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Tesla patent paves way for compact battery systems that are easier to produce
Tesla’s use of batteries for its electric vehicles are crucial to their function. The company’s battery systems are the industry standard as they offer more range and density than their competitors. But despite this lead, a recently submitted patent for an aggregated battery system could put Tesla’s batteries head-and-shoulders above the rest of the pack, bar none.
While Tesla’s current battery system is top of the line, it could still be more cost-effective. Batteries themselves cost a lot to manufacture for Tesla, and not to mention, a lot to replace for an owner. The aim of the company’s newly submitted patent is to create a more efficient system that would simplify the entire battery component by combining the multiple battery systems into one single module.
Small battery cells are more advantageous than large battery cells for a number of reasons, including time, safety, thermal management and production of energy. All of these factors would highlight the advantages of small battery systems and would allow for an increase in the productivity of battery cells. The smaller cells means “a shorter length of electrode material that is devoid of material defects would be required.”
The new system would arrange the battery cells in an upright manner. The multiple cells would then function with one another by being connected to a series of collector plates with tabs on both the positive and negative ends of the battery. The tabs would then be connected to a positive or negative terminal of the battery cell. This would be done with multiple series of batteries that all have different responsibilities throughout the vehicle. They would all, however, be housed within a single battery container, allowing engineers or service workers easy access to each battery system.
The addition of this new patent could help reduce costs by utilizing smaller battery cells in battery systems. The patent states that while production will increase due to the reduced size and need for materials, the small cells can increase the complexity of the manufacturing of the systems. This makes Tesla’s batteries even easier to produce.
“For instance, with use of many small format cells, it is envisioned that several electrical interconnects could be required to accomplish the conveyance of current from the large number of small format cells and this may also contribute to the complexity in design and manufacture of the battery system. The battery cell could also have some functionalities that may be redundant when aggregated into the battery system. As each battery cell would be manufactured independently of others, time and resources would need to be spent thereafter for combining the cells and for forming the interconnects to the current collectors typically, though a welding, or soldering process. Hence, there is a need to produce battery modules in a simplified manner.”
The innovations offered by Tesla’s recently published patent could allow the electric car maker to equip its vehicles with battery packs that are both compact and high-density. This would be pivotal to upcoming vehicles such as the next-generation Roadster, the Tesla Pickup Truck, and the Tesla Semi, all of which are expected to require large batteries to achieve their target range, and thus would require large numbers of cells from the electric car maker.
Tesla is the head of the pack in terms of batteries, as the company’s vehicles have considerably longer ranges than the vehicle’s of its competitors. For example, a Tesla Model S Performance variant contains a 100 kWh battery, with a WLTP estimated 365 miles of range when charged to its capacity. The newly released Porsche Taycan Turbo S contains a 93.4 kWh battery with a WLTP estimated 256 miles of range on a full charge.
The full text of Tesla’s novel battery design patent could be accessed here.
Elon Musk
SpaceX targets 150Mbps per user for upgraded Starlink Direct-to-Cell
If achieved, the 150Mbps goal would represent a significant jump from the current performance of Starlink Direct-to-Cell.
SpaceX is targeting peak download speeds of 150Mbps per user for its next-generation Direct-to-Cell Starlink service. The update was shared by SpaceX Spectrum & Regulatory Affairs Lead Udrivolf Pica during the International Telecommunication Union’s Space Connect conference.
“We are aiming at peak speeds of 150Mbps per user,” Pica said during the conference. “So something incredible if you think about the link budgets from space to the mobile phone.”
If achieved, the 150Mbps goal would represent a significant jump from the current performance of Starlink Direct-to-Cell.
Today, SpaceX’s cellular Starlink service, offered in partnership with T-Mobile under the T-Satellite brand, provides speeds of roughly 4Mbps per user. The service is designed primarily for texts, low-resolution video calls, and select apps in locations that traditionally have no cellular service.
By comparison, Ookla data shows median 5G download speeds of approximately 309Mbps for T-Mobile and 172Mbps for AT&T in the United States, as noted in a PCMag report. While 150Mbps would still trail the fastest terrestrial 5G networks, it would place satellite-to-phone broadband much closer to conventional carrier performance, even in remote areas.
Pica indicated that the upgraded system would support “video, voice, and data services, clearly,” moving beyond emergency connectivity and basic messaging use cases.
