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Tesla’s 1 million-mile battery takes a step forward with new electrode patent

Tesla Gigafactory 1, where Model 3 battery cells are produced. (Photo: Tesla)

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A newly released patent from Tesla has teased what appears to be a step towards Elon Musk’s one-million-mile battery target. The patent describes a new lithiation process for battery cells, which has the potential to improve the quality of cells and possibly even save on costs.

Tesla has submitted a patent titled “Method for Synthesizing Nickel-Cobalt-Aluminum Electrodes.” The document outlines a new electrode synthesizing method that could be used for battery cell production. The proposed application defines an efficient heating process for Nickel-Cobalt-Aluminum (NCA) electrodes. According to the document, previous heating methods at times cause the formation of a lithium substrate known as L15AIO4, which is an impurity. Lowering the amount of lithium within a battery reduces the presence of the contamination, but also leads to “materials with inferior electrochemical properties.”

As noted in the patent, batteries would heat to a temperature high enough to allow for single crystal growth. The revised ratio of lithium to other metals would limit the formation of impurities during the first heating process. Then, the battery would be heated a second time at a temperature lower than the first heating cycle. Researchers involved in the patent noted that this process helped develop an impurity-free single crystal NCA that allowed battery cells to achieve over 4,000 charge cycles.

Lithiation measurements at different temperatures. (Credit: Tesla/U.S. Patent Office)

The patent outlines the heating process:

“Methods disclosed herein include a first lithiation step, wherein a lithium and an other metal component are present in a first lithium/other metal ratio of less than 1.0 and are sintered at a temperature between 800 and 950°C for a time period between 1 and 24 hours to obtain a first lithiated material. The method further includes a second lithiation step, wherein a lithium and a other metal component are present in a second lithium/other metal ratio and further wherein the first lithiated electrode material is sintered with additional LiOHTLO at between 650 and 760°C for a time period between 1 and 24 hours to obtain a second lithiated material.”

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In summary, the use of NCA electrodes in batteries would allow for single-crystal materials to present themselves without impurities. The lack of contaminants could lead to an increased lifespan of the cells altogether, helping Tesla take a giant leap forward in its quest to produce a one-million-mile battery for its vehicles.

Interestingly enough, one of the listed names on the patent is battery expert and researcher Jeff Dahn, who has worked with Tesla in the past. Tesla summoned the help of Dahn, who leads a team of researchers at Canada’s Dalhousie University, to help the electric car maker improve its batteries. Dahn’s research has helped Tesla’s development of high-quality battery cells by inventing new electrode combinations, like the one described in this patent, and electrolyte solutions aimed at further increasing battery life.

Tesla’s batteries are always in a state of improvement, and over the years, the cells that the company utilizes for its vehicles and energy storage systems have gotten more energy-dense. Economies of scale that is made possible with facilities such as Gigafactory Nevada have also gone a long way towards helping Tesla near the $100 per kWh mark, a level that is widely considered the point where electric vehicles could achieve price parity with their internal combustion-powered counterparts.

Apart from its battery patents, Tesla has also been busy acquiring several battery companies. Among these are Maxwell Technologies and Hibar Systems, both of which were developing technologies that would allow for better battery quality and more efficient production costs. Relatively simple developments such as those described in Tesla’s recent patent help this cause too, especially since every little bit of optimization helps.

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Tesla’s development of its battery technology could lead to its vehicles lasting 20 to 30 years, far longer than petrol-powered cars. It appears the company is planning to create a product line that could stay with owners for extended periods with relatively no annual maintenance. And that, together with price parity, can very well be the catalyst for society’s acceleration towards sustainability.

The full text of Tesla’s “Method for Synthesizing Nickel-Cobalt-Aluminum Electrodes” patent could be accessed in the document below.

