The Story of a Tesla Model S That Has Traveled Over Two Million Kilometers

By Karan Singh
Not a Tesla App

In a stunning achievement, Hansjörg von Gemmingen’s Model S has reached a jaw-dropping 2 million kilometers (1.25 million miles) of distance traveled. He hit this milestone during a cross-country trip from northern Morocco to Mauritania.

This is a remarkable achievement, and we’ll take a deep dive into Hansjörg’s story and experience with having such a long-lived Tesla.

The 2 Millionth Kilometer

Hansjörg’s journey began in the northern Moroccan city of Tangier. Nestled on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, Tangier is a bustling metropolis known for its vibrant culture, scenic ocean views, and modern infrastructure, including an international airport and a thriving business district. As a seasoned traveler and EV enthusiast, Hansjörg has been all across Morocco, embracing its diverse landscapes and challenging terrains.

Rallye Rive Maroc

His adventures included participating in the Rallye Rive Maroc, a grueling 7-day electric vehicle rally. This event is designed to push both drivers and their vehicles to the limit, with participants covering approximately 300 kilometers a day on three of the seven days. The rally navigates through harsh deserts, rugged mountains, and remote locations, presenting a formidable challenge that tests the vehicles' endurance, skill, and durability. The routes are not only demanding but also showcase the breathtaking beauty of Morocco's natural landscapes.

Rallye Rive Maroc's participants in 2023.
Rallye Rive Maroc's participants in 2023.
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In his latest endeavor, Hansjörg set out from Tangier with the ambitious goal of reaching the 2-million-kilometer mark. His route took him across Morocco, heading towards the southern border with Mauritania. This milestone journey was more than just a personal achievement; it represented a significant moment for Tesla owners worldwide, demonstrating the potential and reliability of electric vehicles over extensive distances and diverse conditions.

Reaching the 2-million-kilometer milestone during this trip highlighted the endurance of his 2013 Tesla Model S, a testament to both Tesla’s amazing engineering and Hansjörg's dedication to pushing the boundaries of electric vehicle travel. His journey serves as an inspiring example for EV enthusiasts and a beacon of what is possible with determination, innovation, and the right infrastructure.

Battery Life

Of course, electric vehicle batteries do inevitably degrade, and Tesla is no exception. However, they’ve proven their longevity – with reports showing only 15% degradation at 350,000km (200,000 mi). Hansjörg drives a 2013 Tesla Model S 85+, with a single motor. He’s seen several battery replacements throughout the vehicle’s lifespan, but the vehicle is still going strong. Keep in mind Tesla had only begun producing the Model S in 2012. It was Tesla’s first vehicle that was designed and created in-house.

1.      Hansjörg replaced the first battery at 290,000 km (180k miles)

2.      The second battery lasted 670,000 km (416k miles), before being replaced due to cell in-balance – it had suffered only a 20% loss of range

3.      The third battery lasted for 550,000 km (341k miles)

4.      The vehicle is currently on its fourth battery, which has already clocked 250,000 km (155k miles), but remains going strong

There is a 150,000 km gap above, which was due to the vehicle using a temporary loaner battery offered by Tesla while the vehicle’s battery was repaired.

These are some amazing numbers to see – real-life battery degradation under high-stress conditions, over a decade. Tesla, vehicle owners, and future customers couldn’t ask for a better data set in this case.

The two million kilometer Model S, in all its glory.
The two million kilometer Model S, in all its glory.
Not a Tesla App

Charging in Morocco and Africa

Ali Lakrakbi, who brought this amazing feat to our attention, operates a network of EV charges in Morocco. He’s been working on opening an electric road – one lined with EV charging stations – from Morocco to the rest of Africa. This is an amazing initiative and one that is bound to help Africa replace its mobility access with EVs. Promoting EV adoption is difficult enough in North America, Europe, and Asia, but doing so in Africa is leagues harder, and a feat worthy of admiration.

