Meghana KandraThere are details about 4680 Battery cells, but not much on the production. First, it was announced that Giga Berlin will have a battery manufacturing segment. And then that the battery cells will be coated with the dry electrode.
Image credits- Electrek
It was expected that the battery production might delay the factory vehicle production line. However, the German team seems to take both battery production and vehicle production in two separate ways.
Till Giga Berlin starts making batteries, it was expected that the factory received Tesla batteries from the US manufacturing plant. The 4680 battery cell is not yet used in any model yet for production. So the eyes on Giga Berlin are eagerly looking out for these futuristic batteries.
As stated by the documents
As the State Department decided, the document regarding the battery production plant was made public. Some parts about 5680 tabless battery production were hidden, but the info gives a clearer idea of what’s happening.
It says that Tesla will be using lithium-ion cells for energy storage systems and in electric vehicles. But they are going to use new production methods to make the battery cheaper with high efficiency.
Initially, they plan to produce 50-gigawatt hours of cells per year. Then increase their capacity demanding on their vehicle production. The 50-gigawatt hour production should be enough for 670,000 Model Y or Model 3 cars. Currently, Tesla produces 500,000 cars per year, so it is expected to be enough.
Battery technology
As always, Tesla’s technology is simple yet genius in many ways. Their lithium-ion batteries are of cylindrical shape. And the battery’s anode is made of Copper foil and coating. Further, the cathode is made of Aluminium and coating. The battery also has electrolytes made of electrically conductive liquid. Thus all these components make the body of the cell.
Furthermore, the anode and cathode will be made with the mixing process. Then the components of anode or cathode will be applied to the special film coated on the substance. This coating will be applied in powder form. As the sheet or film is ready with cathode and anode, it will be rolled off to fill electrolyte liquid. Once the liquid is filled, the package is sent to a metal case and thus cell is made.
It sounds simple and doable, makes us wonder why wasn’t this done earlier. How could researchers have missed these small innovative ways. But Tesla is doing it, and Tesla is doing it right!
Their simplicity is also the reason why Tesla is able to produce futuristic 4680 battery cells.