To reach that target, SpaceX plans to upgrade its existing Starlink Direct-to-Cell satellites and add significant new capacity. The company recently acquired access to radio spectrum from EchoStar, which Pica described as key to expanding throughput.
“More spectrum means a bigger pipeline, and this means that we can expand what we can do with partners. We can expand the quality of service. And again, we can do cellular broadband basically, cellular broadband use cases, like AI or daily connectivity needs,” he stated.
SpaceX has also requested regulatory approval to deploy 15,000 additional Direct-to-Cell satellites, beyond the roughly 650 currently supporting the system. The upgraded architecture is expected to begin rolling out in late 2027.
News
Tesla seeks approval to test FSD Supervised in new Swedish city
Tesla has applied to conduct local Full Self-Driving (Supervised) testing in the city of Jönköping, Sweden.
Tesla has applied to conduct local Full Self-Driving (Supervised) testing in the city of Jönköping, Sweden.
As per local outlet Jönköpings-Posten, Tesla has contacted the municipality with a request to begin FSD (Supervised) tests in the city. The company has already received approval to test its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software in several Swedish municipalities, as well as on the national road network.
Sofia Bennerstål, Tesla’s Head of Public Policy for Northern Europe, confirmed that an application has been submitted for FSD’s potential tests in Jönköping.
“I can confirm that we have submitted an application, but I cannot say much more about it,” Bennerstål told the news outlet. She also stated that Tesla is “satisfied with the tests” in the region so far.
The planned tests in Jönköping would involve a limited number of Tesla-owned vehicles. Trained Tesla safety drivers would remain behind the wheel and be prepared to intervene if necessary.
Tesla previously began testing in Nacka municipality after receiving local approval. At the time, the company stated that cooperation between authorities, municipalities, and industry enables technological progress and helps integrate future transport systems into real-world traffic conditions, as noted in an Allt Om Elbil report.
If approved, Jönköping would become the latest Swedish municipality to allow local Full Self-Driving (Supervised) testing.
Tesla’s Swedish testing program is part of the company’s efforts to validate its supervised autonomous driving software in everyday traffic environments. Municipal approvals allow Tesla to gather data in urban settings that include roundabouts, complex intersections, and mixed traffic conditions.
Sweden has become an increasingly active testing ground for Tesla’s driver-assistance software in Europe, with regulatory coordination between local authorities and national agencies enabling structured pilot programs.
Elon Musk
Microsoft partners with Starlink to expand rural internet access worldwide
The update was shared ahead of Mobile World Congress.
Microsoft has announced a new collaboration with Starlink as part of its expanding digital access strategy, following the company’s claim that it has extended internet connectivity coverage to more than 299 million people worldwide.
The update was shared ahead of Mobile World Congress, where Microsoft detailed how it surpassed its original goal of bringing internet access to 250 million people by the end of 2025.
In a blog post, Microsoft confirmed that it is now working with Starlink to expand connectivity in rural and hard-to-reach regions.
“Through our collaboration with Starlink, Microsoft is combining low-Earth orbit satellite connectivity with community-based deployment models and local ecosystem partnerships,” the company wrote.
The partnership is designed to complement Microsoft’s existing work with local internet providers and infrastructure companies across Africa, Latin America, and India, among other areas. Microsoft noted that traditional infrastructure alone cannot meet demand in some regions, making low-Earth orbit satellite connectivity an important addition.
Kenya was cited as an early example. Working with Starlink and local provider Mawingu Networks, Microsoft is supporting connectivity for 450 community hubs in rural and underserved areas. These hubs include farmer cooperatives, aggregation centers, and digital access facilities intended to support agricultural productivity and AI-enabled services.
Microsoft stated that 2.2 billion people globally remain offline, and that connectivity gaps risk widening as AI adoption accelerates.
Starlink’s expanding constellation, now numbering more than 9,700 satellites in orbit, provides near-global coverage, making it one of the few systems capable of delivering broadband to remote regions without relying on terrestrial infrastructure.
Starlink is expected to grow even more in the coming years as well, especially as SpaceX transitions its fleet to Starship, which is capable of carrying significantly larger payloads compared to its current workhorse, the Falcon 9.
SpaceX targets 150Mbps per user for upgraded Starlink Direct-to-Cell
Tesla seeks approval to test FSD Supervised in new Swedish city
