Your questions answered: Can the Tesla Model Y’s battery cells be replaced?

This week one reader has a concern about the structural battery pack in the top-selling Tesla Model Y – just one of many questions people have about electric vehicles.

Interest in EVs has come back into focus in recent weeks following the announcement of the government’s proposed fuel-efficiency standards.

But there’s still lots of love for combustion-powered cars in the carsales mailbox – particularly Toyota hybrids, with the RAV4 Hybrid again front and centre.

One reader also wants to spruik the virtues of full-size spare tyres, and at least one other is tossing up between four-cylinder and V8 propulsion in the LandCruiser 70 Series. The answer isn’t that clear cut…

Question: I am currently researching which EV to buy and have recently decided not to get a Tesla model Y after I read that Tesla are now using a structural battery pack, sticking the interior directly to the battery top. This makes it harder to remove the battery and potentially harder and more costly to repair any damage from accidents.

Is it really a valid reason to go off Tesla?. I am now leaning more to a Hyundai Ioniq 5 or a Volvo XC40/C40. – Alan

Answer: The only Tesla Model Ys with the structural battery pack are those manufactured in Germany. Model Ys sold in Australia are built in China using the older-school manufacturing process.

But don’t assume the structural battery pack is indeed harder to repair. Tesla provides information on the replacement of battery cells and it appears to be a fairly involved process either way.

And any major damage to the battery pack of an EV can potentially lead to the car being written off, in the same way that major structural damage to a regular ICE vehicle would likely make it a write-off.

So I’m not sure I’d make that a major factor in determining which EV to buy. The reality is more EVs in future are likely to use structural battery packs given the benefits it brings to reducing overall weight.

Either way, don’t rule out the Model Y just yet!

Equally, the Hyundai IONIQ 5 is an excellent EV and it’d also be worth sticking the Kia EV6 on your shopping list. Also keep an eye out for the Kia EV5 that’s due on sale mid-year. It looks terrific on paper.

And the Polestar 4 is coming in August and could also tick a lot of mid-size electric SUV boxes.

Question: I'm in need of a new car (medium SUV) and given that I'm 66 years young and tend to hang onto my cars for 10-15 years I had planned to purchase a brand known for durability, eg: Toyota, Subaru etc, thinking this might last me out.

I want a hybrid so I can be doing something towards reducing emissions and petrol costs. I will be doing mostly city driving, however, I'm not confident about the EV market yet.

I’ve heard you mention developments in the EV market coming out in the next couple of years that are exciting. So do I purchase with the plan to trade in to an EV in a few years?

Also, if I purchased an EV now, can I replace the batteries in the future with these new advancements in battery technology, or would I have to purchase a new car with the batteries?

I would appreciate your advice on what you would do if you were in my position. – June

Answer: There’s loads happening in the EV market and – just as with petrol cars – if you wait a few years you’ll almost certainly get better options.

But there’s also plenty on offer today and that’s something likely to ramp up with the government’s planned introduction of fuel efficiency standards in 2025.

That also goes for hybrids. There are some terrific options today, mostly from Toyota. Check out the Corolla or Corolla Cross for a start, each of which is solid buying. The new C-HR also looks good, although we haven’t driven it yet.

As for replacing the batteries with newer tech once it becomes available, the short answer is no.

Obviously anything is possible with a big enough budget, but replacing batteries with newer ones is likely to cost tens of thousands of dollars and involve engineering those batteries for the older model.

It’s akin to replacing an engine and a gearbox on a petrol car with something newer.

The reality is it’d be cheaper to buy the new car with all the latest infotainment and safety tech that comes with it in a few years.

Question: I would like some advice on purchasing a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, not necessarily a new one.

I live in the Shoalhaven, 21km out of Nowra. I am currently retired and make a maximum of two trips to town a week.

I make short trips around my village. I currently drive a 2011 Toyota Camry. Basic but reliable. I make a trip to Sydney maybe once a month. I'd like to take longer distance trips.

I would like the extra back space of a wagon. Also, reversing camera and electronic features. I don't want a large SUV. I like the spare wheel.

So, does the RAV4 seem right for me? Is it OK to seek a used RAV4 and which year models would you recommend?

