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Why Tesla Switched To Tabless Batteries | Tesla Tabless Battery Explained

Earlier this year Tesla CEO Elon Musk filed a patent for a new type of battery that would revolutionize the electric automotive industry by combating some of the biggest fears belonging to skeptics, range anxiety, charging times, and so on. A little later into the year he took to the stage on what became known as ‘battery day’ a day filled with more promises than finished products but an exciting step in the right direction for the company. Some of the day's highlights included the discussion of Tesla's top-of-the-range plaid edition for the Model S, a Powertrain that would take the 140000 saloons beyond 200 miles per hour. The elimination of cobalt a precious metal which has previously been used rather heavily in battery production was key to the company's green credentials while a production line specifically geared towards manufacturing cathodes that are the negatively charged part would help streamline, simplify and cut costs for the automaker.

But that's not why you clicked on this post right? You clicked on this post because you were interested in the new Tablet Battery design which had a patent filed for it in early 2020.

Also Read: Tesla's New Cost-Efficient Batteries Explained

Something that Musk highlights are way more important than it sounds in a tweet dated May the 7th 2020. Don't take his word for it let's delve into this together to understand what this means for the next generation of electric vehicles. At the moment the type of battery used by other automakers in their electric Models is known as the Prismatic Type.

The lithium-ion structure is assembled like a Lasagne with multiple layers linking to the outside by an energy transferring tap. The outside in this case is the motor that drives the car. This tab requires specialized and careful welding which is done at such a small level that requires pinpoint accuracy owing to the sheer size of the cells. So far there has been nothing wrong with this design, it works perfectly well and stores more than enough energy for most people's requirements but what if we could save time, money, and precious metals to simplify the process of creating a finished product that's more robust, easier to produce and reproduce and even more reliable?

That's precisely the aim of the new tablets battery design which instead of requiring specialized and complex welding processes requires no welding at all. The design uses bumps, spikes, ridges, and cavities which help layers attract to one another naturally. These new cells measure 46 by 80 millimeters hence the name 4680.

They're bigger than the current cells too which brings added benefits, a larger battery compared to a smaller counterpart with identical chemistry costs less to manufacture due to the convenience of working at a larger scale and has a higher energy density.

In fact, the figures talk for themselves five times more energy capacity and six times more power resulting in a sixteen percent overall range increase that's almost 50 miles added to a car capable of traveling 300 miles. The cost to manufacture these cells reduces by 14 per kilowatt-hour there's also less Ohmic resistance in the tablet's battery design which is due to a shorter distance that needs to be traveled by the electron. 50 millimeters down from 250 millimeters this will be especially useful for supercharging because less resistance will allow the car to charge its batteries at a faster and more stable rate without damaging the cells adding more miles for each minute of charging. A longer-range has always been a benefit target for Tesla which is partially achieved by this battery design alone. Of course, plenty more tech will supplement this extended range but each step adds up to a million-mile lifespan which would be typical of approximately 4000 charge cycles depending on the Model.

Also Read: How Tesla Builds Batteries So Fast?

Currently, the American company outsources the production of its batteries to various companies including Panasonic which produces its 2170 cells used in the Model 3 and Model Y. Believe it or not this has actually been done inside Giga Nevada just not by Tesla however Panasonic's CEO Kazuhiro Tsuga has predicted that its batteries will run out with Tesla's current rate of expansion. This is one of the reasons that contributed to the production hell that played the ramp-up of the Model 3 a few years ago. Nevertheless, Panasonic was once again chosen for the new 4680 cells on which it is currently working as we wait. This is likely to be a less permanent contract though with Elon Musk describing how Tesla will one day be in charge of its entire production line from start to finish including batteries being in charge of all parts. This means the company will be able to reduce its overheads dramatically. Tesla could even reach the 100 per kilowatt-hour threshold to make batteries a viable option for cheaper

cars including family hatchbacks and smaller city cars bringing EVs in line with comparable gasoline alternatives.

In summary, we have benefits ranging from tablets batteries being cheaper to make, easier to reproduce, less wasteful and harmful to the environment, more power, more energy capacity, and longer range and these are just some of the benefits that we've been able to think of. Let us know below if you think of anything on top of this but nothing in the world comes with 100% success including this latest design. Although requiring an overall smaller amount of space per kilowatt-hour, the tablet's battery will be less flexible than what has currently been used this likely means that at least in certain Models if not all they will be fixed in position and non-removable. A concept similar to what we've seen tech giant Apple use with its smartphones, tablets, laptops, and smartwatches.

Also Read: This Tesla 1,000,000 Mile Battery Is A Game Changer!

All's well that ends well and we hope Tesla will consider the environmental impact that this may have although preventing and restricting access to third parties we would therefore expect Tesla to have its proprietary access mechanism allowing for servicing and even battery swaps when necessary which helps promote the longevity of the cars. Auto manufacturer tech company Tesla plans to increase its battery output by 10 percent in a little over a year by 2022. Musk expects the company to be generating in the region of 39-kilowatt hours this though is nothing compared to the long-term goal of a hundredfold increase in the decade leading up to 2030 resulting in an output of 3000-gigawatt hours. Yes, the company will have entered Gigawatt hour territory not kilowatt-hours as it used today. We must remember that the announcement took place just a matter of a few months ago and work started not too long before. Regardless, Musk promises that the manufacturing system is closer to working at the pilot plant level.

We're unlikely to see the finished product any time soon but they are certainly on their way to being produced and rigorously tested. We're told that they're about three years away but Musk is known for being loud and proud when it comes to using Twitter and making promises which can often be far-fetched. With the Cyber Truck and the semi due to land sometime next year or maybe the year after on a larger scale they will surely outpace the production of tablets batteries. So what is their use and which Model will reap their benefits a higher energy density means a smaller total volume of cells is required to achieve the same amount of miles perfect for a smaller car cheaper manufacturing means the lower cost will likely be passed on to the consumer perfect for a cheaper car, a high level of reproducibility perfect for pushing a car out to even more people.

Also Read: Will EV Charging Prices Go Up As Demand Rises?

Are you thinking what I'm thinking? Another announcement earlier this year saw Elon Musk tease us with the idea of a sub 25000 Model something really for the masses. Currently, the battery pack costs upwards of ten thousand dollars in an electric vehicle which has obstructed the dream of bringing a truly mass-market EV to fruition but things are about to change.

Tesla is currently leading the way with battery technology and is light years ahead of its competition when it comes to real-world affordability and cost-saving. I just hope that the huge success of the Model 3 has given the company enough money to channel into an even cheaper Model that we will all be able to drive one day.

What do you think about the new tablet battery design? Maybe you're sold on the fact that there will be less waste, less precious materials used in the first place, and higher efficiency, or maybe you're not entirely keen on the fact that the company may potentially look at fixing the battery permanently into any future Models. Do let us know in the comment box below and don’t forget to share it with your friends and family as well.

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