Tesla owner shares side-by-side video exposing dramatic difference in EV battery lifespan: 'Still affecting EV sales to this day'

A Tesla Model 3 owner filmed a detailed comparison of a pair of three-year-old batteries, and the results have people talking about something other than the company's declining first-quarter earnings.

As reported by Inside EVs, YouTuber RSymons "RSEV" (@RSEV) uploaded a side-by-side comparison of two separate Tesla Model 3s. One of the cars had notched over 200,000 miles in three years, while being used nearly every day. The other car had just under 3,000 miles driven during the same timespan.

While you might expect some extreme battery degradation from the heavily used Model 3, the results indicate the opposite. Despite the daily wear and tear of driving over 200,000 miles, the car's battery still boasted an 88.5% battery capacity with over 300 miles of range available.

For the lightly used Model 3, the battery displayed a pristine 99.5% capacity. In general, electric vehicle batteries will experience degradation due to a number of factors, including usage, calendar aging, and temperature. According to Car and Driver, most Tesla drivers can expect sharper battery degradation during the car's first 20,000 miles driven. After that, they can expect the battery to stabilize.

This fact could potentially help sales for the struggling brand, which is experiencing drastically declining sales and steep stock drops. Many electric vehicle customers have turned away from the brand due to CEO Elon Musk's political activities, while others are simply taking advantage of their increased options in a burgeoning EV market.

Tesla aside, overall EV sales are on the rise, and as a few commenters noted, EV manufacturers have continued to make significant technological advancements over the past few decades.

Watch now: How bad is a gas stove for your home's indoor air quality?

"EV's have come a long way since the terrible batteries of the Nissan Leaf," one Inside EVs reader wrote. "Too bad that happened, it really has been a negative thing that is still affecting EV sales to this day."

While early model Nissan Leafs were often praised for their innovative design and their achievement as being one of the first widely available EVs, many drivers criticized their battery degradation and limited range. The 2011 Nissan Leaf was estimated to have a fully-charged range of around 100 miles.

A second reader shared their experience with their own EV. "I have an EV6, 3 years old with just 23K miles and when I give it a full charge, it still shows 326 miles, same as new," they explained.

EV batteries have improved over time due to a combination of factors, including advancements in battery chemistry and manufacturing processes. This has led to increased energy density, faster charging, and longer lifespans. These improvements, among other things, have made EVs more cost-effective in the long term. Not only can this save you money over time, but it can also help mitigate rising global temperatures, as EVs produce zero tailpipe pollution.