The all-new structural battery pack, consisting of the all-new 4680 lithium-ion cells introduced during Tesla Battery Day, have been confirmed in the upcoming Tesla Model S Plaid. The Tesla Model S Plaid is scheduled for late 2021, and with this announcement it explains the 520+ miles of range it is expected to achieve.
Whole Mars Catalog’s asked Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, a simple question via Twitter and in return received a simple answer:
The new type of cylindrical 4680 lithium-ion cells are expected to store five times more energy, allowing an increase in range up to 16%. In addition, they will up to six times the power output. In addition, the cells will be packed into the vehicle in a new way. Tesla will use its structural pack approach thus allowing the cells to be built into the structure of the car, resulting in saving space and increasing safety.
Few details are known about the Model S Plaid aside from the fact that it’s a powerful fully electric vehicle with a starting price of $139,990, a 520-plus mile range, and a zero-to-60 mph time of under 2 seconds. As mentioned before, the Tesla Model S Plaid is scheduled for late 2021, falling into a similar timeline as the Tesla Cybertruck and Tesla Semi.