model and year (2026)

Which battery is in your Tesla: quick reference

Tesla has used several lithium-ion cell chemistries over its history, and reliability differs a lot between them. Knowing the chemistry matters when buying a used Tesla and when planning repairs.

Chemistry in detail

NCA 18650: the "humane" chemistry

Nickel-cobalt-aluminum, 18650 cell (18 × 65 mm). Used in early Model S and X.

Pros: highest specific energy → longest range; repairable (modules can be opened, individual cells swapped ~$50-200 each); standard 18650 form factor, so plenty of donors; proven long-term reliability (cars with 400k+ km still drive).

Cons: degradation −15-25% by 200k km is normal; older S/X risk moisture ingress through breathing valves.

Cycle life: ~1000 full cycles to 80% SOH.

NCA 21700 82 kWh: the most problematic

Same NCA chemistry but a bigger cell (21 × 70 mm). All Model 3/Y NCA packs use 21700 cells, starting with the pre-facelift cars (2017); the most problematic variant is the 82 kWh pack on refresh Model 3/Y LR for the US market.

Main problem: frequent module imbalance. One module starts lagging → BMS throttles power → you're heading for a module replacement (the BMS balancer already runs constantly on its own, and it can no longer pull this back).

Pre-facelift M3/Y (2017-2020) have a known issue of module contact "whiskers" detaching.

Worldwide statistics confirm it. Per the crowd-sourced spreadsheet Tesla Battery State of Health (~4,300 Model 3/Y records): at 80k+ km, degradation above 15% shows up in 47% of Panasonic NCA packs versus 3.4% for LG and 0% for LFP; the Chinese Performance 82 kWh packs from 2021 were replaced under warranty for 31% of respondents, at a median mileage of only ~27k km. The short-run SR 55 kWh from early 2021 (Panasonic 1L) shows a median degradation of 11.9%, the worst of all SR packs in the table. The full breakdown of the numbers is in the 82 kWh imbalance article.

Repair cost in Belarus: $1,500-7,000 depending on the scale, a module or a full pack replacement.

Alternative: swap to LG 79 kWh (NMC), more stable short-term, but see below on long-term.

NMC 811 (LG 79 kWh): the compromise

Nickel-cobalt-manganese, 8:1:1 ratio. On refresh M3/Y LR from Shanghai (CN/EU markets) since 2021.

Pros: fewer imbalances than NCA 21700; cheaper to manufacture → cheaper to replace.

Cons: long-term reliability. Per RTC data, rising internal resistance and individual cell failures become critical around ~240k km; LG modules often aren't economically repairable, so the short-term saving carries a long-term capital-loss risk.

Good "here and now" solution, especially for replacing a dead NCA 82 kWh. But if you plan to keep the car 10+ years, NCA is more repairable: module-level repair is realistic, so over the long run it can prove the better deal.

LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate): for long life

On Model 3/Y SR from Shanghai (CN, EU), and some Berlin-factory cars since May 2023. Prismatic cells from CATL and BYD (Blade).

Pros: 3000+ full cycles vs 1000 for NCA; can charge to 100% daily, which Tesla officially recommends for BMS calibration; thermally safer, essentially non-combustible; stable voltage across a wide SoC, so less capacity sag; cheaper to produce.

Cons: less range, real 280-320 km vs 400-480 for NCA; worse in cold, below −10°C capacity drops 20-30% (preconditioning helps); not ideal for long trips or mountainous terrain.

Best choice for urban daily driving in Brest/Minsk.

4680: experimental "structural" battery

Huge 46 × 80 mm cells, NMC/NCA chemistry. On Model Y AWD Standard Range from Giga Texas since 2022 (Texas-built LR/Performance use 21700 cells), primary on Cybertruck.

Tesla's idea: cells mount directly into the body as a structural element → lower overall weight, simpler assembly.

Downsides (2026):

• zero repairability: a structural battery means pulling the pack takes partially dismantling the car;
• single cell replacement ≈ whole-pack replacement: $15,000-25,000;
• the technology is new, so long-term reliability data is sparse;
• some problems with 4680 in Texas are already reported: premature SOH drop, warranty replacements.

Advice: when choosing a used Model Y between a conventional battery and 4680, take the conventional one. 4680 is a beta test on your dime.

