Skip to main content

Tesla unveils ‘truly revolutionary’ new battery

Tesla announced development of a new energy storage technology for its batteries during Tuesday’s Battery Day event, which can more than halve production costs, store more energy, and lead to a more affordable electric car.

Overall, the new battery would increase vehicle range by up to 54%, the company said.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the innovation would let Tesla create a passenger car within the next three years that would cost $25,000.

“This has always been our dream from the beginning of the company,” Musk said.

Musk touted the energy cell as “truly revolutionary,” adding it will push Tesla’s goal of making sustainable energy more efficient and widespread.

“The fundamental good of Tesla will be … by how many years did we accelerate sustainable energy,” Musk told shareholders at the annual meeting. “That’s how I think about Tesla and how we should assess our progress.”

During its Battery Day event, Tesla claimed the new cell will store 50% more energy. Despite being larger, Tesla claims the new battery will not suffer from long recharge times, since the cells feature a shingled, “tabless” design inside.

The electric vehicle company said the new battery cell will halve the cost of production per kilowatt-hour. The new battery will be engineered using raw silicon, which Musk said helps reduce costs dramatically and boosts the range of Tesla vehicles. A new cathode production process will also remove the need for wastewater.

Musk said new factories would refine the raw materials needed on-site.

The new battery will be built into the structure of future Tesla vehicles. Musk claimed the new design will allow Tesla to pack more batteries into its cars and trucks.

Production has already begun on the new batteries at a pilot plant, which will reach its energy production goal in about a year, Musk said. Tesla claimed new, more efficient factory lines that could scale up to seven times the output are also in development.

“Tesla is aiming to be the best at manufacturing of any company on Earth,” Musk said.

Musk said Tesla aims to develop 100 gigawatt-hours of internal cell production — in addition to energy purchases from other companies — by 2022. Tesla aims to hit 3 terawatt-hour levels of production by 2030.

“It bodes really well for the future,” Musk said.

Rumors about Tesla making a low-cost, long-life battery have been swirling since earlier this year. At the same event, the company unveiled a new Model S Plaid car Tuesday that can go from 0 to 60 mph in under 2 seconds and has a range of more than 520 miles.

The vehicle — which is listed for $140,000 on Tesla’s website — is available to order now and will be shipped by the end of 2021.

Editors' Recommendations

Allison Matyus
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Allison Matyus is a general news reporter at Digital Trends. She covers any and all tech news, including issues around social…
What’s the difference between Tesla Autopilot and Full Self-Driving?
A Telsa Model 3 drives along a road.

Cars are quickly changing. Companies are increasingly adopting new technologies to roll out fully electric models. At the same time, those companies are investing heavily in the sensors, cameras, and artificial intelligence that will eventually make cars fully self-driving.

Tesla was early to both of those things. Tesla’s entire lineup of cars is electric, and right now, it actually offers two autonomous modes: “Autopilot” and “Full Self-Driving.”

Read more
Tesla Model 3 maintenance costs: What can you expect?
A Tesla Model 3 electric car.

One of the big promises of electric vehicles is that they require less maintenance than a gasoline-powered car, and thus cost less over time. That’s largely because EVs have a whole lot fewer moving parts. When you don't have an engine, you don't have to worry about oil changes, spark plugs, or exhaust systems, to name just a few examples.

The Tesla Model 3 is no different in that regard. While Tesla cars notoriously suffer from issues like panel gaps and other factory defects, Tesla covers these repairs under warranty, as long as you buy the car from Tesla itself. After that, there are few costs associated with maintenance at all. Here’s a rundown of the maintenance costs you can expect as a Tesla Model 3 owner.
Tesla Model 3 maintenance

Read more
Tesla recalls 363,000 of its vehicles over safety issue
Beta of Tesla's FSD in a car.

Tesla has issued a voluntary recall for 362,758 of its electric vehicles in the U.S. to fix an issue with its Full Self-Driving (FSD Beta) software. If not addressed, the vehicles are at risk of causing an accident.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the recall affects Model S, Model X, Model 3, and Model Y vehicles from 2016 through 2023 model years that have Tesla’s driver-assistance FSD software.

Read more