ELON MUSK SAYS TESLA DRY CATHODE BATTERY IS A “MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH” .
According to Sawyer Merritt’s X account, if Tesla can produce dry cathode batteries at scale, it will be a big deal:
• Will help Tesla reduce their own costs between 15%-30% (if they can scale), saving a ton of money.
• The dry method takes up a lot less space than the wet method that Tesla (and others) have used for years, allowing Tesla to build smaller and more efficient factories. Dry coating process requires fewer preparation steps and equipment, and could result in a 10x smaller factory footprint reduction, and a 10x energy reduction.
• Could result in higher density batteries, and potentially more range, but that remains to be seen.
• Better for the environment.
Figuring out how to produce dry electrode batteries has been one of the toughest problems Tesla has ever worked on, but it appears they made some massive progress recently with the first prototype Cybertruck with in-house dry cathode 4680 cells. If they can figure out how to scale it, and with good yields, it will be a game changer.
LG Energy Solution is aiming to commercialize the dry method by 2028, so Tesla could be at scale before anybody else. Time will tell.
Also, according to Cybertruck’s X account,
Cost reduction, also a much more environmentally friendly manufacturing process that will enable us to scale production much quicker
According to FH-Y booster X account,
Dry cathode only removes the solvent application and evaporation steps from the electrode manufacturing The cells still get electrolyte, thermal issues are the same as is charge curve, degradation may be slightly better Silicon Anodes would boost energy density 20%
Actually, I am wondering how the environmentally friendly manufacturing process is achieving. Except for the NMP-free and the energy-saving from NMP-recovery-free, is Fluorine-free possible since fluorine is a PFAS chemical?
