Tesla’s Battery Day Delivers Great News for the Planet
On September 22nd, Elon Musk delivered important news to Tesla’s shareholders at an event called “Battery Day”. He boldly predicted that the days of the internal combustion engine are numbered. A massive shift by consumers toward electric vehicles is a prerequisite for significant reductions in carbon dioxide emissions, and advances in battery technology are about to make that shift possible. Two of the main impediments to the electrification of the transportation sector are the high cost of electric vehicles and their limited range. Tesla’s newest batteries are likely to overcome both obstacles.
One of the biggest pronouncements was Tesla’s pledge to manufacture an affordable EV priced at about $25,000 within the next three years. That’s $10,000 less than its popular Model 3 and is on par with moderately priced gas burners. The lower sticker price will be realized by drastically reducing high battery costs, which inflate the price of all EVs. While Tesla will continue to rely heavily on batteries supplied by Panasonic, it will begin to mass-produce its own lithium-ion battery cell called the 4680 that it claims will slash battery costs by 56%. The relatively large, cylindrical cells are 80 millimeters long and have a diameter of 46 millimeters. Tens of thousands of the cells have already been produced at Tesla’s pilot production facility in Fremont. The larger cells store much more energy relative to their weight than their predecessors. These significant gains in energy density are made possible by the 4680’s revolutionary “tabless” design, which reduces internal electrical resistance that causes heat buildup. Eliminating tabs also allows Tesla to streamline the highly automated battery assembly process. New methods for making cobalt-free cathodes will provide additional cost savings.
A $25,000 Tesla will look even more attractive to consumers when it can travel a longer distance on a single charge. Tesla’s best vehicles already have outstanding range specs, and the 4680 will stretch them even further. Tesla has pioneered a way to utilize silicon in the anode to increase vehicle range by 20 percent. The improved energy density of the larger cell design extends range another 16 percent. Combined with other advances, the 4680 will theoretically deliver a whopping range increase of 54 percent. Tesla’s 2020 Model S Long Range Plus can already stray 402 miles. Outperforming internal combustion engines has always been a matter of building a better, lighter, cheaper battery cell, and Tesla’s 4680 appears to have what it takes.
For green motorists concerned about climate change, these are welcome developments, especially Tesla’s commitment to manufacture an affordable model soon. Too much of today’s EV market is focused on high-performance luxury vehicles. Significant emission reduction from the transportation sector depends on the widespread sale of more ordinary family vehicles with respectable range, MPGe, and horsepower. If the 4680 battery cell allows Tesla to vanquish the internal combustion engine in this crucial segment of the market, the Earth will benefit from their remarkable ingenuity.