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Tesla China supplier CATL launches cost-effective sodium-ion battery cell

Credit: Tesla/YouTube

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Tesla China battery cell supplier Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. (CATL) unveiled its sodium-ion battery earlier today, along with a solution that could integrate the cells with lithium-ion batteries in a single pack. The sodium-ion cells are a more cost-effective option than the lithium-ion batteries, opening the door for lower prices in the EV battleground market of China.

The introduction of sodium-ion cells is an alternative option to the lithium-ion cells Tesla has used in its vehicles. CATL Chairman Zeng Yuqun highlighted the favorable characteristics of utilizing sodium-ion cells during the company’s online launch event earlier today.

“Sodium-ion batteries have unique advantages in low-temperature performance, fast charging, and environmental adaptability,” Zeng said. “Moreover, they’re compatible and complementary with lithium-ion batteries. Diversified technical routes are an important guarantee for the long-term development of the industry.”

Tesla battery partner CATL extends supply deal to 2025

CATL said it will set up a supply chain for the new cells in 2023. The cells do not contain lithium, cobalt, or nickel, but the battery manufacturer did not disclose any cost details of the new cell.

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Tesla has long been working with suppliers for battery cells and has partnerships with Panasonic, LG Chem, and CATL to supply its electric vehicles with batteries. While working with third-party suppliers, the company has also researched on its own with the help of a battery team at Dalhousie University with legendary cell scientist Jeff Dahn. Tesla is not opposed to exploring battery cell chemistries favorable for electric vehicles, especially if the new cells can create more range, power, or a longer life cycle.

CATL has worked with Tesla since Gigafactory Shanghai started producing vehicles in late 2019. Tesla started customer deliveries in early 2020 at the Chinese plant and has relied on CATL’s world-class battery manufacturing to keep up with growing demand in China. CATL sold 34.1 GWh in the first half of 2021, up 234% year-over-year, according to Automotive News ChinaThe company has a 30 percent market share, but the company has been struggling with the rising cost of lithium carbonate, which has doubled this year. Additionally, nickel has also increased in price this year.

Due to increased demand, lithium prices are expected to trend higher this year and into next year, especially as more automakers extend into the electric automotive sector. These forecasts have launched battery makers like CATL into a widespread effort to experiment and develop other cell chemistries that would be favorable for their clients, and sodium-ion batteries are a great alternative.

Despite the sodium-ion cell’s reputation for somewhat lower energy density, CATL said that its Research and Development team had reached an energy density of 160 watt-hours per kilogram, and it should exceed 200 Wh/kg in the coming years as more experimentation continues. For comparison, lithium-ion cells can reach about 285 Wh/kg, according to K. M. Abraham, a research professor at Northeastern University. Interestingly, the solution CATL also unveiled at the event is also expected to compensate for the reduced energy density of the sodium-ion cell, while preserving the advantage the cell makeup has to offer.

News of the new cell shot Tesla stock up over 4.6% in early trading hours on Thursday. At the time of writing, TSLA stock traded at $677.07, up $30.23.

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Disclosure: Joey Klender is a TSLA Shareholder.

Joey has been a journalist covering electric mobility at TESLARATI since August 2019. In his spare time, Joey is playing golf, watching MMA, or cheering on any of his favorite sports teams, including the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, Miami Heat, Washington Capitals, and Penn State Nittany Lions. You can get in touch with joey at joey@teslarati.com. He is also on X @KlenderJoey. If you're looking for great Tesla accessories, check out shop.teslarati.com

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Tesla Model Y has become the most common vehicle in Norway

The Tesla Model Y passed more than 70,000 registrations recently.

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Credit: Tesla

The Tesla Model Y has become the most common car on Norwegian roads. This is a remarkable achievement for the all-electric crossover, which has also commanded the top spot in Norway’s vehicle sales rankings for several years running.

Model Y Domination

As per vehicle registration figures tracked by the Norwegian Road Traffic Information Council (OFV), there were 68,378 Model Ys with Norwegian license plates at the end of March/beginning of April 2025. In recent weeks, the Model Y passed more than 70,000 registrations, as per a report from Elbil24.

With the Model Y now becoming the most common car in Norway, the Toyota Rav4 now stands in second place, followed by the Nissan Leaf, the Volkswagen Golf, and the Toyota Yaris. The Model Y also topped the country’s vehicle registration rankings for the last three years, and it set a record for selling the most vehicles in a year in 2023, breaking the Volkswagen Beetle’s record that has stood since 1969.

