If you are looking to buy a second-hand Tesla or trying to figure out where a Tesla was manufactured or which options it was built with, then a Tesla VIN decoder or lookup is the way to go. You can also decode your VIN once you get it on your order screen or while tracking your order.
VIN numbers are actually quite logical as they are broken down into parts to help you understand where, when, and how a vehicle was built. The final part of the VIN is a unique identifier that does not provide any specific information except that it is usually sequential.
Beware, some numbers are skipped by manufacturers for various reasons, so don’t count on these digits for much.
Using A Tesla VIN Lookup
VINs can be broken up into sections to help with the decoding. All you have to do is follow the number of each position range to find the right digits or characters to decipher them.
Sometimes it will be a 3 character combination, such as for the manufacturing plant, other times it is one digit or letter for the year of production. The following image shows the main parts according to the NHTSA
Below is a simple table showing which position, what it means, and the specific interpretation for it.
| VIN Position | Meaning | Values |
|---|---|---|
| Position 1-3 | Manufacturer & Country | 5YJ = Tesla, USA 7SA = Tesla, USA (Model X & Y, 2022 onwards) SFZ = Tesla, England LRW = Tesla, China XP7 = Tesla, Germany |
| Position 4 | Model | S = Model S 3 = Model 3 X = Model X Y = Model Y R = Roadster |
| Position 5 | Body Type / Gross Vehicle Weight Rating | A = Model S – 5 Door (Left-hand drive) B = Model S – 5 Door (Right-hand drive) B = Model 3 – 5 Doors (Right-hand drive) E = Model 3 – 4 Doors (Left-hand drive) F = Model 3 – 4 Doors (Right-hand drive) C = Model X – Class E MPV / 5 Doors (Left-hand drive) D = Model X – Class E MPV / 5 Doors (Right-hand drive) G = Model Y – Class D MPV / 5 Doors (Left-hand drive) H = Model Y – Class D MPV / 5 Doors (Right-hand drive) E = Roadster Convertible |
| Position 6 | Belt System | |
| Position 7 | Drive Train | E = Lithium Ion Battery – Electric (NMC) F = Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery (LFP) H = Lithium Ion Battery- High Capacity (NMC) S = Lithium Ion Battery – Standard (NMC) V = Lithium Ion Battery – Ultra High Capacity (NMC) |
| Position 8 | Motor Type | 1 = Single Motor – Standard (Model S) 2 = Dual Motor – Standard (Model S & X) 3 = Single Motor – Performance (Model S) 4 = Dual Motor – Performance (Model S & X) 5 = P2 Dual Motor (Model S & Model X Refresh 2021) 6 = P2 Tri Motor (Model S & Model X Plaid) A = Single Motor – Standard / Performance (Model 3) B = Dual Motor – Standard (Model 3) C = Dual Motor – Performance (Model 3) D = Single Motor – Standard / Performance – Wire Winding (Model Y) E = Dual Motor – Standard – Wire Winding (Model Y) F = Dual Motor – Performance – Wire Winding (Model Y) J = Single Motor – Standard / Performance – Hairpin Winding (Model Y) K = Dual Motor – Standard – Hairpin Winding (Model Y) L = Dual Motor – Performance – Hairpin Winding (Model Y) |
| Position 9 | Check digit | 1-9 |
| Position 10 | Model year | 6-9 = 2006-2009 A = 2010, B = 2011, C = 2012, D = 2013, E = 2014, F = 2015, G = 2016, H = 2017, J = 2018, K = 2019, L = 2020, M = 2021, N = 2022 |
| Position 11 | Manufacturing Plant | 1 = Menlo Park, CA, USA F = Fremont, CA, USA P = Palo Alto, CA, USA A = Austin, TX, USA 3 = Hethel, UK (Roadster final assembly) C = Shanghai, China B = Berlin, Germany |
Where Is The Tesla VIN ?
You can find your Tesla VIN in three locations:
- Under the windshield (see image)
- On the bottom your Tesla App homescreen
Further Tesla VIN Plate Locations
Many of these are country-specific, however, here are the other locations Tesla has stated you can find product-related information (eg. VIN, Options, Paint Codes).
OBD-II Connector – Via An OBD Reader
Tesla China Vehicles
Windshield VIN image courtesy of Spencer Thomas