Currently, Ali's network includes a significant number of slower AC (Level 1) chargers, which provide essential charging options for travelers. These chargers are crucial for establishing the foundational infrastructure needed to support the initial wave of EV users in regions where such facilities are scarce.

However, Ali does recognize the need for faster and more efficient charging solutions, and he is actively working to increase the availability of faster DC (Level 2 and Level 3) chargers. These high-speed chargers (such as Superchargers) can significantly reduce charging times, making long-distance travel more practical and appealing for EV owners.

The development of this electric road is more than just a technical achievement; it represents a vision for a connected and accessible Africa. By facilitating easier and quicker EV charging, Ali's project aims to encourage more people to switch to electric vehicles, thus reducing the continent's reliance on fossil fuels and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, this network of chargers can stimulate economic growth by creating new business opportunities and fostering a green technology sector.

Ali hopes to one day see Superchargers like these in Morocco.
Ali hopes to one day see Superchargers like these in Morocco.
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Some African Challenges

Ali has faced some challenges in establishing his network in Morocco and Africa, given the lack of EV adoption there. People have made fun of EV owners – who have not had much success before Ali in deploying chargers, even free of charge – to locations. However, Ali has incentivized the process by demonstrating the benefits – which in part helps bring in travelers who will spend money locally.

Even getting basic chargers installed in cities can be difficult – much less the high-power capabilities needed for something like an L3 Supercharger. An L2 charger in Morocco can cost as much as an L3 in Europe or North America, but the charging network is beginning to spread. One positive note is that the weather is milder – no deep winters – this means that vehicles have better range even without preconditioning.

Another challenge is the lack of subsidies in Africa. Europe and North America have plenty of subsidies. Ali identified that vehicles are considered luxury items in Africa – and providing subsidies for EVs is next to impossible considering other challenges faced. However, he mentions tax subsidies may be a good option in Morocco – and Africa in general.

Since adoption is slower In Morocco and Africa, Ali and others have one big advantage – they get to learn from North America’s and Europe’s mistakes. Adoption is smoother – their chargers and vehicles use a single standard, and they don’t have challenges with RFID cards or other government regulations.

The shortest point between Morocco and Spain is just 9 miles
The shortest point between Morocco and Spain is just 9 miles
Not a Tesla App

It is also possible to import Teslas from Europe since Morocco is so close to Spain. Many Moroccans also work in Europe and return, and vice versa. There are plenty of Moroccans who experience EVs in Europe as the growth for EVs grows in the country. Ali finances his charger deployments through the sale of Teslas to Moroccans.

However, Tesla doesn’t send parts to Morocco meaning it requires a chain of third-party companies to send over any parts necessary. It can be difficult since Tesla doesn’t officially support the vehicle in the country. Ali hopes that one day Tesla will support owners in Africa, not only with parts but also with training personnel and navigation data as well.

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Tesla LFP Batteries Can Now Be Warmed up While Supercharging Using Innovative Feature

By Karan Singh
Not a Tesla App

Tesla’s been on a roll with Supercharger improvements lately, from the 325kW charging update for the Cybertruck, to 500kW with V4 Superchargers coming next year. While those improvements have been limited to the Cybertruck, Tesla didn’t put all their focus on their new flagship vehicle, but looked at their more affordable vehicles as well.

LFP Battery Heating

Tesla’s Superchargers can now heat LFP Batteries - those that are in the Model 3 and Model Y Rear Wheel Drive variants. This applies to Long Range and Standard Range models, which saw a limited run. This is another update included as part of the 2024 Tesla Holiday Update - which really arrived with a lot of unannounced new features and capabilities.

The change is pretty interesting - Superchargers of the V3 and V4 variety can now pre-heat batteries for Model 3 and Model Y vehicles equipped with LFP battery packs. That means those vehicles are able to get back on the road faster when it's extremely cold. Of course, Tesla still advises you to precondition before you arrive, saving drivers time and money.

Max de Zegher, Tesla’s Director of Charging, also commented on the new feature. Essentially, Tesla is inducing an AC (alternating) ripple current through the battery to warm it up. Keep in mind that Superchargers are DC charging. That means it is possible to get a cold-soaked LFP vehicle on the road 4x faster than before, assuming that it didn’t precondition at all and that it is in the worst-case scenario (below 0ºF).

