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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 Full Self-Driving’s European launch frustrations revealed by Elon Musk

Tesla plans to launch Full Self-Driving in Europe later this year, but regulatory bodies are proving to make it a bigger challenge than it needs to be.

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Credit: Tesla Europe and Middle East | X

Tesla Full Self-Driving is set to launch in Europe in the future, but the region’s governing bodies are not giving the suite any chance to move forward, according to CEO Elon Musk, who blames the regulatory processes for robbing citizens of a safer mode of travel.

The automaker revealed late last year that it planned to bring Full Self-Driving to Europe sometime in 2025. However, Musk said that the launch of the suite is being continuously prolonged by both individual and European Union officials, dragging their feet with approvals.

In a post on X on Wednesday, Musk said the company is still dealing with and waiting for approvals from both the Dutch government and the EU’s governing officials, giving an indication that some progress has been made, but ultimately, there are still some bodies that are taking their time:

He continued by stating that the delays are “very frustrating” and they “hurt the safety of people in Europe” because of Autopilot’s statistical prowess, which shows it is much safer than human drivers.

Tesla is readying for the launch of a completely driverless Robotaxi platform in the U.S., which is set to occur in the coming days. While the initial rollout of the platform will be reserved for a select few, public rides are slated for June 22, meaning anyone will be able to come to Austin and hail a Tesla Robotaxi through the company’s smartphone app.

The first Robotaxi without a driver was spotted in Austin yesterday and shared on X:

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First Tesla driverless robotaxi spotted in the wild in Austin, TX

Musk dropped several hints that the Robotaxi launch, which has been rumored for June 12, is imminent. For now, the operation will take place in Austin and will eventually expand, likely to California next, as noted in past reports. The City’s official website confirmed that Tesla gained a license as an Autonomous Vehicle operator in the City of Austin earlier this week.

Tesla applied for a similar license in California earlier this year.

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Energy

Tesla Lathrop Megafactory celebrates massive Megapack battery milestone

The Tesla Megapack is the backbone of Tesla Energy’s battery deployments.

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Credit: Tesla Megapack/X

The Tesla Lathrop Megafactory recently achieved a new milestone. As per the official Tesla Megapack account on X, the Lathrop Megafactory has produced its 15,000th Megapack 2 XL battery.

15,000 Megapack Batteries

Tesla celebrated the milestone with a photo of the Lathrop Megafactory team posing with a freshly produced Megapack battery. To commemorate the event, the team held balloons that spelled out “15,000” as they posed for the photo.

The Tesla Megapack is the backbone of Tesla Energy’s battery deployments. Designed for grid-scale applications, each Megapack offers 3.9 MWh of energy and 1.9 MW of power. The battery is extremely scalable, making it perfect for massive energy storage projects.

https://twitter.com/Tesla_Megapack/status/1932578971700638203

More Megafactories

The Lathrop Megafactory is Tesla’s first dedicated facility for its flagship battery storage system. It currently stands as the largest utility-scale battery factory in North America. The facility is capable of producing 10,000 Megapack batteries every year, equal to 40 GWh of clean energy storage.

Thanks to the success of the Megapack, Tesla has expanded its energy business by building and launching the Shanghai Megafactory, which is also expected to produce 40 GWh of energy storage per year. The ramp of the Shanghai Megafactory is quite impressive, with Tesla noting in its Q1 2025 Update Letter that the Shanghai Megafactory managed to produce over 100 Megapack batteries in the first quarter alone.

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Tesla Energy’s Potential

During the first quarter earnings call, CEO Elon Musk stated that the Megapack is extremely valuable to the energy industry. 

“The Megapack enables utility companies to output far more total energy than would otherwise be the case… This is a massive unlock on total energy output of any given grid over the course of a year. And utility companies are beginning to realize this and are buying in our Megapacks at scale,” Musk said.

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Tesla launches “TeslaVision” video contest to celebrate Model Y deliveries

The program marks a revival of Tesla’s popular Project Loveday initiative back in 2017.

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Credit: Tesla Asia/X

Tesla has announced the TeslaVision Contest, a global video showcase inviting fans and owners to highlight the impact of the company’s vehicles on people. 

The program marks a revival of its Project Loveday initiative in 2017, which was extremely well-received by the electric vehicle community. 

A Contest to Celebrate the New Model Y

As per the TeslaVision contest’s official website, the program is being rolled out to commemorate the launch and deliveries of the new Model Y across all continents. Thus, the contest could be seen as a global celebration and showcase of owners and fans who made Tesla the household brand that it has become today.

Participants are tasked with creating a 90-second or shorter video demonstrating how Tesla vehicles provide “more freedom, more safety, more fun, more convenience.” Submissions must be uploaded to YouTube and shared on X and Instagram with the tag @Tesla and the phrase “TeslaVision contest.” 

Videos must align with Tesla’s mission to accelerate sustainable energy, be suitable for all ages, and avoid references to non-Tesla brands. English text or voice-overs are required, and entrants must relinquish rights to their content for Tesla’s commercial use.

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https://twitter.com/Tesla/status/1932559030892802153

A Big Prize Awaits

When Tesla launched Project Loveday in 2017, the company noted that the contest’s winner would receive an all-expenses paid invitation to an upcoming Tesla product launch. For TeslaVision, the grand prize is a lot more tangible, with the winner receiving a new Model Y AWD. They will also get an all-expenses-paid trip to Gigafactory Texas. Second and third-place winners will also receive a Giga Texas tour. 

Finalists will be selected based on creativity, originality, relevance to the prompt, and entertainment value. Tesla will shortlist 100 videos, with the top 10 subject to public voting to influence the final judging. The contest is open to legal residents of the United States, Mexico, and Canada, aged 18 or older, with a valid driver’s license and Tesla account. No purchase is necessary, though entries are limited to just one per person. 

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