Image: Tesla
Tesla recently hit a new milestone in the production of its next-generation 4680 battery cells, manufacturing a whopping 868,000 cells in a week for the first time ever. That’s enough to make 4680 battery packs for 1,000 cars.
“Congrats to the 4680 cell team on achieving 868k cells built in the last 7 days—equal to 1k+ cars!” Tesla tweeted out from its official account on Christmas morning.
Congrats to the 4680 cell team on achieving 868k cells built in the last 7 days—equal to 1k+ cars! 🔋 pic.twitter.com/CaC7Js9aEL
— Tesla (@Tesla) December 25, 2022
4680 battery cells are more efficient than the 2170 cells Tesla has been using for its Model 3 and Model Y electric vehicles (EVs). They also boast a larger cell format, so battery packs require fewer cells, and are cheaper and easier to manufacture.
What’s more, 4680 cells have also allowed Tesla to create new “structural” battery packs. These packs cut down on the total number of parts in Tesla’s EVs, contribute to structural integrity, and even improve repairability.
Tesla started producing Model Y units with 4680 structural battery packs at its Gigafactory in Austin, Texas, at the beginning of this year. The company said back in October that it would start using 4680 structural battery packs at its German Gigafactory in Berlin-Bradenburg before the end of this year.
Last month, Tesla received approval from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to launch a new Standard Range, AWD trim of the Model Y with 4680 battery cells in the U.S. next year.
