Exploring the Tesla VIN decoder

1. The importance of Tesla VIN decoder

    The Tesla VIN decoder plays a crucial role in understanding vehicle information. For Tesla owners and potential buyers, multiple key pieces of information about a vehicle can be accurately determined through the VIN decoder. The Tesla VIN decoder provides consumers with a convenient and accurate way to understand key vehicle information and is of undeniable importance when purchasing both new and used cars.

2. Structure and meaning of VIN code

  2.1 Components of VIN code

    Tesla's VIN code is a unique code consisting of 17 characters, just like the "identity card" of a vehicle. These 17 characters respectively represent different vehicle information, covering multiple aspects such as the world manufacturer identifier, model code, body category, safety restraint system, fuel type, electric motor/drive unit, inspection digit code, production year, manufacturing plant, and factory sequence number code.

  2.2 The specific meaning of each character

Digits 1-3: The manufacturer (the Tesla factory)
5YJ: Tesla USA (Model 3/S)
7G2: Tesla USA (Tesla semi)
7SA: Tesla USA (Model X/Y)
SFZ: Tesla Roadster (built in Great Britain)
LRW: Tesla China
XP7: Tesla Germany (Grünheide)


Digit 4: Model designation
3: Tesla Model 3
Y: Tesla Model Y
S: Tesla Model S
X: Tesla Model X
R: Tesla Roadster
T: Tesla Semi
C: Tesla Cybertruck 


Digit 5: Body type and steering wheel position
A: 5 doors, left-hand drive, hatchback (Model S) / sedan (Model 3)
B: 5 doors, right-hand drive, hatchback (Model S) / sedan (Model 3) / Cabin (Semi)
C: 5 doors, left-hand drive, SUV
D: 5 doors, right-hand drive, SUV
E: left-hand drive, 4 doors, sedan (Model 3) / 3 doors, convertible (roadster)
G: 5 doors, left-hand drive, SUV crossover
H: 5 doors, right-hand drive, SUV crossover


Digit 6: Safety equipment
1: Seat belts (2 front, 3 rear), front airbags, knee airbags (front), side airbags, PODS
3: Seat belts (2 front, 2 rear), front airbags, knee airbags (front), side airbags
4: Seat belts (2 front, 2 rear), Front airbags, Knee airbags (front), Side airbags
5: Seat belts (2 front, 2 rear), front airbags, side airbags
6: Seat belts (2 front, 3 rear), front airbags, side airbags
7: Seat belts (2 front, 3 rear), Front airbags, Side airbags, Active hood
8: Seat belts (2 front, 2 rear), Front airbags, Side airbags, Active hood
A: Seat belts (2 front, 3 second row, 2 third row), Front airbags, Knee airbags (front), Side airbags, PODS
B: Seat belts (2 front, 2 second row, 2 third row), front airbags, knee airbags (front), side airbags, PODS
C: Seat belts (2 front, 2 second row, 2 third row), front airbags, side airbags, PODS
D: Seat belts (2 front, 3 rear), front airbags, knee airbags (front), side airbags, PODS


Digit 7: Drive type
A: Charger with 10 kW charging power
B: Charger with 20 kW charging capacity
C: Charger with 10 kW charging capacity and DC fast charger
D: Charger with 20 kW charging capacity and DC fast charger
E: NMC/NCA battery (for cars produced in Shanghai). If digit 8 is "S", then BYD LFP battery (for non-Shanghai cars). Otherwise, E simply stands for "Electric"
F: LFP battery. If figure 8 is "S", then the battery comes from CATL.
H: NMC battery with high capacity (85 kWh)
S: NMC battery with standard capacity (60 kWh)
V: NMC battery with ultra-high capacity (90 kWh)


