Tesla vehicles are more likely than other vehicles of similar age to carry a total-loss history designation.

InsideEVs reported on Aug. 22 that EpicVIN, a vehicle-history data firm, analysed 338 models and 273 million vehicle identification numbers (VINs) listed at auctions or for sale in August 2026. It put the share of Tesla vehicles with a total-loss history at about 18 to 19 percent. The average across all vehicles studied was 13.7 percent.

Tesla vehicles averaged 5.2 years old, but their total-loss history share was about 19 percent. EpicVIN said the average share for vehicles aged 5 to 8 years is 7.5 percent. That makes Tesla's share more than double the average for the same age group.

By model, the share for the Model 3 was 19 percent. The study covered 341,078 Model 3 vehicles, including 64,749 with a total-loss history. For the Model Y, 42,900 out of 225,106 vehicles had a total-loss history, for a share of 19.1 percent, higher than the Model 3.

The pattern did not appear to be a common feature across EVs. Nissan Leaf vehicles had a total-loss history share of 9.5 percent and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 was at 2.4 percent. GMC, the next highest after Tesla among existing brands, was at 8.3 percent, less than half of Tesla's share.

A total-loss history designation is generally applied when an insurer declares a vehicle a total loss. That is because it judges it more economical to declare a total loss than to repair the vehicle when repair costs exceed a certain share of the vehicle's value. As vehicles age, depreciation lowers their value, making it more likely that even a relatively minor accident results in repair costs exceeding the vehicle's value and a total-loss declaration.

Tesla showed a different pattern from that general trend. Tesla vehicles in EpicVIN's study averaged 5.2 years old, but their total-loss history share was close to 20 percent. By contrast, discontinued Saturn vehicles had a total-loss history share of 24.4 percent, but averaged 22.8 years old. A total-loss history share similar to brands with many decades-old vehicles appeared in relatively young Tesla vehicles.

EV residual values and Tesla repair costs are cited as possible factors. Insurers' total-loss decisions are determined by the relationship between repair costs and vehicle value, not by vehicle reliability or driver tendencies. EV residual values are generally not high, and Tesla has seen sharp depreciation in recent years. In a market where preference for sport utility vehicles has strengthened, the fact that the sedan Model 3 has a relatively lower transaction price could also have an impact.

Tesla's high repair costs are also cited as a factor that raises the likelihood of a total-loss declaration. Hertz disposed of a large portion of its Tesla fleet, citing difficult maintenance and low residual values. Tesla used-car prices have recently shown signs of stabilising, but vehicle values generally decline over time.

A total-loss history does not mean a vehicle was immediately scrapped or cannot be driven. A vehicle declared a total loss can be repaired, pass safety inspections, and be converted into a rebuilt-title vehicle that can be driven again. However, rebuilt-title vehicles can vary depending on repair condition, so buyers need to closely check the vehicle's condition and history before purchase. EpicVIN said about 1.5 percent of all vehicles studied were confirmed to have a rebuilt history.

For non-Tesla EVs, the relatively later launch dates are also a variable. The Tesla Model 3 and Model Y were launched in 2017 and 2019, respectively, while the Hyundai Ioniq 5 first appeared in 2021. Non-Tesla EVs could also see a higher share of total-loss history as vehicle values fall over time.

The findings do not mean the share of total-loss history among all Tesla vehicles actually on the road. EpicVIN's data are based on VINs for vehicles appearing in auction and sales listings, not on state registration records. The results therefore should be interpreted as the share of total-loss history among vehicles included in that dataset.