METHOD FOR SYNTHESIZING NIC… by Joey Klender on Scribd

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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 becomes first-ever car to reach legendary milestone

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Credit: Tesla Manufacturing

The Tesla Model Y became the first-ever car to reach a legendary Norwegian milestone, surpassing 100,000 new registrations after gaining a reputation as one of the most popular vehicles in the country and the world.

As of May 20, Norwegian authorities have registered 100,224 units of the electric SUV, according to data from local outlet Opplysningsrådet for veitrafikken (OFV).

By population, roughly one in every 29 passenger cars on Norwegian roads is now a Model Y, underscoring its rapid rise as a national favorite.

Since the first deliveries in August 2021, the Model Y has transformed from a newcomer to a staple in Norwegian traffic.

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Geir Inge Stokke, the Managing Director of OFV, described the achievement as “remarkable,” noting that few single models have gained such traction so quickly. “Tesla Model Y has hit the Norwegian market spot on, and the numbers illustrate how fast the EV market has developed here,” Stokke said.

The Model Y’s success reflects Norway’s aggressive push toward electrification. Nearly nine out of ten units, 87.6 percent, to be exact, are privately registered, with the remaining 12.4 percent on company plates. Owners span the country, from major cities to smaller municipalities, proving it is no longer just an urban or niche vehicle but a true “people’s car.

Who is Buying Tesla Model Ys in Norway?

Typical Model Y drivers are men in their early 40s. The average registered user age is 44, with 83 percent male and 17 percent female. Stokke noted that household usage often extends beyond the primary registrant, broadening the vehicle’s real-world appeal.

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Geographically, adoption concentrates in urban centers with strong charging infrastructure. Oslo leads with 16,861 registrations (16.82 percent of the national total), followed by Bergen (7,450), Bærum (4,313), and Trondheim (4,240).

The top five municipalities—Oslo, Bergen, Bærum, Trondheim, and Asker—account for 35,463 units, or about 35 percent of all Model Ys. Yet the vehicle’s presence outside big cities highlights its broad acceptance.

Growth Trajectory and Popularity

Tesla built a lot of sales momentum in a short amount of time. In 2021, registrations closed out at 8,267, but more than doubled to more than 17,000 units in 2022 and more than 23,000 units in 2023. 2025 was the company’s strongest year yet, as Tesla managed to record 27,621 registrations.

Through 2026, Tesla already has 7,036 registrations.

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Tesla’s Global Success with the Model Y

Tesla has tasted so much success with the Model Y; it has been the best-selling car in the world three times, it has dominated EV sales in numerous countries, and contributed to a mass adoption of electric vehicles across the planet.

As Stokke emphasized, the Model Y’s journey from newcomer to icon mirrors Norway’s broader success story. With robust incentives that push sales, excellent infrastructure, and consumer eagerness to transition to sustainable powertrains, the country continues setting global benchmarks in sustainable mobility.

The Tesla Model Y stands as a shining example of how quickly change can happen when conditions align.

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SpaceX reveals what Anthropic will pay for massive compute deal

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Rendering of Elon Musk overlooking a Starship fleet (Credit: Grok)
Rendering of Elon Musk overlooking a Starship fleet (Credit: Grok)

SpaceX has disclosed the full financial details of its groundbreaking agreement with Anthropic, confirming that the AI company will pay $1.25 billion per month for dedicated high-performance computing resources.

The revelation came through SpaceX’s latest securities filing in preparation for its initial public offering, shedding light on one of the largest compute deals in the artificial intelligence sector to date. The prospectus was released last night, as SpaceX is heading toward its IPO.

This arrangement underscores the fierce demand for specialized infrastructure as frontier AI models require unprecedented levels of processing power to train and operate effectively. Industry analysts see the disclosure as a significant milestone, highlighting how top AI labs are locking in massive capacity to stay ahead in a rapidly accelerating field.

For SpaceX, it feels like a massive move that pushes its perception as a company from space exploration to artificial intelligence.

