Tesla coolant
Every Tesla, the Model 3, Model Y, Model S and Model X, uses one type of coolant: G-48, ethylene glycol based, phosphate and nitrate free. Valvoline Zerex G48 is exactly that type, and Valvoline's official product information sheet lists it as meeting the Tesla specification. In Tbilisi we sell it as a concentrate, which you mix 50/50 with distilled water for a Tesla. We deliver anywhere in Georgia.
If the fluid in your tank is orange, do not top up with G48. That is the HTF-LS coolant in Model Ys built in Texas for North America from October 2024, and Tesla advises against mixing it with G-48. Call us and we will tell you what to do.
Photographs come from the manufacturer's official materials.
What Tesla's service manual says
Tesla's public service manual, in its fluids section, describes the coolant the same way for all four models:
- ethylene glycol based, phosphate and nitrate free;
- G-48 type, a ready-mixed 50/50;
- ethylene glycol should not fall below 50 per cent, so that corrosion protection is maintained;
- more than 60 per cent is not recommended, because cooling efficiency suffers.
Source: the Model 3, Model Y, Model S and Model X service manuals, service.tesla.com.
In the same place Tesla states that it warrants only its own Tesla-branded G-48 coolant. That applies to any other fluid, ours included, and we do not hide it.
Why Zerex G48
On Valvoline's official product information sheet (effective 20 July 2026) Zerex G48 is on the list of specifications it is “formulated to meet or exceed”, and Tesla is named there. Five names are printed on the front of the bottle: BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Mini, Tesla and Volvo.
Chemically it matches what Tesla asks for: ethylene glycol, phosphate-free (30 ppm maximum), low silicate. It scores 10 against a required 8 in the aluminium pump cavitation test, and hot-surface aluminium corrosion is 0.25 mg/cm²/week against a 1.0 limit. In a Tesla the battery cold plates, the chiller and the radiator are aluminium.
Every figure, with a link to the sheet, is on the product page.
When a Tesla actually needs coolant
According to Tesla's owner's manual, battery coolant does not need to be replaced for the life of the vehicle under most circumstances. So Tesla coolant is not a scheduled service item. You need it when the system has been opened:
- front-end repair after a collision, when the radiator, condenser or hoses are replaced. In Georgia this is especially common on Teslas imported from the United States;
- replacing a pump, the chiller, the valve block or the reservoir;
- a leak and a falling level;
- battery or drive unit repair, when a loop is drained.
Tesla states that the coolant level should be checked by a service centre or a professional repairer. A fill from dry is done with a vacuum refill tool, so that no air stays in the battery loop.
How to mix it for a Tesla
Our Zerex G48 is a concentrate (part 861583), while a Tesla needs a ready-mixed 50/50. You make the mix like this:
- Pour one part concentrate into a clean container.
- Add one part distilled or demineralised water. Tap, mineral and spring water are not suitable.
- Mix thoroughly, and only then fill.
One bottle plus 3.78 litres of water makes 7.5 litres of ready-to-use coolant. Keep it at exactly 50/50: Tesla allows 50 to 60 per cent, so both less and more are wrong. Never put neat concentrate or plain water into a Tesla.
How many bottles you will need
Below are Tesla's own figures for a complete fill from dry. One bottle makes 7.5 litres at 50/50, two make 15, three make 22.5.
| Model | Version | Litres, fill from dry | Zerex G48 bottles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Model 3 | RWD, LFP battery | 14.6 | 2 |
| Model 3 | RWD, 2170 cells | 16.3 | 3 |
| Model 3 | AWD, 2170 cells | 16.7 – 18.4 | 3 |
| Model Y | RWD, structural pack | 13.5 | 2 |
| Model Y | AWD, structural pack | 16.6 | 3 |
| Model Y | Conventional pack | 14.6 – 18.4 | 3 |
| Model S | 60 to P90D | 17.2 – 19.8 | 3 |
| Model X | All versions | checked by VIN | – |
These are factory fill figures. When a pump, radiator or hose is replaced the system is not drained completely, and one bottle is often enough. We could not find the Model X figure in the public manual, so we confirm it by VIN.
The colour in the tank: blue or orange
Tesla's G-48 is blue, and so is Zerex G48. Two exceptions to know:
- Orange: Model Ys built in Texas for North America from October 2024 left the factory with orange HTF-LS coolant. Tesla says it should not be mixed with G-48: thermal performance does not change, but the fluid turns brown and gets in the way of diagnosis. Do not top such a car up with G48.
- Blue LC100: Teslas from Gigafactory Shanghai may carry LC100 coolant. According to Tesla's manual it can be mixed with G48.
If you do not know where your car was built, look at the tank. Blue takes G48, and for orange, give us a call.
For workshops
If you repair Teslas, especially accident-damaged imports from the United States, we can agree terms on several bottles. Call us on +995 595 11 46 00.