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Tesla battery researcher Jeff Dahn’s tests hint at li-ion cells breaking the 2M-mile barrier
Last year, the electric vehicle community’s attention was caught when Tesla battery researcher Jeff Dahn and his team published a paper revealing that quality lithium-ion batteries have the capability to last 1 million miles if used in EVs. A recent presentation from the respected battery pioneer has now revealed that these findings may actually be conservative, as the batteries that Dahn and his team have been testing are still going strong, and are now on track to pass the 2-million-mile mark.
Dahn’s updated findings were discussed in a recent video conference for energy storage and sustainable engineering. According to Dahn, the “million-mile” batteries that were referred to in the past year’s paper are now going towards 10,000 to 15,000 cycles. Considering that the million-mile cells were cycled 5,000 times, it is starting to become evident that the lithium-ion batteries that Dahn’s team have been testing have the potential capability to last 3.5 million km or over 2 million miles if used in an electric vehicle.
Remarkably, the lithium-ion cells that are being cycled by Dahn and his team have shown minimal degradation even at this point. With this in mind, there seems to be a good chance that even the study’s “2-million-mile” cells are capable of lasting even longer. Dahn notes that lithium-ion batteries have reached a point where it is becoming imperative to look into the further applications of advanced battery technology, such as vehicle-to-grid, or massive vehicles like airplanes and ferries.
As noted by the team in its 2019 paper, the lithium-ion batteries that it will be using are NMC532 pouch cells obtained from Li-FUN Technology in China. The NMC532 pouch cells are dry batteries as well, using no electrolytes. Interestingly enough, Tesla’s next-generation 4680 cells that the company revealed at Battery Day also utilize dry battery technology developed from the innovations of Maxwell Technologies, a company that the EV maker acquired.
Considering that the batteries which Dahn and his team are testing are just cells acquired from Li-FUN Technology in China, there seems to be a pretty good chance that Tesla’s next-generation 4680 cells could exhibit comparable or even superior performance when they are deployed to the company’s fleet of vehicles and energy storage units in the coming years. If these assumptions prove accurate, then Tesla’s next-generation cells may truly be a class above anything that is being used in the market today. Dahn, for his part, noted that Tesla’s battery strategy is sound.
“Tesla is just moving forward at the speed of light. They are upscaling their factories, they know they need Tera Watt Hours for both energy storage and vehicles, and it’s incredibly exciting times,” he said.
Watch Jeff Dahn’s recent talk about his team’s battery findings in the video below.
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Tesla Cybercab is changing the look of Austin’s roads, and it’s not even in production yet
Videos and photos showed the sleek, two-seat autonomous vehicles navigating traffic.
Even before entering production, Tesla’s Cybercab is already transforming the appearance of Austin’s streets, with multiple prototypes spotted testing in downtown areas recently.
Videos and photos showed the sleek, two-seat autonomous vehicles navigating traffic. Interestingly enough, the vehicles were equipped with temporary steering wheels and human safety drivers.
Recent Cybercab sightings
Over the weekend, enthusiasts captured footage of two Cybercabs driving together in central Austin, their futuristic silhouettes standing out amid regular traffic. While the vehicles featured temporary steering wheels and side mirrors for now, they retained their futuristic, production-intent exterior design.
Industry watcher Sawyer Merritt shared one of the vehicles’ videos, noting the increasing frequency of the autonomous two-seater’s sightings.
Previewing the autonomous future
Sightings of the Cybercab have been ramping in several key areas across the United States in recent weeks. Sightings include units at Apple’s Visitor Center in California, the Fremont factory test track, and in Austin’s streets.
The increased activity suggests that Tesla is in overdrive, validating the autonomous two-seater ahead of its planned volume production. Elon Musk confirmed at the 2025 Shareholder Meeting that manufacturing begins around April 2026 with ambitious targets, and during an All-Hands meeting earlier this year, Musk hinted that ultimately, Tesla’s factories should be able to produce one Cybercab every 10 seconds.
