Why a 2024 Model X shows less range than older ones (and why it doesn't mean a bad battery)

If you research a used Tesla's range, you'll find a lot of different numbers. A VIN decoder, Google and the original window sticker may all show one figure, and the car's screen shows a lower one. Many buyers assume the gap means the battery has lost a lot of capacity. Often it doesn't. The way range is rated has changed over the years.

The rules for rating range have changed

Range ratings come from EPA testing. Those tests, and how the numbers are calculated, have changed over time. That makes comparing model years tricky:

• 2020 Model X Long Range Plus: rated at up to 371 miles.
• 2023 Model X All-Wheel Drive: rated at 348 miles (20" wheels).
• 2024 Model X All-Wheel Drive: rated at 335 miles (20" wheels).

Looking at those numbers, you'd think the 2020 car has a bigger or more efficient battery. It doesn't. The refreshed Model X that arrived in late 2021 is about 4% lighter than the 2020 Long Range Plus (5,219 lbs vs 5,437 lbs), with a lighter battery pack. Its rear motor also changed from an induction motor to a permanent magnet motor, so both motors are now permanent magnet, like Model 3 and Model Y. (Teslarati, Oct 2021) The newer car is the more efficient one.

The difference is the test. For 2024 models, the EPA's testing method became more demanding, and Tesla lowered its published ratings across Model S, X and Y. Reports at the time noted that real-world range should be about the same. A 2020 Model X Long Range Plus tested under today's rules would very likely be rated well below 371 miles.

Why it matters when you look at a used car

The range a Tesla displays is based on its rating. So a 2024 Model X All-Wheel Drive often shows noticeably less range than a 2023 Model X All-Wheel Drive, even though they're nearly identical cars. Ironically, the 2023, which CARFAX often calls "Standard Range," usually shows more range on the screen. (See Why CARFAX says "Standard Range" on a 2023 Model S or Model X.)

In our experience, real energy use per mile (miles per kWh) is about the same between the two. The difference comes from how the number is rated, not from the battery.

How to judge a battery fairly

• Compare the car to its own model year's rating, not to a number from Google or a VIN decoder that may come from an older, easier test.
• Estimate full range from the screen: range shown × 100 ÷ battery %.
• Remember that the screen doesn't count the hidden reserve. See Why your Tesla shows less range than the EPA rating.
• Look at the Energy app's actual consumption, which Tesla recommends for judging real-world range.

More from Tesla

Tesla explains what affects range, including speed, cold weather and battery aging, here: Tesla Support: Range.

Questions about a specific car? Call or text us and we'll walk you through it.