Elon Musk ‘Doesn’t Know How to Make a Battery,’ Rival Says

CATL already supplies batteries to Tesla for vehicle give rise at its Shanghai factory that do n’t practice the 4680 battery , and has a spate with the EV maker to certify CATL ’s engineering for battery production in Nevada . But Tesla has for years proclaimed that an modern , cylindrical battery design in - housewould be primal to increasing range and lend down the cost of its cars . barrage make up around 30 % of the cost of an EV , according to some estimates . Musk extol in 2020 that Tesla ’s 4860 battery would be 10 - 20 % cheaper to produce and bring a five-fold increase in capacity .

legion reports have suggested Tesla has present trouble perfect the 4860 battery , which is currently used in the Cybertruck and some other vehicle like the tenacious - reach Model Y. Musk reportedly has pushed locomotive engineer in late months to take down costs further and fix a technical problem that causes the stamp battery to break down on themselves while in manipulation , according toThe Information . Other challenges have included scale the use of a dry - coating organisation for electrodes , which are apply to batteries using large tumbler pigeon ; moving the rollers at eminent speeds has reportedly leave in issue with hold agents ’ temperature . buyer of vehicles with the 4680 battery have complain that they are not as effective as prognosticate .

“ We had a very big debate , and I showed him , ” Zeng toldReutersabout a late meeting he had with Musk . “ He was silent . He does n’t know how to make a bombardment . It ’s about electrochemistry . He ’s good for the chips , the software , the hardware , the mechanically skillful thing . ” Zeng was gratis about Musk ’s autonomous scheme that involves using cameras and AI rather of more expensive Lidar sensors , a controversial decision in the self - driving humans .

Founder of Chinese battery giant CATL says Elon Musk will fail in efforts to develop new battery technology.

Founder of Chinese battery giant CATL says Elon Musk will fail in efforts to develop new battery technology.Bloomberg / Getty

CATL , which stands for Contemporary Amperex Technology Co , make batteries for Tesla vehicle in China as well as for Ford vehicle in the U.S. The company uses a more traditional LFP battery technology , which does n’t get as much range as Tesla has promised from the 4860 batteries but are flashy and can be produced in mass right now . CATL has benefited from a strong accompaniment by the Taiwanese administration and an auto market of more than one billion hoi polloi .

Reutersdoes not offer any elaboration on Zeng ’s thinking , and whatever you recall about Musk , he does prove naysayer wrong quite often . Zeng and his Chinese contender BYD have become dominant in the world of EV bombardment , and BYD makes its own galvanizing vehicle , rapidly becoming one of the biggest electric auto maker in the world . That succeeder might be take a crap Zeng somewhat complacent .

Of course , Musk has suggested that he ’s given up on making the elusive $ 25,000 car , instead focusing his movement on making anautonomous robotaxi . Autonomy is Tesla ’s young strategy to keep the blood ripping as sales will do in largely matte for 2024 .

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