'Let's Look At Other Brands': Man Needs To Replace Tesla Battery. Then He Sees What It Costs To Replace One

A Pennsylvania-based business owner and race car driver dispelled some myths regarding electric vehicles. TikTok user DZ Watts (@dzwatts_realtalkdaily) published a clip comparing the ownership of his Tesla with his gas-powered vehicles. According to him, many concerns people have about electric cars can be applied to all vehicle types.

Watts’s video begins with him speaking directly into the camera as he stands out in the cold. His snow-covered Tesla is parked behind him as he addresses the audience. 

He begins by addressing a concern from another TikTok user about EV battery replacement costs. Watts says these swaps can be $20,000 to $30,000.

However, he then points to a 2014 Infiniti QX60 he uses for road tripping and tells viewers it needed a transmission replacement at 90,000 miles—at a cost of $9,500. Watts goes on to say that if he needed to fix the car’s engine, the full repair quote would’ve been $20,000.

Internal Combustion Vs. EV Repair

The same prejudice people have toward costly EV repairs don’t seem to apply for gas-powered vehicles, Watts claims in the video. In fact, he says, for similar high-performance cars such as a V10 Mercedes-Benz or Dodge Hellcats, engine replacements could “easily” cost $20,000 to $30,000.

He adds that the “multiple Corvettes” he owned carry engine repair price tags that could run to $15,000-$20,000. “When you have high-performance vehicles, they have high costs of fixing them,” Watts says.

He argues that battery packs are ultimately age-based, which could be a benefit for drivers who rack up a lot of mileage in a relatively short amount of time as these components, unlike an engine, don’t necessarily degrade after usage.

Watts says that just like his QX60, he’s going to purchase an extended warranty on his Tesla’s battery, which means that he won’t have to pay $20,000 to $30,000 on a battery replacement down the line, just like he didn’t have to foot the whole bill for the cost of his Infiniti’s transmission repair.

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Dispelling Other Myths

Watts also debunks a couple other claims about EVs. The first is that they’re prone to catching fire. He says that by design, vehicles with internal combustion engines are much more prone to going up in flames because of the gasoline that powers them and the slew of moving parts.  

“I’ve had over 70 cars in my life and I’ve had three of them catch fire.” 

He claims EVs aren’t more likely to catch fire than gas-powered vehicles, but he does concede that when an electric vehicle does go up in smoke, the fire is much more difficult to put out.

Another point he wanted to speak to is the notion that electric cars and cold weather don’t mix. Watts explains that due to how batteries operate, these vehicles will experience a massive drop in efficiency during cold weather. 

However, unlike gas-powered vehicles, they’ll start without a problem, even in extremely cold temperatures.

He goes on to state that both gas and diesel engine vehicles also “struggle” in colder climates, which is why many gas-powered vehicles are outfitted with block heaters that helps them start. “Does it struggle in the winter? Absolutely. But so do gas vehicles,” he says at the end of his clip.

Is EV Battery Failure Common?

As one person remarked in the comments section of Watts’s video, it isn’t as if the large battery packs in electric cars fizzle out frequently. InsideEVs previously reported on battery failure rates and since 2015, improvements in technology have made battery failure a rare occurrence.

Also, as more and more electric vehicles are found on the road, independent battery repair shops have cropped up. Techs can diagnose and repair individual cells in battery packs, often for much lower quoted prices than dealerships.

This type of third-party support exists for EV warranties as well.

And when it comes to Watts’s claims about EV fires, there are many who agree with his assertion that they aren’t common, even if battery explosions do get a lot of media coverage when they occur.

InsideEVs has reached out to Tesla via email and Watts via Instagram direct message for further comment.

 

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