Tesla is already using cobalt-free LFP batteries in half of its new cars produced

Tesla verified that approximately 50 {64d42ef84185fe650eef13e078a399812999bbd8b8ee84343ab535e62a252847} of all its motor vehicles made last quarter are by now making use of cobalt-free iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries.

The data also gives us an fascinating perception into Tesla’s combine of versions, which is commonly quite opaque.

Around the previous couple of decades, CEO Elon Musk has explained various times that Tesla ideas to shift more electric powered automobiles to LFP batteries in purchase to overcome nickel and cobalt offer concerns.

Iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, which never use nickel or cobalt, are historically less costly and safer, but they give much less strength density, which means considerably less effective and shorter selection for electric powered vehicles.

However, they have improved more than enough recently that it now tends to make sense to use cobalt-free batteries in reduce-end and shorter-assortment autos.

It also frees up the creation of battery cells with other, far more strength-dense chemistries to make far more more time-selection automobiles.

Tesla by now moved its Conventional Assortment Model 3 and Design Y manufactured in China to LFP cells.

Past year, Tesla also introduced it is “shifting to Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery chemistry globally” for “standard vary autos.”

It verified that the automaker prepared to swap the Product 3 Standard Range, also known as Design 3 Rear-Wheel-Drive, remaining developed in the Fremont factory to LFP cells, too.

Now with the launch of Tesla’s Q1 2022 monetary results, Tesla confirmed that nearly 50 percent of all cars generated are now employing LFP batteries:

“Diversification of battery chemistries is significant for very long-term capacity growth, to much better enhance our products and solutions for their a variety of use cases and increase our provider base. This is why just about 50 percent of Tesla autos created in Q1 were equipped with a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, made up of no nickel or cobalt. At the moment, LFP batteries are made use of in most of our regular range automobile merchandise, as perfectly as business electricity storage applications. As a consequence of our power efficient motors, a Model 3 with an LFP battery pack can nonetheless attain a 267-mile EPA variety.”

This would signify that roughly 50 {64d42ef84185fe650eef13e078a399812999bbd8b8ee84343ab535e62a252847} of Tesla’s quantity comes from Model 3 Rear-Wheel-Push, the least expensive Tesla motor vehicle, and the Product Y Regular Range, which is only available in China.

Drew Baglino, Tesla’s SVP of engineering, was asked how immediately can Tesla change chemistry to LFP:

“I’ll take the LFP dilemma. Like it claims so in our letter, but 50 {64d42ef84185fe650eef13e078a399812999bbd8b8ee84343ab535e62a252847} of our goods ended up LFP past quarter, which displays how rapidly we were ready to answer. But actually, it was not mainly because of a raw product lack. It just appeared like the suitable point to do. We could adjust our cathode chemistry. And there’s far more to be carried out on the cathode facet and we are actively pursuing it to give us substitution versatility in reaction to marketplace circumstances among the other cathodes that are out there that can be aggressive in our car or truck. There are numerous alternatives.”

The engineering govt did not go into specifics about all those other solutions, but Elon Musk lately reported that Tesla is performing on a new manganese-based cathode battery.

FTC: We use income earning car affiliate backlinks. Far more.