As rumors swirl about a possible Model S refresh (and maybe even X too), I'm pondering whether Tesla will increase battery capacity or not. It seems like there are a couple of possible strategies.
1. Make the batteries bigger. As battery costs are driven down and energy density incrementally increases, it's possible to put in more capacity and increase the range — which is, of course, a key competitive metric and one Tesla are known for staying on top of. Tesla have worked hard on battery cost and supply, and it's an advantage they can use. They've got a Gigafactory and aren't afraid to use it!
2. Keep battery capacity the same, and use their cell improvements to reduce cost and weight of the cars. Tesla also have an efficiency advantage over other car makers, and they have a Supercharger network, and they can maintain their long-range advantage without the need of increased battery capacity. Batteries are still a constraint on production, so this strategy also lets them put more electric cars on the road. That's the mission, after all.
Which approach would you lean toward? What do you think Tesla will do?
1. Make the batteries bigger. As battery costs are driven down and energy density incrementally increases, it's possible to put in more capacity and increase the range — which is, of course, a key competitive metric and one Tesla are known for staying on top of. Tesla have worked hard on battery cost and supply, and it's an advantage they can use. They've got a Gigafactory and aren't afraid to use it!
2. Keep battery capacity the same, and use their cell improvements to reduce cost and weight of the cars. Tesla also have an efficiency advantage over other car makers, and they have a Supercharger network, and they can maintain their long-range advantage without the need of increased battery capacity. Batteries are still a constraint on production, so this strategy also lets them put more electric cars on the road. That's the mission, after all.
Which approach would you lean toward? What do you think Tesla will do?