What is inside the Tesla Model Y (4680 Structural) battery pack
The Tesla Model Y (4680 Structural) carries a 82 kWh pack built from NMC 811 Cylindrical 4680 cells arranged in 3 serviceable modules at a nominal 355 V. Pack mass lands near 418 kg including the enclosure, cooling plate, contactors and BMS harness.
Because the cells are NMC 811 (4680), the recoverable value profile is dominated by nickel and cobalt, with lithium and copper adding a meaningful second tranche. That decides whether a retired pack is worth repurposing, refining, or both.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Chemistry | NMC 811 Cylindrical 4680 |
| Cell format | Cylindrical 4680 tabless |
| Energy / voltage | 82 kWh · 355 V |
| Modules | 3 |
| Estimated pack mass | 418 kg |
| On sale since | 2022 (Global) |
Step 1 — Removing and shipping a passenger pack
Packs are dropped on a vehicle lift using the OEM procedure and a rated battery table, then isolated at the service disconnect. Retired packs are UN 3480 or UN 3481 dangerous goods, so the pack must be below 30% state of charge and any deformation, swelling or thermal history declared before pickup.
One pack per UN-rated pallet box, strapped and restrained, with terminals capped and coolant ports sealed. Dealer and workshop returns are consolidated into full truckloads, typically eight or more packs per run.
- Pull the service disconnect and record pack voltage
- Drain or cap coolant lines before lifting
- Photograph the pack casing and any impact damage
- Keep the VIN and pack serial together on the manifest
Step 2 — Module-level state of health grading
Each of the 3 modules is tested independently — a whole-pack SOH figure hides the spread that decides second-life eligibility. We run a full capacity cycle, DC internal resistance measurement and impedance spectroscopy.
Our degradation model for the Tesla Model Y (4680 Structural) shows how value falls with age. Measured results replace these estimates once the pack is on the bench.
| Service year | Modelled SOH | Grade | Residual value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 2 | 94.2% | A — BESS ready | USD 4,607 |
| Year 4 | 89.9% | A — BESS ready | USD 4,425 |
| Year 6 | 85.6% | A — BESS ready | USD 4,162 |
| Year 8 | 81.3% | B — Second life | USD 3,674 |
| Year 10 | 77% | B — Second life | USD 3,281 |
Step 3 — What you actually recover
For modules routed to refining, a pack of this size and chemistry typically yields about 8.5 kg lithium, 55.0 kg nickel, 5.5 kg cobalt and 23.2 kg copper.
At 80% SOH our model sends about 47% of the pack to second life, worth USD 2,045, and credits USD 1,501 for the remainder as black mass. Avoided emissions come to roughly 2,343 kg CO2.
Field note
Step 4 — Where to send it and what paperwork you get
Tesla Model Y (4680 Structural) packs are received directly at 7 intake sites in its markets, including Detroit, Michigan, Dallas, Texas, Toronto, Ontario, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon. From there, modules move to the nearest grading bench and refinery.
Every consignment closes with a certificate showing quantity processed, recovery percentages achieved and downstream vendor disclosure, in the form used for EU and US producer-responsibility reporting. Fleets retiring several Tesla Model Y (4680 Structural) units should book one consolidated pickup to cut per-pack cost.