Is there another hybrid medium SUV to possibly consider? – Gail

Answer: RAV4 Hybrids are hot property these days, both on the new and used car markets. That means prices are high, which makes them a tad less appealing on the used market.

That said, they’re high for a reason: it’s a terrific car.

So, yes, the RAV4 would be a great car for the driving you do. As with any hybrid, the best fuel saving benefits are in stop-start suburban driving where the regenerative braking can do its best work.

That said, it’s also very economical on a freeway.

The RAV4 Hybrid only launched in Australia in 2019 and it’s based on the current generation car. That means the ones from five years ago are the same basic car, down to their hybrid system and body.

The only changes have been to some trim and exterior design elements and the addition of more equipment, especially on the technology front.

So the more recent the model, the more likely you are to have fresher tech.

But, obviously, you’ll pay more for them – and in some cases people are trying to sell them for more than the price of a new one.

Other hybrids to consider include the Nissan X-TRAIL e-POWER and Honda CR-V Hybrid, although each has only been on the market for about 18 months, so there won’t be as many used options to choose from.

Question: I was reading about the government’s NVES fuel efficiency standards and it seems like it’s all bad news for us.

I drive utes (and will only ever drive a ute!!) so I’m wondering if this means I’m soon going to have to buy an electric ute?

I’m not a fan! – Dave

Answer: If you fast-forward a couple of decades then yes, you’ll almost certainly be buying an electric ute because that’s likely all that will be available.

But the short story is you won’t have to buy an electric ute in the next decade or so if you don’t want one.

Sure, we’ll see plenty more of them – there are at least three due by 2025 (from BYD, JAC and LDV) and Kia and Ford should have electric versions of their utes on sale by 2026.

Plus you’ll see more plug-in hybrid utes. They’ll combine a petrol engine with an electric motor.

While switching to petrol may scare off those who love their diesels, remember that an electric motor is great for torque and can easily add to what the petrol engine has to offer.

And on top of all that, keep in mind that the NVES stipulates a fleet average CO2 standard and car-makers can use low- and zero-emissions cars to offset thirstier ones, thereby still allowing some petrol and diesel models to be sold for the foreseeable future.

Plus, the fuel-efficiency standards don’t mandate battery-electric vehicles. They mandate lower emissions standards, so if Toyota (and others) can ever make hydrogen fuel-cells financially viable (which currently looks unlikely) then that could be another option. As are any other technologies we don’t yet know about.

Question: I wanted to recommend kits to change from a space-saver tyre to full-size. I have just bought a Mitsubishi ASX 2.0-litre manual car and you can buy a kit to make room in your boot for full-size tyre.

It's really just an insert in the boot. I am buying the full-size tyre from the dealership and the kit from supplier online works out cheaper. Have to wait three-to-six months for delivery of the ASX, so will have two spare tyres. – Sara

Answer: There are various options for adding a full-size spare wheel to a car that doesn’t have one, most of which will involve a small compromise to the boot floor.

Toyota even offered something similar for some RAV4 models at one stage.

And don’t necessarily lock yourself into buying the spare wheel from the dealer, because the factory rims can often be quite expensive.

For popular models you can often find people who have upgraded to different wheels selling their old ones on the big classified websites.

So shop around!

Question: I’ve had an order in for ages on a Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series (the V8 model) and now the dealer is suggesting I can get hold of a four-cylinder one sooner.

Which is best? I’m not wedded to a V8 but I do like the idea of a bit of V8 grunt. – Dan

Answer: If it’s grunt you’re after the four-cylinder version of the LandCruiser 70 Series has more than the V8.

Blame it on age and Toyota laziness.

That single-turbo 4.5-litre V8 diesel makes the same power and torque as it did when it first appeared in 2007.

It wasn’t great by V8 standards back then and it’s positively undernourished these days.

Obviously, plenty of owners wick up the outputs with aftermarket modifications, although that can impact longevity and the vehicle’s warranty, so be cautious.

Another thing that’d lean us towards the four-cylinder is the auto transmission, which is way more user-friendly than the five-speed manual in the V8.

The one big unknown is what’ll happen with values of the V8 moving forward.

The expectation is that the V8 will be killed off within a year or two –
something that should spur those who love a V8 70 Series to pay even sillier money for one.

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