Digit 8: Motorization
1: a standard AC induction motor, 3-phase
2: two standard AC induction motors, 3-phase
3: one performance AC induction motor, 3-phase
4: two performance AC induction motors, 3-phase
5: two motors (Facelift Model S/X)
6: three motors (Model S/X Plaid)
A: one standard or performance motor of the "Wire Windings" type (3#RP, Model 3)
B: two standard motors of the "Wire Windings" type (3#DB, Model 3 or Semi)
C: two "Wire Windings" performance motors with 82 kWh battery (3#DP)
D: one standard or performance motor of the "Wire Windings" type (Y#RP, Model Y)
E: two standard motors of the "Wire Windings" type (Y#DB, Model Y)
F: two performance motors of the "Wire Windings" type (Y#DP)
G: unspecified motor, 51-60 kWh battery
J: a standard/performance motor of the "Hairpin Windings" type (Y#RP, 3#RP)
K: two standard motors of the type "Hairpin Windings" (Y#DB, 3#DB)
L: two performance motors of the "Hairpin Windings" type (Y#DP, 3#DP)
N: one standard motor, 81-90 kWh battery
P: one performance motor, 81-90 kWh battery
R: a standard motor of the "Wire Windings" type (Y#RB, 3#RB)
S: a standard motor of the "Hairpin Windings" type (Y#RB, 3#RB)
T: Two performance motors


Digit 9: The check digit
You will find the check digit in the ninth position of your chassis number. This plays a decisive role in the authenticity and accuracy of your VIN. If the vehicle identification number has been subsequently changed or created incorrectly, the check digit will differ.

To calculate the check digit, first replace all the letters in your VIN with the corresponding numbers according to the table below. Then each of the first 16 numbers (VIN without the check digit) is multiplied by a specific factor. This factor ranges from 2 to 10 and then again from 2 to 9, starting from right to left in the VIN.

The 17th digit of your VIN is multiplied by 2, the 16th by 3 and so on, with the ninth digit being multiplied by 10 before the eighth starts at 2 again. Finally, multiply the first digit of your VIN by 9. Add up all the numbers obtained. Divide the result by 11. The remainder of this division (0 to 10) is the check digit of your VIN. If the remainder is 10, the check digit is represented by the letter "X".

If you want to check the accuracy of your VIN, follow these steps and compare the result with the check digit of your chassis number.
Letter
Number
A, Ä, J
1
B, K, S
2
C, L, T
3
D, M, U, Ü
4
E, N, V
5
F, W
6
G, P, X
7
H, Q, Y
8
I, R, Z
9
O, Ö
0
  Follow these steps carefully to ensure that your VIN is correct.


Digit 10: The model year
The tenth digit of the Tesla VIN codes the model year of the vehicle. It is assigned according to a fixed key up to the year 2025:

6: 2006

7: 2007
8: 2008
9: 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
P: 2023
R: 2024
S: 2025


Digit 11: The place of manufacture
The eleventh digit of the VIN indicates the exact production location of the vehicle. This is detailed information about the location that goes beyond the information in the first three digits (manufacturer and country):
1: California, Menlo Park
3: Great Britain, Hethel (Roadster)
A: Texas, Austin
B: Germany, Berlin/Grünheide
C: China, Shanghai
F: California, Fremont
G: Germany, Berlin/Grünheide
N: Nevada, Reno
P: California, Palo Alto
R: Development / Research


Digit 12-17 The six-digit serial number
The last six digits of the Tesla VIN are a unique serial number that identifies each vehicle individually. No vehicle in the world shares the same last six digits.
While the last five digits are purely for identification purposes, the first digit of the serial number can provide additional information, especially if it contains one of the following letters:
A: Prototype Stage Alpha
B: Prototype stage beta
E: Evaluation prototype (Roadster)
F: Founder series (Roadster number 1 to 1000)
M: Prototype drivable (Roadster)
P: Production vehicle (first 100,000 Model S only)
R: Release candidate
S: Signature series (first 1000 Model S/X)
V: Validation prototype (Roadster)
However, if the first digit of the serial number is a number, it is a regular production vehicle.