Tesla and Panasonic Collaborate Next-Gen Cell Development

[MitchJi]

Hi,

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2010/01/tesla-panasonic-20100107.html#more

Tesla and Panasonic Collaborate to Develop Next-Generation Battery Cell Technology
7 January 2010

Tesla Motors and Panasonic will collaborate to develop next-generation battery cells for electric vehicles. Tesla will use Panasonic cells featuring a Nickel-based Lithium ion chemistry in their newest battery packs.

In December, Panasonic announced the development of two new 18650-type (18 mm in diameter, 65 mm in height) high-capacity lithium-ion battery cells. The newly-developed high-capacity 3.4 Ah and 4.0 Ah lithium-ion battery cells have an improved nickel-based positive electrode (Panasonic’s proprietary positive electrode material based on LiNiO2, allowing for high capacity and durability). The 4.0 Ah cell uses a silicon-based alloy for the negative electrode instead of carbon, and offers a volumetric energy density of 800 Wh/L, compared to the 620 Wh/L in the current 2.9 Ah cells.(Earlier post.)

Our collaboration with Panasonic will accelerate the development of next generation EV cells, enabling Tesla to further improve our battery pack performance. Combining Tesla’s rigorous cell testing and understanding of EV requirements with Panasonic’s cutting-edge battery technology will result in custom cells optimized for use in EVs.

—JB Straubel, Tesla’s Chief Technology Officer

Panasonic is one of the world’s largest producers of Lithium-ion battery cells. Furthermore, Panasonic is midway through a 3-year US$1-billion investment in lithium-ion battery cell R&D and production facilities. The first of the new facilities in Suminoe, Japan will begin production in April 2010.

Being selected by Tesla to provide cells for their current and next- generation EV battery pack is a tremendous validation of Panasonic’s nickel-based chemistry and the extensive investments Panasonic continues to make in lithium ion R&D and production.

—Naoto Noguchi, President of Panasonic Energy Company

Tesla’s current battery strategy incorporates proprietary packaging using cells from multiple battery suppliers. This new cell will also be compatible with other cell form factors to enable the continuation of Tesla’s strategy of using cells from multiple suppliers. Tesla has already delivered more than 900 cars to customers in North America and Europe.

 

[nasukaren]

Sounds great! If they don't bloat when over discharged or explode when over charged -- and are available to us tinkerers for less than < $5 a cell, I'm all for them!

One can wish.

Karen

 

[Doctorbass]

The actual cells are 2.4Ah so with 4Ah it could do 700km with one charge!!

The 2.9Ah actually exist on the market.. i'm taping on a laptop keyboard that have 3 of them under it right now

Doc

 

[morph999]

 

[dogman dan]

4 ah packed into an 18650 cell does sound cool.

 

[Doctorbass]

4 ah packed into an 18650 cell does sound cool.

We must remind that it's 4Ah at 3.7V.. not at 3.2V!! .. that make a great energy increase!

4 x 3.7=14.8Wh per 18650 cell!!!! more energy density than a lipo !!

one km per cell on an ebike!

I could do 500km on one charge!!!

Doc

 

[tostino]

Yeah, i'm with Doc on this, that would be amazing to replace my Konion packs with eventually. I'd go from 21ah to 56ah with the same amount of cells. So much range!

 

[dogman dan]

The benefits would only increase when scaled up to car size packs too. 500 mile range tesla? Be awhile before they are cheap on Ebay though, but a lot of us have lithium expected to last that long.

 

[liveforphysics]

It's a shame the 2.9Ah 18650's I got to play with are barely 1C capable. Generally as they increase capacity, they do it at the cost of current collection material thickness and surface area.

Let's hope these are different!

 

[tostino]

I agree LFP. But even if they're only 4c capable, i'd manage.

My Konions are 10c if I remember right, and that means for each cell I can discharge at 15a from a 1.5ah cell... with these new cells if they are 4c capable, you could get 16a out pr cell, and have a shit load more range for the same cell count!
I just wonder about cycle life...

 

[MitchJi]

Hi,

The actual cells are 2.4Ah so with 4Ah it could do 700km with one charge!!

Doc

Or if the cost is similar per cell get the same (about 400km?) range with a smaller lighter pack that costs a lot less. They need something like that to bring their sedan in on budget.

 

[madmadscientist]

Ya I know I just sorta refound this forum today and I am asking questions everywhere.

My question for this is, why does it make sense to Tesla to use an f-load of batts to make up a battery pack?

Why doesn't it make more sense to make a pack out of bigger batteries so less in a pack?

I mean couldn't Tesla make a pretty great pack out of the 20amp hr packs y'all are testing right now?