On the 22nd of September, Tesla will host the long-awaited Battery Day. An event that follows in the wake of the great technologies’ presentations. We hope to see news in aspects like new developments in batteries by the American manufacturer, but also other surprises. An act delayed in time that now seems to take place and that Elon Musk himself has described on Twitter “will be true madness.”
Among the news that we hope to know are the new cells that this week we were supposedly able to see for the first time. If confirmed, it would be batteries of a much larger size than the usual ones in the industry, where from 18650, we have gone to 21700, and now if confirmed, this last figure could double with a size that will start with 4.
Tesla’s patented tablet electrode cells should result in a system with higher energy density and lower cost. The great objective at this time in the industry. Something in itself worthy of a Battery Day, but that seems to have many more surprises.
Musk himself has been heating up the atmosphere in recent days with messages on Twitter where he has indicated that on the 22nd, “many more exciting things” will be revealed.
One of them could be the presentation of the million-mile battery. A technology that has been on the table for a few months and promises the design of batteries capable of withstanding extensive use would take you beyond 1.6 million kilometers in a vehicle. An aspect that will demolish one of the central myths about accumulators and that will allow taking the use of batteries beyond the car’s life.
It will be very insane
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 17, 2020
It will also open the doors wide to use in industrial applications, such as electric buses, trucks, ships, and more economical cells. A winning combination that could be joined by an energy density that, if expectations are met, will even allow the electrification of a sector that has become the great objective to begin the aviation.
It will be possible if Tesla manages to develop safe, economical, durable batteries and with an energy density of about 400 Wh/kg. The aspect that will mean a revolution far beyond road transport.
It remains to be seen whether the agreement signed at the time with Maxwell, manufacturer of supercapacitors, and dry electrode coating, will have any short-term effect. An exciting technology on paper will allow the design of batteries with much more power output, compatible with ultra-fast recharges, and longer useful life.
To the list of announcements, we also hope to hear something about sustainability in the production process. Something fundamental beyond reducing elements such as cobalt or making sure the one user has a clean origin. It also includes supplying renewable energies in as many processes as possible in the electric vehicles’ production chain, from their batteries to their assembly.
Many exciting things will be unveiled on Battery Day 9/22 ⚡️
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 11, 2020
To these fronts, we could add those related to new products, such as the Cybertruck, the Semi, the Roadster, in addition to the update of the works in the Berlin and Texas Gigafactory. Aspects that are expected to be discussed at this long-awaited event as well.
A moment that will be key for the brand, and about which there are enormous expectations that, as we have seen, have also been fueled by Musk himself. A strategy with large amounts of risk since if it does not meet the now high expectations, the disappointment could seriously affect the brand’s image when the traditional industry is slowly shedding its spider webs.