What materials are Tesla batteries made of?
2 Answers
Tesla batteries are ternary lithium batteries, with lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide as the cathode material. They use 18650 batteries produced by Panasonic. After the official production of Model 3, the new 21700 battery will replace the 18650 as the new cell. The volumetric energy density of the 21700 battery is much higher than that of the 18650 battery cell. The improvement in the energy density of a single cell is far greater than the 20% improvement after grouping. Tesla is an American electric vehicle and energy company that produces and sells electric vehicles, solar panels, and energy storage equipment, headquartered in Palo Alto.
I've studied Tesla batteries extensively, and the core materials vary depending on the vehicle model. Currently, the mainstream choice is ternary lithium batteries, which use nickel-cobalt-aluminum (NCA) or nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM) as cathode materials. These offer high energy density and strong range but come at a higher cost. The standard versions of Model 3/Y use lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, with iron phosphate as the cathode. These are cheaper, more heat-resistant, and have a longer lifespan due to the absence of cobalt and nickel, but they discharge faster in cold weather. The anode is mostly graphite, with the latest 4680 battery adding silicon material to the anode for faster charging. The electrolyte in liquid lithium-ion batteries is responsible for ion conduction, while solid-state electrolytes represent the direction Tesla is researching—a truly revolutionary breakthrough if mass-produced.
