In the latest episode of the Drive Protected Tesla Resurrection Project, we drive our 2019 Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus, the one with over 610,000 km on the odometer from Winkler, Manitoba all the way to Hamilton, Ontario to get a new battery pack installed at Alset Road Ready Solutions. Our creative team, Dan and Dusty, drove it and documented the trip. Their combined EV experience before this trip was a mere few hours.
What followed was three very long days of range anxiety, Red Bull, sketchy chargers, a white-knuckle 0% battery arrival, and a very satisfying drive home.
Here's the full story, charge stop by charge stop.
The degraded NMC battery in the car couldn't handle the more direct US route. So Dan and Dusty took the long way through Manitoba and across Northern Ontario at an average speed of 90km/hr (56mph) with a handful of planned charge stops and a lot of unknowns.
The car left Winkler at 610,969 km on the odometer, 97% charged.
Here's how the outbound leg played out:
Day 3 was the one that nearly ended them on a flat deck trailer. Somewhere between Wawa and Batchawana Bay, the nav lost cell service and briefly showed a projected arrival of minus 16%. Dan and Dusty slowed to 70km/hr, then 66 km/hr, and finally down to 50km/hr while they watched the battery tick down from 28% to 9% to 1%, to 0% and finally coasted into a Tesla wall charger that Eric had spotted by phone with the car showing 0% battery and 0km of range remaining. They had driven about 7km with 0% SOC showing but somehow they made it! What should've been a 1 hour drive took 2, then a slow L2 charge of 2 hours to get to 37%.
The battery swap: NMC out, LFP in
At Alset Road Ready Solutions in Hamilton, Eric chatted with shop owner Andre to walk through the swap on camera. The original NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) pack was coming out, and an LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) pack with just 15,000 km on it was going in.
A few things worth knowing about LFP chemistry: while energy density is slightly lower than NMC, the ability to charge to 100% regularly largely offsets that. Tesla began shipping LFP packs in Model 3s around mid-2021, and while they've been dubbed the "million-mile battery," Andre was upfront that we're still waiting on long-term high-mileage data, the oldest ones just aren't that old yet. Given this car is already past 613,000 km on the original pack, there's no reason the new one can't take it to a million and beyond.
After the battery swap was complete, Andre also installed a suspension upgrade, front struts and rear dampeners sourced from a Tesla Model 3 Highland, the same components Tesla moved to in 2024. Early Model 3s rode a little stiff; this brings it in line with the smoother, more refined feel of the current gen car. A four wheel alignment finished it off.
Total shop time: under 8 hours.
What it cost.
Here's the full invoice breakdown:
For a near new LFP pack, Highland spec suspension, and alignment, all done in under eight hours that's a compelling number. Especially when you consider what this car is capable of on the other side of it.
The drive home: a completely different car
The return route went through the US; Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota and the contrast was immediate.
From a 93% charge, Dan and Dusty drove 236 km at 115 km/h with headwinds and arrived at their first charge stop with 11% remaining. On a rear wheel drive car that, one day earlier, had nearly stranded them at 0% on a way slower route.
Dusty's take after a full day on the new battery: "80% better if not 90 or 100." Dan's thoughts 'Today was the first day when we had no concern about range at all. Like zero."
They covered over 1,000 km that day. Could have done it in four charge stops. Did it in five because they had an extra early stop to make anyway.
Here's the drive home stats.
The suspension upgrade was maybe less noticeable than the battery but still had a positive impact on the drive. Certainly a smoother and very comfortable ride.
More stats about this trip because many viewers have asked about this:
Trip Summary
What's next for this car
This Model 3 is being given away as part of the Tesla Resurrection Project giveaway. Whoever wins it gets a car that has been comprehensively refreshed, new LFP battery with 15,000 km on it, Highland suspension, fresh alignment, and over 613,000 km of proven history. Plus all the custom work we're finishing up for the car in upcoming videos.
Giveaway entries close July 6, 2026. Winner announced July 10, 2026.
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We're GIVING AWAY This Tesla Model 3