News
Tesla’s cobalt-free efforts are being closely watched by LG Chem, Samsung ahead of Battery Day
It appears that it is not only the electric vehicle community that is eagerly anticipating Tesla’s upcoming Battery Day event. Considering the company’s place in the EV movement, as well as its efforts in pursuing a cobalt-free solution for batteries, industry leaders like Samsung and LG Chem are reportedly watching Tesla and its battery announcements closely.
Battery Day has been mentioned by Elon Musk multiple times in the past, and last month, the company noted that the highly-anticipated event will be held on September 22. The CEO has informed analysts that Battery Day will include a “big reveal” of developments in Tesla’s battery efforts. The effects of such developments on the battery supply chain are also expected to be discussed.
Tesla has kept details of Battery Day secret, though industry officials have noted that details on new cobalt-free batteries will be revealed at the upcoming event. Tesla has been working on reducing its batteries’ cobalt content for years, as evidenced by a study from a German firm that determined that Model 3 batteries have 75% less cobalt than the cells used by companies like Volkswagen. In the second-quarter earnings call, Elon Musk noted that eventually, cobalt will be phased out completely.
EV battery makers such as LG Chem and Samsung have mostly favored nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) or nickel cobalt aluminum (NCA) batteries over cobalt-free lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry due to their higher energy density, which allows vehicles to travel longer distances. LFP batteries are more environmentally-friendly and cost-effective, but they tend to be limited when it comes to range. This status quo seems poised to change with Battery Day, at least if speculations prove accurate.
Reports have emerged stating that CATL, one of Tesla’s battery partners in China, has begun supplying LPF batteries for the electric car maker’s locally-produced Model 3. Elon Musk emphasized this in the Q2 2020 earnings call, when he stated that Tesla will be boosting volume production in China of LFP battery packs for the Model 3. By the end of July, Panasonic, Tesla’s longtime battery partner, informed Reuters that it will be commercializing a cobalt-free battery in two to three years for the electric car maker.
Amidst these reports, industry leaders like LG Chem and Samsung are now facing what could very well be a crossroads with their battery strategy. If Tesla has come up with a way to solve the shortcomings of LFP batteries, there is a good chance that the battery industry could also start moving away from cobalt. Tesla, after all, is one of the world’s leading electric car maker, and its EV and energy storage business are both undergoing an aggressive expansion. Cobalt is also a controversial material to begin with, thanks to questionable mining practices in areas such as the Congo.
That being said, LG Chem has stated that it still believes that NMC chemistry will remain the mainstream in the global market due to its energy density advantages. “Though we are producing LFP batteries too, these have their shortcomings in energy density and weight. We believe NCM will remain the mainstream in the global EV battery market,” the company stated during its second-quarter conference call.
Samsung SDI was on the same page, stating that it will be focusing on NCA technology. Citing an industry official who requested anonymity, The Korea Times noted that Samsung is paying close attention to what Tesla will be announcing and unveiling on Battery Day.
“Many battery firms have tried to upgrade the energy density of LFP chemistry, but they have yet to have meaningful outcomes. Tesla is now saying it is increasing its reliance on LFP batteries and is anticipated to come up with information on new cobalt-free batteries during Battery Day. This can either mean that Tesla and CATL have come up with technology to improve the efficiency of LFP batteries or unprecedented technology in removing cobalt,” he said. “Since either way will likely affect the industrial trend, domestic companies are paying attention to what Tesla will reveal during the event,” the industry insider stated.
Tesla’s Battery Day event is expected to be held on September 22, 2020. A live audience is expected to be present, though the event will also be live-streamed.
SpaceX announced today that it would expand its launch capabilities into a new U.S. state: Louisiana.
Today, SpaceX, in conjunction with the Louisiana Economic Development Office, said that it will establish a new launch facility, which it will call Starbase, Louisiana. It will be located near Vermilion Parish, supporting thousands of launches each year, at least eventually.
CEO Elon Musk commented by stating, “Starbase Louisiana will ultimately have over a dozen launch towers, enabling more than 30 Starship flights per day and making it the biggest launch site on Earth!”
Starbase Louisiana will ultimately have over a dozen launch towers, enabling more than 30 Starship flights per day and making it the biggest launch site on Earth!
SpaceX makes sci-fi real. https://t.co/C7Ht0U12ba
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 25, 2026
The expansion is SpaceX’s latest move to push its launch cadence to be more frequent than ever. SpaceX said that Starbase, Louisiana, will be built to “support thousands of Starship flights a year,” with the first coming in 2029.
SpaceX announced the new facility in partnership with the Louisiana Economic Development Office as it will bring a major influx of jobs and investments into the area. Currently, it will produce more than 3,000 new jobs in Louisiana, and SpaceX plans to invest at least $100 billion into the entire facility, ensuring that many jobs are created as a result.
Environmental Responsibility
SpaceX acknowledges the impact launches could have on marshlands, local wildlife, and water sources. Here’s how the company plans to help with the issues in Vermilion Parish:
- Restoring the Shoreline: “In Vermilion Parish, the shoreline is eroding between 3.3 and 23 feet per year. We’re partnering with state and federal agencies to expand Louisiana’s Coastal Master Plan and Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act projects, including Gulf shoreline protection breakwaters designed to reduce wave energy and slow loss along the Gulf edge.”
