Tesla announces huge battery breakthrough that could reshape the EV game for good
It's fair to say there have been a few Tesla troubles recently, with the electric vehicle plummeting from its post-election highs.
The controversial position of Elon Musk as its CEO hasn't helped, and as well for calls to boycott the brand, there have even been scenes of violence at dealerships.
As Tesla looks to get back on top, it’s made a potentially game-changing announcement that could revolutionize the car world.
Aside from Tesla's supposedly green credentials, it champions itself on having the best EV batteries around, bringing down prices and increasing range when compared to the competition.
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Teslarati reports that Tesla has made massive leaps with its long-awaited 4680 battery production. Announced back at September 2020's 'Battery Day', Tesla has been quietly working away on adopting the 4680 battery into its vehicles since 2023.
Michael Guilfoy, Tesla’s Director of Cell Manufacturing Operations, posted on LinkedIn and claims that Tesla has hit a major 4680 milestone.
Tesla had the goal of bringing down the cost per kWh, and as of the end of 2024, the 4680 has hit the lowest kWh yet.
Despite a fumble when the first generation of 4680 was pulled from the Model Y due to lackluster performance, the second generation Cybercell can now boast the honor of having the lowest cost per kWh cell. This means it's the cheapest for Tesla to produce when assembling the various parts that go into a car's battery pack.
During a recent tough earnings call, Elon Musk reiterated the importance of pushing forward with the 4680, adding that while many Tesla suppliers will put most of their work into manufacturing battery cells, Tesla has managed to reach the low-cost milestone while focusing on other areas of the business as well.
Thanking the engineering and production teams, Guilfoy wrote: "Our Cell Manufacturing team in Texas reached a huge milestone at the end of 2024 with becoming the lowest cost per kWh battery cell producer for Tesla! The grit, determination, and passion of our team is unbelievable in helping deliver our mission."
He went on to say it was the greatest honor of his career to lead the team, promoting the "grit, determination, and passion" of the team in helping deliver the mission.
Looking further ahead to the rest of 2025, Guilfoy promised more big milestones, such as "fully ramped dry battery electrode manufacturing to deliver even more cost efficiency."
Another big win is the fact that although Tesla largely sources 4680 batteries from other suppliers like Panasonic and LG Energy Solution, it's trying to scale up its in-house production. September 2024 saw it celebrate the production of its 100 millionth 4680 battery cell, having only surpassed 50 million in June and 20 million in October 2023.
Even if Tesla is facing a code red situation amid calls for Musk to step down, and the company has been hit with a jaw-dropping 70% slump in profits, it looks like Guilfoy and the rest are putting on a brave face.