Tesla is reportedly planning to release a new battery which features a product lifespan of approximately 1 million miles (1.6 million kilometers) by the end of next year. The battery, which was originally announced in April, could mark a major milestone in the development of existing electric cars.
The electric car giant had previously furnished its popular Model 3 cars with drive units that feature a similar length of product life to prepare for the arrival of the battery.
A paper published by the laboratory of Jeff Dahn, the research partner of Tesla, has given people a glimpse into the ultra-durable battery.
The battery employs the technology of NMC battery, and uses the electrolyte additive ODTO, which can allegedly boost a battery’s performance and life, while cutting cost. Its cathode is still made of lithium but has a NMC-crystal nano-structure. Thanks to its larger size, the NMC crystal is less likely to break after repeated swelling and contraction.
According to the tests performed at Dalhousie University, the new battery of Tesla will suffer only a 10% loss in capacity after 4,000 charging and discharging cycles; The capacity can increase to over 6,000 under a wide temperature range, which is a far cry from the existing batteries which could lose 50% of capacity after 1,000 charging and discharging cycles.
The battery can also be applied in power storage systems. If successful, the new battery will help Tesla to greatly reduce its reliance on Panasonic for battery supply.
