Tesla

Tesla Model S 85 kWh pack (2012-2016)

NCA (nickel-cobalt-aluminum) cells from Panasonic · 85 kWh · used in 1 model variant.

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Pack reference

NCA (nickel-cobalt-aluminum) · Panasonic · 16 modules, each with six groups of 74 cells in parallel (7,104 cells)

About the pack

Capacity

85 kWh

as published

Fast charge

—

limited data

Warranty floor

—

8 yr; mileage terms vary

Pack overview

ChemistryNCA (nickel-cobalt-aluminum)

Cell supplierPanasonic

Cell format18650 cylindrical

CoolingLiquid (ethylene glycol and water)

Architecture16 modules, each with six groups of 74 cells in parallel (7,104 cells)

Warranty 8 yr; mileage terms in the notes below

Known issues

Medium

NHTSA reviewed a petition over battery software updates on 2012-2016 Model S cars and denied it in September 2021 (DP19-005). Tesla had installed firmware that can limit maximum battery voltage on cars with heavy Supercharging histories, and it had been enabled on about 2,062 of 61,781 cars by August 2021. NHTSA counted 59 complaints of reduced capacity or charging speed and said later updates restored some or all of the capacity.

NHTSA investigation

Medium

Tesla announced in August 2014 that the 85 kWh Model S has an 8-year warranty with no mileage limit on the battery pack and drive unit, applied retroactively to every Model S built. That warranty carried no capacity guarantee.

Manufacturer

Low

NHTSA describes the packs in 2012-2016 Model S cars as Panasonic 18650 nickel cobalt aluminum cells in up to 16 modules, each with six groups of 74 cells in parallel, for up to 7,104 cells, cooled by an ethylene glycol and water mix.

Manufacturer

Low

NHTSA investigated 2012-2013 Model S cars after road debris struck the battery and caused fires (PE13-037, November 2013 to March 2014). Tesla raised the ride height by software and added three underbody shield components in a free service campaign, and NHTSA closed the investigation without identifying a defect trend.

NHTSA investigation

Low

NHTSA 14V-006 (January 2014) covers model year 2013 Model S cars delivered with certain NEMA 14-50 adapters for the mobile charging connector. The adapter, cord or wall outlet could overheat during charging. This recall concerns the charging equipment, not the battery pack.

NHTSA recall

Low

Tesla confirmed in 2017 that it lowers the peak DC charging rate on packs with a very large number of fast-charging sessions.

News

Low

Tesla's 2022 Impact Report put average Model S and Model X range loss at less than 12% after 200,000 miles, a fleet figure not broken out by pack size.

News

How this pack ages (industry context)

Industry fleet aggregates: 2.3% average annual capacity loss across 22,700 EVs / 21 models (Geotab, 2026), and 95% range retention at 5 years on average across 30,000+ vehicles (Recurrent, 2026).

OEM warranty on this pack: 8 yr, with mileage and capacity terms that depend on the pack and on when the car was bought. See the notes on this page.

Public per-pack degradation curves are not available for most models. Individual results vary materially with climate, charging behavior, and DC fast-charge frequency.

Vehicles using this pack

Tesla Model S

2012-2016 · Model S 85, P85, 85D and P85D

139-315 miEPA range

89-104MPGe

Full reliability page →

Pack family

Tesla Model S 85 kWh pack (2012-2016) is part of the tesla-sx-legacy family. Related packs:

Tesla Model S 60 kWh pack (2013-2015) · NCA (nickel-cobalt-aluminum) · 60 kWh
Tesla Model S 70 kWh pack (2015-2016) · NCA (nickel-cobalt-aluminum) · 70 kWh
Tesla Model S / Model X 75 kWh pack (2016-2019) · NCA (nickel-cobalt-aluminum) · 75 kWh
Tesla Model S / Model X 90 kWh pack (2015-2017) · NCA (nickel-cobalt-aluminum) · 90 kWh
Tesla Model S / Model X 100 kWh pack (2016-2020) · NCA (nickel-cobalt-aluminum) · 100 kWh

Frequently Asked Questions

What chemistry is the Tesla Model S 85 kWh pack (2012-2016)?

The Tesla Model S 85 kWh pack (2012-2016) uses NCA (nickel-cobalt-aluminum) chemistry. Cells are supplied by Panasonic. Cell format: 18650 cylindrical. Pack architecture: 16 modules, each with six groups of 74 cells in parallel (7,104 cells).

What is the warranty on this pack?

This database has no confirmed battery warranty terms for the Tesla Model S 85 kWh pack (2012-2016). Most US-market EVs carry 8 years / 100,000 miles, but check the manufacturer's warranty booklet for this vehicle before relying on that.

How much does this pack degrade over time?

Industry-wide fleet aggregates show roughly 2.3% average annual capacity loss across 22,700 EVs (Geotab, 2026), with about 95% range retention at five years on average across Recurrent's 30,000+ vehicle fleet (2026). Public per-pack degradation curves are not available for most models, and this database has no confirmed warranty floor for the Tesla Model S 85 kWh pack (2012-2016).

Which vehicles use the Tesla Model S 85 kWh pack (2012-2016)?

Tesla Model S 2012-2016 (Model S 85, P85, 85D and P85D).