Tesla's Battery Day: new battery - 4680, new structure, optimized production, Model S Plaid, a future 25,000 EV

23 September 2020, 01:42:32

Tesla's 2020 Shareholders Meeting was a lengthy event with many proceedings before the interesting part actually began - the "Battery Day" part. There are five important pieces of information that one could take from this event:

Tesla has developed a new battery dubbed 4680
The so called structural battery is unveiled
Battery production is optizmied to reduce costs by the using of raw silicone
2021 Model S Plaid is unveiled with availability scheduled for the end of 2021
There's a new Tesla EV in the works that will cost USD 25,000

Tesla's 4680 tabless battery is official

Tesla has developed a new battery cell that's tabless. It is bigger in size - 46 mm by 80 mm, hence the name. Compared to Tesla's older cell models it exceeds sixfold their power and fivefold their energy capacity. In terms of range, this would increase it by 16%, according to Tesla. The new cell is also 14% per kWh cheaper to produce. By 2022, the Tesla Pilot Plant will be producing 100 GWh per year from the 4680 cells. By 2030, the company will achieve a 3 TWh production capacity.

Optimized vehicles structure and battery production

Tesla has unveiled its "structural battery" design. In its essence, this means it has created a mid-body casing that will house the battery cells and they will, ultimately, become a part of the vehicle's body. To achieve that, Tesla has created a special high-strength aluminum alloy for the casing that will not be prone to deformation and remain lightweight. As a result, vehicles will become more lightweight (10% reduction in weight) and this will lead to an extended range.

Optimized battery production to reduce costs

Tesla said that it has started using raw silicone in the production process. As a result, this cuts 37% of the cost per kWh for the 4680 cell. The pure cost reduction from this move is 5%.

2021 Model S Plaid goes official

The 2021 Model S Plaid offers more than 520 miles of range. It accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in less than 2 seconds and has a top speed of 200 mph. The vehicle has a tri-motor AWD design. The model is listed on Tesla's website priced at $139,990 before savings even though it will be available in late 2021 at the earliest.

A new Tesla EV for 25,000 is in the works

Elon Musk said that Tesla is working on a new EV model that will be priced at 25,000. Probably that will be the starting price. The new car will be equipped with the new 4680 cells and is expected to be official in a three-year's time. The EV will also be "fully autnomous."

News related to Tesla, Model S Plaid or 4680

Tesla produced 206,421 and delivered 201,250 vehicles in Q2 of 2021. The number of Model 3 and Model Y units produced is 204,081 and the delivered - 199,360. The corresponding accumulative figures for the Model S and Model X are 2,340 and 1,890, respectively.

2 July 2021

The Tesla Model S Plaid has been officially presented at a delivery event in Fremont today which was ended with the first 25 deliveries of the new model. Several hundred units of Model S Plaid should be produced per week to reach 1000 units per week in Q3. The vehicle is priced at $130,000. There's a version without the tri-motor powertrain that costs $80,000 and has a longer range of 412 miles. Presented as the...

11 June 2021

Tesla's Q1 2021 report contains several interesting pieces of information. But first things first - let's talk about production and deliveries. In the first quarter, Tesla has produced just over 180,000 vehicles and delivered nearly 185,000 vehicles. The new Model S and Model X have been "exceptionally well received", with the new equipment installed and tested in Q1 and Tesla in the early stages of ramping...

27 April 2021

New research from Canalys shows that a record 1.3 million electric vehicles (EVs) were sold in China in 2020. But year-on-year growth was modest at only 8%. In comparison, worldwide sales of EVs rocketed by 39% in 2020, as reported here. The Chinese government has been supportive of the transition to EVs, but several changes to EV-related policies and consumer subsidies in recent years disrupted the market and car...

22 February 2021

The 2021 Tesla Model X refresh is largely similar to that of the 2021 Model S. For a more detailed overview, you can check out the report on the Model S. It includes the updated drivetrain and battery pack as well as the interior with the new steering wheel (Yoke Steering), 17" Cinematic Display, tri-zone climate control, etc. The Model X retains its panoramic windshield and can also be configured up to 7 seats. On...

28 January 2021

Tesla has unveiled the long-awaited refresh of the Model S introducing a new drivetrain with technology already used by the Model 3 and Model Y, including carbon-sleeved rotors and torque vectoring for the Plaid and Plaid+ trims. In addition, while using the same 18650 cells, Tesla has redesigned the battery pack with new coolant channels and added the hear pump introduced on the Model 3 and Model Y. The redesigned...

28 January 2021

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) of China has issued its latest list for approved new vehicles for the local market and another list for new NEV vehicles that are approved for the government's tax exemption purchase. The China-made Tesla Model Y with model code TSL6480BEVBA0 is included in those lists, meaning it can now be sold and the new owners of Model Y unit produced at Tesla Giga...

30 November 2020

Reuters reports that Panasonic develops the new 4680 battery cells for Tesla's vehicles. The information comes from Panasonic's CFO Hirokazu Umeda who shared this information during a briefing earlier today. He also said that Panasonic started working on the 4680 battery immediately after Tesla's Battery Day. Moroever, Panasonic is preparing to set up a prototype production line in parallel. An additional production...

29 October 2020

Twenty days ago Tesla released its production and delivery report for Q3 2020 and earlier today it has released its financial report. The main highlights of the report are: Total revenue grew 39% YoY in Q3 2020. Operating income improved in Q3 to a record level of $809M, resulting in a 9.2% operating margin. Fremont capacity of Model 3 / Model Y has been increased to 500,000 per year. Shanghai capacity of Model 3...

22 October 2020

In Q3 of 2020, Tesla marks another record of EV deliveries. The company has produced 145,036 vehicles and delivered 139,300 vehicles. In model-specific terms, the figures are as follows: Model S/X - 16,992 produced; 15,200 delivered Model 3/Y - 128,044 produced; 124,100 delivered The delivery count should be viewed as slightly conservative, as Tesla deems a car as delivered if it is transferred to the customer and...

2 October 2020

According to South Korean news outlet The Guru, Tesla will no longer use Panasonic batteries for its production in China. LG Chem and CATL will be the main suppliers for cylindrical cells for China-made Tesla models. In particular, as the deal with LG Chem expands, LG Chem is expected to emerge as the main supplier to take charge of battery volume for Tesla's Chinese electric vehicle models. This information comes...

28 July 2020

South Korean media report that Tesla has asked LG Chem to prepare a report for all carbon dioxide emissions data related to battery production. For sure, acquiring this data is very time-consuming. It includes data from the production and delivery of raw materials to the production and delivery of the end product. This includes data from suppliers. And all this has to be verified. Reportedly, LG has started to...

28 July 2020

The General Terms and Conditions between Tesla and Panasonic dating back to October 1, 2014, have been restated and amended. The 2020 GTC, among other things, modifies the term to expire 10 years after Panasonic achieves certain manufacturing milestones. On June 10, 2020, Tesla and Panasonic also entered into the 2020 Pricing Agreement effective as of April 1, 2020 until March 31, 2023, relating to the manufacture...

18 June 2020

As of June 15, all North American 2020 Tesla Model S Long Range Plus vehicles have an official EPA range of 402 miles, which is almost a 20% increase in range when compared to a 2019 Model S Long Range with the same battery pack design. Tesla has managed to achieve this increase in several ways: by significantly reducing the mass of the vehicle by using new Tempest 8.5 inch-wide aero wheels and tires by increasing...

16 June 2020