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Tesla celebrates 9 million vehicles produced globally
The achievement, announced by Tesla Asia on X, celebrated not just the Shanghai team’s output but the company’s cumulative production across all its factories worldwide.
Tesla has achieved a new milestone, rolling out its nine millionth vehicle worldwide from Giga Shanghai.
The achievement, announced by Tesla Asia on X, celebrated not just the Shanghai team’s output but the company’s cumulative production across all its factories worldwide. The milestone came as 2025 drew to a close, and it inspired praise from some of the company’s key executives.
Tesla’s 9 million vehicle milestone
The commemorative photo from Tesla Asia featured the Giga Shanghai team assembled on the factory floor, surrounding the milestone Model Y unit, which looked pristine in white. The image was captioned: “Our 9 millionth vehicle globally has just rolled off the production line at Giga Shanghai. Thanks to our owners and supporters around the world.”
Senior Vice President of Automotive Tom Zhu praised Tesla’s factory teams for the remarkable milestone. He also shared his gratitude to Tesla owners for their support. “Congrats to all Tesla factories for this amazing milestone! Thanks to our owners for your continued support!” Zhu wrote in a post on X.
Giga Shanghai’s legacy
Tesla’s nine million vehicle milestone is especially impressive considering that just 207 days ago, the company announced that it had built its eight millionth car globally. The eight millionth Tesla, a red Model Y, was built in Giga Berlin. The fact that Tesla was able to build a million cars in less than seven months is quite an accomplishment.
Giga Shanghai, Tesla’s largest factory by volume, has been instrumental to the company’s overall operations, having reached four million cumulative vehicles earlier in 2025. The plant produces Model 3 and Model Y for both domestic Chinese and export markets, making it the company’s primary vehicle export hub.
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Tesla officially publishes Q4 2025 vehicle delivery consensus
By releasing these numbers directly, Tesla establishes a clear, transparent benchmark ahead of its actual results.
Tesla has taken the rather unusual step of officially publishing its company-compiled Q4 2025 delivery consensus on the Investor Relations site. As per analyst estimates, Tesla is expected to deliver 422,850 vehicles and deploy 13.4 GWh of battery storage systems this Q4 2025.
By releasing these numbers directly, Tesla establishes a clear, transparent benchmark ahead of its actual results, making it harder for narratives to claim a “miss” based on outlier estimates.
Official consensus sets the record straight
Tesla’s IR press release detailed the consensus from 20 analysts for vehicle deliveries and 16 analysts for energy deployments. As per the release, full-year 2025 consensus delivery estimates come in at 1,640,752 vehicles, an 8.3% decline from 2025’s FY deliveries of 1,789,226 cars.
Tesla noted that while it “does not endorse any information, recommendations or conclusions made by the analysts,” its press release does provide a notable reference point. Analysts contributing to the company compiled consensus include Daiwa, DB, Wedbush, Oppenheimer, Canaccord, Baird, Wolfe, Exane, Goldman Sachs, RBC, Evercore ISI, Barclays, Wells Fargo, Morgan Stanley, UBS, Jefferies, Needham, HSBC, Cantor Fitzgerald, and William Blair.
Tesla’s busy Q4 2025
Tesla seems to be pushing hard to deliver as many vehicles as possible before the end of 2025, despite the company’s future seemingly being determined not by vehicle deliveries, but FSD and Optimus’ rollout and ramp. Still, reports from countries such as China are optimistic, with posts on social media hinting that Tesla’s delivery centers in the country are appearing packed as the final weeks of 2025 unfold.
The Tesla Model Y and Model 3 are also still performing well in China’s premium EV segment. Based on data from January to November, the Model Y took China’s number one spot in the RMB 200,000-RMB 300,000 segment for electric vehicles, selling 359,463 units. The Model 3 sedan took third place, selling 172,392. This is quite impressive considering that both the Model Y and Model 3 command a premium compared to their domestic rivals.
Tesla Cybercab is changing the look of Austin’s roads, and it’s not even in production yet
Tesla celebrates 9 million vehicles produced globally