- Rebuilding the Marshlands: “In working with the state, we’re planning thousands of acres of marsh creation using beneficial-use placement of dredged material and offshore sediment sources. Restoration will also include interior marsh bank stabilization and rebuilding marsh in remnant canals. These projects can reconnect fragmented wetlands, restore natural buffers against storms, and return habitat that has been lost to erosion and historic canalization.”
- Preserving Coastal Wildlife: “Pecan Island and nearby wetlands are high-value habitat for migratory waterfowl, shorebirds, wading birds, and other coastal wildlife. SpaceX is not developing the full footprint of the land and will preserve wetlands and wildlife habitat. At existing launch sites, waterfowl and other birds continue to use nearby habitat during operations. Working with wildlife agencies, landowners, and conservation groups, SpaceX will support monitoring and management so this habitat stays productive and hunting, fishing, birding, and other recreational activities that are part of this coast’s culture can continue.”
SpaceX shares rose about 2.5 percent on the news.
Tesla Cybertruck trims saw a big price change, at least on two of the three available to consumers, as demand for the all-electric pickup appears to be increasing.
Tesla bumped up its Base All-Wheel-Drive trim level up to $74,990 from $69,990 and the Premium All-Wheel-Drive configuration from $79,990 to $84,990. The Cyberbeast price remains unchanged at $99,990.
🚨 Cybertruck prices went up as Tesla bumped them 7%
– Tesla Cybertruck AWD is now $74,990
– Tesla Cybertruck Premium AWD now $84,990
– Tesla Cyberbeast now $99,990 https://t.co/MYJbaw56GL— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) August 25, 2026
Despite questions of demand for the truck, Tesla is bumping its two least expensive trims up $5,000 to signal that there are plenty of buyers. Although SpaceX has been buying Tesla Cybertruck units to utilize as company vehicles, it is no secret that the Cybertruck is among the most sought-after Tesla models out there.
The issue has always been pricing, at least for the most part. When Tesla initially launched the Cybertruck AWD at $59,990 a few months back, the company stated that price would remain intact for just ten days due to the influx of orders it received.
Cybertruck Sales: Is It the Product or Pricing?
Depending on who you ask, you will likely hear one of two explanations for relatively low Cybertruck sales: either the product itself or the pricing.
Yes, this is the best-selling all-electric pickup on the market. However, there are people who simply hate the look of it, which I understand, but do not agree with. Look is totally subjective, and I love the look of the Cybertruck.
Some people will not buy the Cybertruck because of the look, but I am under the impression that sales would be much better if this truck were priced lower; something that might not be possible considering Tesla’s need to make money on its products. When it was unveiled in 2019, its most expensive trim level was $69,990. Now, the cheapest trim level is more expensive than that.
I would be in a Cybertruck if it were more affordable. I LOVE my Model Y, but Cybertruck is the best vehicle Tesla makes, and it’s not particularly close. Even in the base model, the steer-by-wire, the space, storage, and performance make it more desirable than the Model Y to me. I cannot be the only Tesla owner without a Cybertruck who feels this way.
If you’re interested in buying a Tesla vehicle, use my referral link.
Energy
Tesla Semi factory is getting a celebration nobody expected
Tesla will inaugurate its Nevada Semi factory September 24, five months after production quietly began ramping.
Tesla says it will officially inaugurate its new Semi factory in Nevada next month. The Tesla Semi account posted the announcement on X, sharing a graphic titled “Semi Rollout” with a date of September 24. No further details were given about the format of the event or who would attend.
While Tesla’s dedicated Semi plant in Sparks, adjacent to Gigafactory Nevada, opened back in April, with the first trucks rolling off the high volume line on April 29, the timing for the factory inauguration comes at a surprise. The ribbon cutting event five months into production is a break from how Tesla has usually handled its other factories, where the first truck or car off the line typically served as the milestone moment.
Inauguration of new Semi factory in Nevada next month pic.twitter.com/a8kAlxrOOn
— Tesla Semi (@tesla_semi) August 24, 2026
The 1.7 million square foot factory was built as part of a $3.6 billion expansion Tesla announced in early 2023, and it shares a site with the battery cell lines that feed the Semi’s structural pack, a decision meant to remove the supply bottleneck that delayed the truck for years. The plant is designed for 50,000 trucks a year at full ramp. Semi program director Dan Priestley has said production “is now ramping” rather than claiming it has reached scale.
Nine years passed between the Semi’s 2017 unveiling and this stage of production, with the truck slipping from an original 2019 target through hand built pilot units for PepsiCo and a slow build out of the Nevada plant. An inauguration event now gives Tesla a stage to talk up that ramp and reset expectations for how many trucks it can begin delivering at scale.
The September date also lines up with the Semi’s next milestone. Tesla confirmed the truck is heading to Europe with a full unveiling at the IAA Transportation trade show in Hannover, Germany, running September 15 through 20. Between the Nevada event and the Hannover reveal, Tesla has roughly a week and a half in September to make the case that the Semi is now a truck being built and sold on two continents rather than tested in a handful of fleets.
SpaceX announces new Starbase for ‘thousands of Starship launches annually’
Tesla just made Cybertruck more expensive
