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New Batteries in the Roadster?

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vfx

Well-Known Member
Aug 18, 2006
14,790
52
CA CA
I keep wondering about the batteries in the cars being delivered now.

Almost two and a half years ago The Tesla blogs talked about batterys getting 8 percent more efficient (and cheaper) every year.

Do the Roadsterss being built 2 to 3 years later have 2006 technology batteries (How to you order something old like that? Do you ask for cells from an old batch number? Are they prebought all sitting in a big pile in a warehouse? Do they use the old spec?) or has Tesla simply slid in the progessively better batteries without telling anyone and take the credit for increasing mileage with slick PEM work?

If Tesla is not using the new batteries, why not? If they are then why not say and why not brag about an increase in distance traveled?
 
I would assume that for a different chemistry, that certain parts of battery testing would have to be re-done (such as the thermal runaway stoppage). I would also assume being able to use a more well-known, not-so-cutting-edge mix that they can probably get the cells cheaper.

I'd rather they get cars delivered first than update the cells.
 
With the comments last week talking about different battery packs next year that can do 0-60 in 3.7 seconds, I am assuming all new battery research is being done for next years model. This year they are just trying to get the cars out the door.

Speaking of such things, articles from over the summer hinted that they had bulk pre-ordered much of the parts the first cars previous to August 2007. I wonder how many battery cells they had ordered before then? Knowing that Li-ions have a shelf life, I wonder if the earlier Roadsters will not last as long as later ones because their batteries were 18 months older upon delivery.