Tesla Motors' lineup of all-electric vehicles — its existing Roadster, almost certainly its impending Model S, and possibly its future Model X — apparently suffer from a severe limitation that can largely destroy the value of the vehicle. If the battery is ever totally discharged, the owner is left with what Tesla describes as a "brick": a completely immobile vehicle that cannot be started or even pushed down the street. The only known remedy is for the owner to pay Tesla approximately $40,000 to replace the entire battery. Unlike practically every other modern car problem, neither Tesla's warranty nor typical car insurance policies provide any protection from this major financial loss.Yup.
An unrelated story. To the best of my knowledge, all batteries lose their ability to re-charge over time. I can't imagine buying a 3-year-used Prius, knowing that I may have to replace a battery. And a 5-year-old Prius with original battery must have absolutely no re-sale value. I must be missing something on this, and I'm sure readers will tell me, but to the best of my knowledge, the batteries will have to be replaced at some point. And even before replacement, the re-charging interval lessens.