In essence, Tesla is using some engineering magic to turn the circuits inside the LFP battery into an electric heater - and powering that heater through the Supercharger. An AC ripple current is a small oscillation in the DC charging current that generates heat through electrical resistance, warming up the battery. Those ripples are a byproduct of converting AC to DC and back - so Tesla is using the onboard charger to induce those ripples to warm up the battery. Definitely an innovative technique that’s really only possible with the versatility of the NACS connector.

We’re hoping Tesla can implement this across their full lineup of vehicles, but we’ll have to wait and see how it is trialed across LFP vehicles first and if it is even possible on vehicles with 2170 or 4680 battery packs.

Tesla Included FSD V12.6.1 and V13.2.4 in the Same Update: What Caused This and What It Means

By Karan Singh
Not a Tesla App

Tesla launched two FSD updates simultaneously on Saturday night, and what’s most interesting is that they arrived on the same software version. We’ll dig into that a little later, but for now, there’s good news for everyone. For Hardware 3 owners, FSD V12.6.1 is launching to all vehicles, including the Model 3 and Model Y. For AI4 owners, FSD V13.2.4 is launching, starting with the Cybertruck.

FSD V13.2.4

A new V13 build is now rolling out to the Cybertruck and is expected to arrive for the rest of the AI4 fleet soon. However, this build seems to be focused on bug fixes. There are no changes to the release notes for the Cybertruck with this release, and it’s unlikely to feature any changes when it arrives on other vehicles.

While this update focuses on bug fixes, Tesla’s already working on bigger features for FSD V13.3, which we have already confirmed to include improvements to highway following and speed control.

FSD V12.6.1

FSD V12.6.1 builds upon V12.6, which is the latest FSD version for HW3 vehicles. While FSD V12.6 was only released for the redesigned Model S and Model X with HW3, FSD V12.6.1 is adding support for the Model 3 and Model Y.

While this is only a bug-fix release for users coming from FSD V12.6, it includes massive improvements for anyone coming from an older FSD version. Two of the biggest changes are the new end-to-end highway stack that now utilizes FSD V12 for highway driving and a redesigned controller that allows FSD to drive “V13” smooth.

It also adds speed profiles, earlier lane changes, and more. You can read our in-depth look at all the changes in FSD V12.6.

Same Update, Multiple FSD Builds

What’s interesting about this software version is that it “includes" two FSD updates, V12.6.1 for HW3 and V13.2.4 for HW4 vehicles. While this is interesting, it’s less special when you understand what’s happening under the hood.

The vehicle’s firmware and Autopilot firmware are actually completely separate. While a vehicle downloading a firmware update may look like a singular process, it’s actually performing several functions during this period. First, it downloads the vehicle’s firmware. Upon unpacking the update, it’s instructed which Autopilot/FSD firmware should be downloaded.

While the FSD firmware is separate, the vehicle can’t download any FSD update. The FSD version is hard-coded in the vehicle’s firmware that was just downloaded. This helps Tesla keep the infotainment and Autopilot firmware tightly coupled, leading to fewer issues.

What we’re seeing here is that HW3 vehicles are being told to download one FSD version, while HW4 vehicles are being told to download a different version.

While this is the first time Tesla has had two FSD versions tied to the same vehicle software version, the process hasn’t actually changed, and what we’re seeing won’t lead to faster FSD updates or the ability to download FSD separately. What we’re seeing is the direct result of the divergence of HW3 and HW4.

While HW3/4 remained basically on the same FSD version until recently, it is now necessary to deploy different versions for the two platforms. We expect this to be the norm going forward, where HW3 will be on a much different version of FSD than HW4. While each update may not include two different FSD versions going forward, we may see it occasionally, depending on which features Autopilot is dependent on.

Thanks to Greentheonly for helping us understand what happened with this release and for the insight into Tesla’s processes.

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