Tesla created the 4680 battery cell design to decrease costs while increasing the power and range of its EVs. Then, they covered the battery packs in polyurethane and steel. In short, they made Tesla battery packs nearly impossible to repair. Maintenance and repair impossibilities have become a brutal truth about owning a Tesla.

Reliability is a huge sales factor for Teslas, but their batteries won't last forever. That's why independent Tesla service providers like Gruber Motor Company have developed solutions to repair Tesla EVs. Their services include battery repair.

According to Pete Gruber, CEO of Gruber Motor Company, dropping the battery and peeling back the steel cover is one of the most labor-intensive parts of battery repair in electric cars. Then, there's the potting material.

The potting material is a protective material that prevents damage to battery components caused by vibration, moisture, and harmful environmental factors. It hugs every nook and cranny in the battery pack to increase stabilization. It also makes the battery difficult to access.

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Tesla 4680 Battery Packs Are A Pink Mess

The potting material in the Tesla 4680 battery pack is pink like bubblegum, and it's everywhere. According to Sandy Munro, CEO of Munro & Associates, this is part of what makes the batteries reliable.

In a discussion with Pete Gruber, Munro said that the most important parts of the Tesla battery control module are accessible, but the individual cells are not. This is because the potting material prevents the individual cell connections from falling apart. This makes Tesla batteries more reliable but less serviceable. Gruber said, "In our world, we have to find a way to service things like that in order to remain in business."

And Gruber has found a way to repair a resistive cell by first figuring out which brick the resistive cell is in and then disconnecting it. This move is akin to battery pack surgery, but it prevents the owner from having to replace the entire battery pack. He and his team have performed this operation on the original Tesla Roadster, Model S, and Model X.

Gruber has considered x-raying the battery to make it easier to locate the cell, so the procedure could be more precise, like arthroscopic surgery. This would eliminate the need to remove so much pink potting material. Munro has found one way to remove the pink potting material from the Tesla battery. A dry ice blaster. Dry ice will harden the potting material enough to make it fragile and able to be blown off with an air compressor.

He warns to do it outside because there will be pink dust everywhere. The force of the air could also damage more battery components.

The Cost Of Tesla Battery Pack Repair Vs Replacement

Tesla pink battery 2
YouTube: The Limiting Factor

The Tesla 4680 battery is reliable, according to Munro. He jokes that it's so reliable that former Tesla CTO J.B. Straubel is having trouble collecting enough damaged batteries for his battery recycling startup.

However, Tesla Roadster batteries are reaching the end of life, and Straubel sees an inevitable market for the materials within them. This makes his business model in line with other green initiatives meant to combat climate change. There's no indication that this will reduce the cost of battery replacements, though.

According to a 2023 article in J.D. Power, battery replacements cost between $13,000 and $20,000, including labor. Theoretically, battery pack repair would be much cheaper. That might not be true with the labor involved in removing all the pink potting material and prying off the metal cover.

Munro says it would be difficult to access the battery from within the vehicle, and the best option is to remove it from the bottom, the way it was put in.

According to Gruber, Tesla might also reduce labor by selling new steel lids. This would reduce the bodywork needed after battery repair.

Two class-action lawsuits claim that Tesla violated antitrust laws by preventing Tesla owners from getting affordable and timely repair away from certified Tesla repair shops. The lawsuit will likely set a course for EV repair shops in the future.

Tesla is also the only producer of their battery packs, something that antitrust laws could call into question over time.

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Lithium Shortage Makes Repair An Essential Part Of Tesla Ownership

2023 Tesla Model Y AWD
YouTube: Kosta Makris

Electronics owners have long been fighting for the right to repair. Tesla has made their EV owners upset about their inability to find affordable and timely repairs and maintenance. This is even more important now that there is a lithium shortage and mass battery production capabilities are questionable.

Tesla's lithium mining efforts indicate they don't intend to hand over the battery business anytime soon. But battery recycling programs such as Straubel's may be the life source of sustainable battery production in the future. Right now, the batteries in EVS aren't as good for the environment as you might think.

The 4680 battery pack remains a reliable but largely unserviceable battery. Its repair options include everything from messy dry ice blowouts to precise, surgery-like disconnections.

Gruber, Munro, and colleagues continue to brainstorm ways to repair Tesla EVs, so the consumer won't be stranded while the details of battery production and repair are sorted out. This is one of the problems with Tesla that nobody talks about, but it is bound to make headlines as batteries start to fail.