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SpaceX is following in Tesla’s footsteps in a way nobody expected

The comprehensive deal grants Anthropic exclusive access to SpaceX’s Colossus clusters, encompassing Colossus I and the substantially expanded Colossus II, which together deliver hundreds of megawatts of power along with more than 200,000 NVIDIA GPUs.

Payments extend through May 2029, totaling nearly $45 billion overall; capacity is scheduled to ramp up during May and June 2026 at an initial discounted rate to facilitate seamless integration. Both companies retain the option to terminate the agreement with ninety days’ notice, so there is definitely some flexibility for both.

This pact not only enhances Anthropic’s ability to scale usage limits for Claude users but also injects substantial recurring revenue into SpaceX, bolstering its expansion into advanced data center operations and future orbital computing initiatives.

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Observers describe the collaboration between the two companies as strategically advantageous because it gives Anthropic cutting-edge AI development the opportunity to collaborate with SpaceX’s expertise in rapid, large-scale infrastructure deployment.

This disclosure arrives at a pivotal moment when computing resources have become the primary bottleneck for AI progress.

As leading organizations compete to build more powerful systems, securing reliable, high-density facilities has emerged as a key differentiator.

SpaceX’s sites, such as those in Memphis, offer superior power availability and advanced cooling solutions that set them apart from conventional providers. For Anthropic, the added capacity is expected to deliver tangible improvements, including extended context windows, quicker inference times, and innovative features that appeal to both enterprise clients and individual users.

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Looking ahead, the partnership paves the way for ambitious joint projects, including potential space-based AI compute platforms designed to overcome terrestrial limitations on energy and thermal management. Such efforts could redefine sustainable computing at massive scales.

Financially, the deal solidifies SpaceX’s diverse revenue profile ahead of its public market debut, extending beyond traditional aerospace activities. The massive check SpaceX will cash each month opens up the idea that additional

While some experts question the sustainability of these enormous expenditures given ongoing efficiency gains in AI architectures, the commitment reflects a strong belief in sustained demand growth.

The agreement also exemplifies productive synergies across sectors, with aerospace engineering insights optimizing AI hardware performance. As global attention on technology concentration increases, arrangements of this nature may help shape equitable access to critical resources.

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Elon Musk

SpaceX just filed for the IPO everyone was waiting for

SpaceX filed its public S-1, revealing $18.7 billion in revenue and billions in losses.

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SpaceX publicly filed its S-1 registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 20, 2026, making its financial details available to the public for the first time ahead of what could be the largest IPO in history.

An S-1 is the formal document a company must submit to the SEC before going public. It includes audited financials, risk factors, business descriptions, and how the company plans to use the money it raises. Companies are required to file one before selling shares to the public, and it must be published at least 15 days before the investor roadshow begins. SpaceX had already submitted a confidential draft to the SEC in April, which allowed regulators to review the filing privately before it went public.

The S-1 reveals that SpaceX generated $18.7 billion in consolidated revenue in 2025, driven largely by its Starlink satellite internet division, which posted $11.4 billion in revenue, growing nearly 50% year over year. Despite that growth, the company lost about $4.9 billion in 2025 and has burned through more than $37 billion since its founding.

SpaceX just forced Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile to team up for the first time in history

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A significant portion of those losses trace back to xAI, Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company, which was recently merged into SpaceX. SpaceX directed roughly 60% of its capital spending in 2025 to its AI division, totaling around $20 billion, yet that division lost billions and grew revenue by only about 22%.

SpaceX plans to list its Class A common stock on Nasdaq under the ticker SPCX, with Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and Bank of America leading the offering. The dual-class share structure means going public will not meaningfully reduce Musk’s control, as Class B shares he holds carry 10 votes per share compared to one vote for public Class A shares.

The company is targeting a raise of around $75 billion at a valuation of roughly $1.75 trillion, which would make it the largest IPO ever. The investor roadshow is reportedly planned for June 5.

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