Possibly More Momentum

It is undeniable that the Tesla Model Y has helped Norway push its electric vehicle transition. As of date, electric vehicles now account for 28% of the Norwegian car fleet, a notable portion of which is comprised of the all-electric crossover.

While the Model Y’s achievements in Norway have been impressive, the vehicle could expand its reach into the country even more this year. Tesla, after all, has been aggressively pushing the new Model Y to consumers, with the company offering a zero percent interest promotion for the vehicle. These efforts, as well as the new Model Y’s improved features, should make the vehicle even more compelling to Norwegian car buyers this year.

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Tesla Board Chair slams Wall Street Journal over alleged CEO search report

Denholm’s comments were posted by Tesla on its official account on social media platform X.

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CeBIT Australia, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Tesla Board Chair Robyn Denholm has issued a stern correction to The Wall Street Journal after the publication posted a report alleging that the electric vehicle maker’s Board of Directors opened a search for a new CEO to replace Elon Musk.

Denholm’s comments were posted by Tesla on its official account on social media platform X. 

The WSJ’s Allegations

Citing people reportedly familiar with the discussions, the WSJ alleged that Tesla Board members reached out to several executive search firms to work on a formal process for finding Elon Musk’s successor. The publication also alleged that tensions had been mounting at Tesla due to the company’s dropping sales and profits, as well as the time Musk has been spending with DOGE.

The publication also alleged that Elon Musk had met with the Tesla Board about the matter, and that members told the CEO that he needed to spend more time on Tesla. Musk was reportedly instructed to state his intentions publicly as well. The CEO did not push back against the Board, the WSJ claimed. 

Elon Musk did announce that he is stepping back from his day-to-day role at the Department of Government Efficiency during the Tesla Q1 2025 earnings call. Musk’s announcement was embraced by Tesla investors and analysts, many of whom felt that the CEO’s renewed focus on the EV maker could push the company to greater heights. 

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Tesla and Musk’s Response

In response to The Wall Street Journal’s report, Tesla’s official account on X shared a comment from its Board Chair. In her comment, Denham noted that the WSJ‘s report was “absolutely false.” She also highlighted that Tesla had communicated this fact to the publication before the report was published, but the Journal ran the story anyway.

“Earlier today, there was a media report erroneously claiming that the Tesla Board had contacted recruitment firms to initiate a CEO search at the company. This is absolutely false (and this was communicated to the media before the report was published). The CEO of Tesla is Elon Musk and the Board is highly confident in his ability to continue executing on the exciting growth plan ahead,” Denholm stated.

Elon Musk himself commented on the matter, stating that the publication showed an “extremely bad breach of ethics” since the report did not even include the Tesla Board of Directors’ denial of the allegations. “It is an EXTREMELY BAD BREACH OF ETHICS that the WSJ would publish a DELIBERATELY FALSE ARTICLE and fail to include an unequivocal denial beforehand by the Tesla board of directors!” Musk wrote in a post on X.

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Elon Musk is now a remote DOGE worker: White House Chief of Staff

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is no longer working from the West Wing.

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Credit: Elon Musk/X

In a conversation with the New York Post, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles stated that Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is no longer working from the West Wing.

As per the Chief of Staff, Musk is still working for DOGE—as a remote worker, at least.

Remote Musk

In her conversation with the publication, Wiles stated that she still talks with Musk. And while the CEO is now working remotely, his contributions still have the same net effect. 

“Instead of meeting with him in person, I’m talking to him on the phone, but it’s the same net effect,” Wiles stated, adding that “it really doesn’t matter much” that the CEO “hasn’t been here physically.” She also noted that Musk’s team will not be leaving.

“He’s not out of it altogether. He’s just not physically present as much as he was. The people that are doing this work are here doing good things and paying attention to the details. He’ll be stepping back a little, but he’s certainly not abandoning it. And his people are definitely not,” Wiles stated.

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Back to Tesla

Musk has been a frequent presence in the White House during the Trump administration’s first 100 days in office. But during the Q1 2025 Tesla earnings call, Musk stated that he would be spending substantially less time with DOGE and substantially more time with Tesla. Musk did emphasize, however, that DOGE’s work is extremely valuable and critical.

“I think I’ll continue to spend a day or two per week on government matters for as long as the President would like me to do so and as long as it is useful. But starting next month, I’ll be allocating probably more of my time to Tesla and now that the major work of establishing the Department of Government Efficiency is done,” Musk stated.

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