Tesla and EV salvage: high-voltage risks to know before you buy

Salvage Teslas and other electric vehicles draw a lot of interest from rebuilders and enthusiasts, and a written-off one can look like a bargain. An EV with damage is a different kind of project from a gas car with the same dents, though.

Nothing here replaces the manufacturer's guidance or proper training. If you aren't trained to work on high-voltage systems, leave them alone.

Why EVs get written off

The battery pack is an EV's most expensive part, and it sits under the floor where impacts and debris can reach it. After a collision an insurer may have to pay for the pack to be checked, and replacing it can cost a large share of the vehicle's value. So EVs get written off for damage that would be a routine repair on a gas vehicle, and some written-off EVs still drive. That's the opportunity, and it's also the trap, because the damage you can't see may be the damage that matters.

High voltage and battery fires

An EV's high-voltage system takes in the battery, the orange cables, the inverter, the motors and the charging hardware, and damage can leave parts of it energized, exposed or weakened. Tesla's emergency response guide says never to cut an orange high-voltage cable or cut into the battery pack. Tesla and other makers publish this information, showing where the high-voltage parts are and how the system shuts down. Follow it, and leave any work on the high-voltage system to trained people.

A damaged lithium-ion battery can overheat and catch fire later, even after a fire seems to be out. Battery fires are hard to put out and can reignite, and Tesla's guide says to keep a vehicle with a possibly damaged battery outdoors, at least 15 m from anything that can burn.

So before you buy, decide where it'll be stored, outdoors and apart from anything that can burn. Work out how it'll be moved: Tesla says to carry a damaged one on a flatbed with all wheels off the ground. And know what you'll do if the battery shows signs of trouble, such as heat, smoke, steam, or hissing or popping sounds.

Before you make an offer

Some manufacturers limit what a vehicle with a salvage history can do after it's repaired, including access to the fast-charging network, connected services, software updates or warranty coverage. Policies change and differ between manufacturers. Ask the manufacturer what applies to the VIN before you make an offer.

Then ask the seller:

• where it was hit, since underbody and rear impacts worry rebuilders most
• whether it charges and shows any warning messages, with a photo of the instrument display while it's on
• whether anyone has looked at the battery, and for the insurer's estimate or a repair shop's report
• where it's been stored, and whether it has ever overheated, smoked or been in water (a flood-damaged EV is listed for parts only on DNF)
• what comes with it, such as keys or key cards, the charging cable and the account transfer if the manufacturer uses one

In Alberta a Salvage EV needs repairs and a salvage vehicle inspection, like any other vehicle, before a registry agent can change its status to Rebuilt. Ask the inspection facility whether it handles EVs and what it'll want to see for the battery and the high-voltage system, and see the Alberta rebuilt inspection guide for the steps.

Browse salvage and damaged Tesla Model 3s in Alberta, Tesla Model Ys in Alberta or Tesla Model 3s across Canada.