Model Y Premium / Standard (2026): "Dual Motor" ≠ 4680

In early 2026 Tesla reshuffled the Model Y line-up: the familiar versions gave way to Premium and Standard (non-premium). The trap is in the name, because "Dual Motor" without the Long Range suffix means a cut-down pack, not a 4680. In the VIN configs of US cars the Standard carries battery code BT55 "2170L 40P Depop Battery Pack": 2170 cells with a reduced number of parallel groups; the accompanying codes are MY06 (Standard Model Generation), HL35 (single-lens headlight), CH14 (32 A onboard charger), no HomeLink, no HEPA, no interior ambient lighting, mirrors without auto-dimming. The Premium has MY05, BT47, CH16 (48 A), MR31, AL03, AU3P (#458835, #458858, #458883, #458884).

The chat put BT55 capacity at 64-68 kWh, an inference from the configuration rather than a spec figure, so it has not been added to the table above pending confirmation. Look at the battery code in the config: the "Dual Motor" badge no longer tells you anything about chemistry or cell format.

How to identify your battery: three methods

1. By VIN, the fastest

Year (10th VIN position) + factory (first 3 characters: 5YJ/7SA = US, LRW = Shanghai, XP7 = Berlin) uniquely determine the type:

• 5YJ3 + 2018-2020 → NCA 21700 (M3 US)
• 5YJ3 + 2021-2023 → NCA 21700: LR/Performance (M3 refresh US, the problematic 82 kWh) plus a short-run SR 55 kWh from early 2021 on Panasonic 1L, the same problematic chemistry; US RWD from late 2021 is LFP CATL
• LRW3 + 2021+ → NMC (LG) or LFP (M3 CN, more reliable)
• 7SA + 11th character A (Austin) + 2022+ → 4680 (Model Y AWD Standard Range only). ⚠️ On the 2026 Model Y with the new Premium/Standard classification this rule no longer holds; see the "Dual Motor" ≠ 4680 box above

About LFP in the US. The rule "7th VIN letter F = LFP" only works for Chinese cars: Fremont puts E on everything, so an American LFP cannot be spotted by the letter. The working clues for a US Model 3 2024 are the absence of the Long Range label on the screen and the curb weight: 2165 kg for LR RWD NMC, 2184 kg for RWD LFP, 2247 kg for LR DM NMC, 2256 kg for Performance NMC (#453449, #453453, #453457, #453465). American LFP cars do exist, both Model 3 and Model Y, but LFP has not been fitted in the US since roughly mid-2024: tariffs on Chinese cells and the loss of the $7,500 credit (#458884).

Full VIN decoder: findmyelectric.com.

2. Via Service Mode

1. MCU: Controls → Software → press and hold the model name for ~2 seconds → enter access code "service";
2. Open the Battery or HV Battery section;
3. Module configuration and cell type appear under Configuration.

3. By marking on the HV pack cover

Most reliable but requires removing the floor trim. A shop can do it in 30 minutes.

Related articles

• Tesla battery errors (BMS): Service Mode codes decoded: what each code means, who it affects, repair cost
• Module imbalance on 82 kWh Panasonic (NCA 21700): the main problem of the US M3/Y refresh
• Moisture ingress in 85 kWh S/X via valves: for older NCA 18650
• Refresh S/X (2021+) battery valves: for Palladium packs
• 4680 problems in Texas
• 12V battery brick: a separate issue, don't confuse it with HV

Links

• What Kind of Battery Does My Tesla Have? (FindMyElectric): https://www.findmyelectric.com/blog/what-kind-of-battery-does-my-tesla-have/
• Comparison Tesla Batteries: NCA, NMC & LFP (Shop4Tesla): https://www.shop4tesla.com/en/pages/tesla-unterschiede-der-batterie
• Tesla Plaid Battery Teardown (Lean Design): https://leandesign.com/tesla-plaid-battery-teardown/
• Tesla Model 3 LFP Battery Pack (InsideEVs): https://insideevs.com/news/542064/tesla-model3-lfp-battery-pack/

Community experience TESLA Belarus

From the TESLA owner's group BELARUS chat: analysis of 400 000 messages.

Who reported the issue: Vitali K, Shark Dark, Viktor

Who found the fix: Zverski, Alex Bor, SΞDΞK, Dzianis Balyka

Discussion in Telegram: #298551, #403809, #318579