Tesla makes headlines for revolutionizing the electric vehicle (EV) industry. But behind its slick, speedy cars lies a far more pivotal disruption in battery tech. Tesla‘s strategic investments in better, cheaper, and safer lithium-ion cells continue pushing what‘s possible for sustainable transport.
So how have Tesla‘s prototype batteries from over 15 years ago evolved into the high-capacity cells slated to power next-gen Cybertrucks? Let‘s crack the code on the various battery types Tesla uses across their past, present and future lineup.
A Birds-Eye View of Tesla‘s Battery History
Before diving into the nitty-gritty details, here‘s a zoomed-out timeline visualization summarizing the key batteries adopted by Tesla over the years and the corresponding cars utilizing them:
[insert interactive timeline visual highlighting major Tesla battery developments from 2008 Roadster to 4680/LFP cells]While this chart simplifies a complex history, it makes a few Tesla battery trends clearly evident:
- Gradual progression to larger, higher-density cell formats unlocking longer range
- Shift from sourcing batteries from Panasonic to direct in-house design
- Pivot toward LFP chemistry without expensive cobalt/nickel
Now let‘s explore each of Tesla‘s four key battery types more closely…
18650 – The OG Tesla Battery
The origins of Tesla batteries go back to the mid 2000‘s when the upstart EV company purchased original 18650 lithium-ion cells made in Asia for its very first vehicle – the 2-seater Tesla Roadster sports car.
18650 Cell Stats:
- 18mm diameter, 65 mm height
- 3.7V nominal voltage
- 2.2 to 3.2 Ah capacity
- Cylindrical form factor
- Commonly used by laptops too!
Powered by nearly 7000 of these off-the-shelf 18650 cells crammed together, the 2008 Roadster boasted an unprecedented 244 miles EPA range – shattering expectations for what was possible with EVs at the time.
However, the Roadster‘s hand-assembled battery packs were extraordinarily expensive and time-consuming to fabricate. So for Tesla‘s next clean slate Model S luxury sedan design, the company decided to partner with Panasonic to customize and mass produce lower-cost, higher-capacity 18650 cells with nickel-cobalt-aluminum (NCA) cathode chemistry tuned specifically for automotive usage.
This winning Panasonic + Tesla battery collaboration set the course…
2170 – Leveling Up with Higher Density
By 2017, as Tesla prepared to launch its more affordable Model 3 sedan, further improvements to battery technology made upgrading cell formats once again worthwhile.
Enter the 2170 cell. Measuring 21mm wide and 70mm tall, the pouch-style 2170 boosts capacity to 4 to 5 Ah – essentially doubling the energy density while slightly improving voltage too.
2170 Advantages:
- Fits more range into less space
- Enables faster charge rates
- Simplifies battery pack assembly
- Drops $/kWh costs markedly
The 2170 battery co-engineered by Panasonic and Tesla rapidly became the go-to cell choice as newer Model 3 and Model Y vehicles displaced ageing Model S/X lines. In just half a decade, the 2170 has already powered over 1.5 million Tesla EVs worldwide.
4680 – Tesla Strikes Out On Its Own
Tesla‘s partnership with Panasonic undeniably leveled up lithium tech to new heights. But in 2020 Elon Musk decided it was time for Tesla itself to start manufacturing its own proprietary battery from the ground up.
The result? Announcing Tesla‘s in-house 4680 cell.
The 4680 takes the 2170 format and supersizes it, with a 46mm width and 80mm height. This taller, wider cylinder is specifically optimized for structural integration, doing away with traditional battery pack casings.
4680 Cell Key Attributes:
- 5x energy capacity density
- 6x power output
- Lower $/kWh cost
- Zero cobalt content
On paper, the 4680 battery represents a breakthrough leap, significantly slashing factory footprint requirements while packing in more range and enabling faster charging with less materials.
The catch? As a clean-sheet cell design, Tesla has struggled to reach volume production of 4680s thus far. Only five Model Y performance variants have received 4680 test battery packs from Tesla‘s Fremont pilot line as of late 2022.
But Musk aims to hit mass-production scale by 2023 once factories in Texas and Berlin build out the custom 4680 manufacturing equipment.
LFP – Sustainable Chemistry Without Nickel
Tesla‘s third recent battery play diversifies cathode chemistries beyond nickel and cobalt to more affordable, ethically-sourced Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) cells.
With supply chain issues constraining nickel, Tesla signed a multi-billion dollar LFP battery supply partnership with Chinese maker CATL. The initial plan? Introduce LFP variants of Model 3 and Model Y standard range options globally.
LFP Cell Tradeoffs:
➕ Safer cathode, longer cycle life
➕Handles cold better, less fire risk
➖ 10% lower energy density
➖ Lower voltage per cell
LFP 1980 2700 chemistry lacks the specific energy of NCA or nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) batteries. But what LFP gives up in range, it offsets with sustainability and safety – crucial considerations as EVs proliferate en masse.
Comparing Generations: Model 3 Battery Breakthroughs
The Model 3 perhaps best exemplifies the real-world range impact from adopting modern battery advancements. Let‘s examine how changing cell types affect stats for different Model 3 versions:
| Battery | Year | Range | 0-60 mph | Top Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18650 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2170 | 2018 | 310 miles | 5.1 s | 140 mph |
| 4680 | 2021* | 387 miles* | 1.99 s* | 155 mph |
| LFP | 2022 | 270 miles | 6.1 s | 125 mph |
*Estimated performance based on Tesla‘s projected 4680 specs
Clearly batteries transform an EV‘s capabilities, underlying the importance of Tesla‘s cell technology innovation curve.
Manufacturing Batteries at Scale
We‘ve covered the what behind Tesla‘s batteries. But any world-changing technology remains meaningless unless efficiently mass produced.
So how does Tesla fabricate millions of high-capacity lithium-ion cells while ensuring consistent quality? Let‘s outline the internal factory processes…
[overview of Gigafactory vertical integration, process flow, defect detection, etc.]Getting intricate battery chemistry right at volume with minimal waste is complex, requiring air-tight supply chains. Tesla‘s expanding its production capacity by opening Gigafactories on 3 continents, aiming to localize cell sourcing and battery assembly adjacent to vehicle manufacturing.
Future Outlook: What‘s Next for Tesla Batteries
While 4680 cells and LFP cathodes represent Tesla‘s hottest current battery focus areas, Musk confirmed at 2022‘s Battery Day event that the company has additional next-gen technologies already in development:
Project Roadrunner: Automated Dry Electrode Manufacturing
Many traditional lithium battery production steps happen in liquid slurry form. But Roadrunner aims to pioneer a switch to faster, safer dry processes cutting capital expenditure ~70% while enabling 10x output per Gigafactory.
Cell-to-Pack Technology
Today‘s lithium cells still get individually assembled into large modules, wasted space and weight. Cell-to-pack merges components into a structural battery unit simplifying manufacturing. Tesla hopes to remove 70% of pack parts transitioning vehicle architecture to single-piece integrated batteries.
Million Mile Battery Life
Extending cycle lifetimes to achieve million mile ranges unlocks new business models around battery resuse and recycling – areas Tesla is prioritizing long term.
And this is just the tip of the iceberg. With vehicles accounting for 25% of greenhouse emissions, sustainable transport demands batteries continually maximize range, minimize footprint and boost access.
While Tesla‘s relentless technology innovation poses challenges to keep pace with as a consumer, ultimately all this battery progress serves a vital mission – catalyzing society‘s urgent transition to renewables.
So next time you‘re wowed by a speedy Tesla silently smoking a muscle car off the line, remember the transformational battery building blocks that enable these superhero EVs in the first place!
