Tesla and Panasonic Collaborate to Develop Next-Generation Battery Cell Technology

[dpeilow]

With the Model S still being a couple years off, I expect its batteries to be even better than these.

Or these to be the cheap, sweet-spot cells at the time the Model S is released.

Still think Tesla should make a money-no-object ultimate pack available at the time, though

[vfx]

With the Model S still being a couple years off, I expect its batteries to be even better than these.

At some point the have to lock in. That could be now.

[Iz]

At some point they have to lock in. That could be now.

Therein lies the dilemma. 3.1 Ah cells will not be the latest and greatest in 2012. One approach is to allow owners to exchange their battery packs for one having the latest configuration. However when Model S is delivered it will already have outdated packs.

How farfetched is the idea of an owner maintained pack where one can replace individual cells provided these future cells are much larger, thereby requiring few cells?

[dpeilow]

The announcement at Christmas from Panasonic stated that the next generation of 3.4Ah cells will enter production in 2012, followed by the 4Ah in 2013. However, these new 3.1Ah are later than the original announcement, so there is every chance that they will still be state of the art in 2012.

[AnOutsider]

How farfetched is the idea of an owner maintained pack where one can replace individual cells provided these future cells are much larger, thereby requiring few cells?

I'd say extremely far-fetched. Tesla is aiming as mass market with these. You know, the same folks with range anxiety and all that. Not YOU folks who are smart enough to do actually do what you suggest

[vfx]

You also have to factor in the commodity angle. Tesla chose batteries that had been proven in the marketplace. Would they now forsake that safety net and go with an untried product?

[Iz]

Excellent point vfx. Panasonic delivers tested and proven technologies. Still, it is difficult to know some of the newer technologies will become production ready one day and cannot be considered yet.

Outsider, I would wait just a little while longer for a Model S with 3.4 Ah cells. Given an 8000 cell pack that would amount to ~ 400 mile range/charge.

[vfx]

Outsider, I would wait ...

At 400+ posts, is he still an "Outsider"?

[Iz]

At 400+ posts, is he still an "Outsider"?

And P-463 Model S.

[AnOutsider]

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Outsider, I would wait just a little while longer for a Model S with 3.4 Ah cells. Given an 8000 cell pack that would amount to ~ 400 mile range/charge.

I don't see why that couldn't be a Tesla-supplied upgrade option down the line. Just not user-installable

At 400+ posts, is he still an "Outsider"?

Always!