The Tesla Giga-Factory could be the key to Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk’s ongoing success, and we finally have some details for the future of multiple companies
Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk isn’t only the mastermind behind Tesla Motors’ electric vehicles, but also has a stake in SolarCity, both of which stand to benefit from a ready supply of lithium-ion rechargeable batteries. Currently, Tesla Motors sources its lithium-ion battery pack cells from Panasonic, one of the biggest battery producers in the world, but is only planning on building some 35,000 vehicles this year.
On the other hand, if Tesla Motors is going to move into mass-production, a planned 500,000 vehicles-per-year by 2020, as well as make an affordable electric vehicle, the Tesla Model E, there aren’t enough lithium-ion batteries in the world for that many electric vehicles. Hence, the Tesla Giga-Factory, a planned 500-to-1,000 acre complex to be built in the Southwest United States.
As of 2013, worldwide lithium-ion cell production, by a number of companies, the biggest of whom are SDI, LGC, and Panasonic, is just shy of 35 GWh/yr (giga-watt-hours per year). The Tesla Giga-Factory, operational by 2020, has a planned production capacity of 85 GWh/yr. World production is sure to increase, but not on such a scale as Tesla Motors is planning.
Tesla Motors, expects that, by building its own lithium-ion battery plant, it can reduce the cost of the battery pack by better than 30%. This will be an important step, as the planned Tesla Model E is expected to be sold for far less than the Tesla Model S or Tesla Model X. At just $35,000, the 200-mile-range Tesla Model E is expected to be the world’s most-affordable electric vehicle in its class.
The Tesla Giga-Factory won’t just benefit Tesla Motors, however, but also will form the backbone for a supply of stationary lithium-ion battery packs to backup SolarCity renewable energy production.
Image © Tesla Motors
Why the Tesla is not using new technology for
their new ‘Giga battery factory’? If
they are not using this new technology, how are they able to dominate in
battery business market? The Tesla has the
problems with batteries so as the Apple, or the Bowing 787. This new battery consists only of solid
materials, and, therefore, it does not leak.
The battery does not fire due to thermal runaway because it uses no
inflammable material.
Micronics Japan Co. Ltd. in Tokyo announced
that they have successfully developed, and established mass-production method
of, a new quantum battery after years of extensive R&D in cooperation with
Guala for more than 200 years since Alessandro Volta invented the first
battery, almost all batteries, including primary and rechargeable batteries,
have been dependent on chemical reaction called redox (reduction-oxidation) to
store electrical energy, AKA Chemical Battery.
Since the first invention by Volta, a lot of research and development
has been carried out particularly in the area of rechargeable battery to
improve performance, and it resulted in lead-acid, nickel-cadmium, and most
recently lithium-ion, but improvements of Chemical Batteries seems to be
approaching to its limit, such as deterioration of electrode and electrolyte, low
energy density, or requiring flammable materials etc.
‘Battenice’ is an absolutely groundbreaking
invention since Volta. It stores electrons in the electron-trap matrix in
band-gap of semiconductor. Using flexible
film type structure, it is able to store much more power (per volume/per
weight) than lithium-ion batteries, and is applicable to all areas where lithium-ion
has been used, including mobile devices, and electric vehicles, making all
existing batteries redundant.
While the energy density of the quantum
battery is approximately only 3 times of that of advanced lithium battery, it
seems to have potential to be further improved.
Since it does not use chemical reaction at all, deterioration of electrode
that have been plaguing conventional rechargeable batteries does not occur, and
it is claimed the test shows it provides stable performance at least 100,000
cycles of recharge-discharge.
Wikipedia (Check Quantum Battery)-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rechargeable_battery
Micronics Japan info-
http://www.r-expo.jp/wsew2014/exhiSearch/FC/en/search_detail.php?id=11475
More info on ‘Battenice’ Battery (Quantum
Battery)
http://japazine.com/2014/01/14/amazing-revolutional-battenice-quantum-battery-from-japan/
Five
Features of ‘Battenice’ Battery (Quantum Battery)
1)
Safety
Due to its non-flammable material, it
maintains high level of safety against surge current with short circuit and/or
overheating.
2)
Minimum deterioration
No deteriorations of performance have been
detected even after 10,000 recharge-discharge cycle. It leads to maintenance
free installation.
3)
High output current
Its discharging characteristic outperforms
conventional secondary battery. We plan
to mass produce products which has minimum of two times more output current of
that of existing secondary batteries, and will continue to further improve.
4)
Environmentally friendly
It uses neither harmful materials nor rare
metals, leading to sustainable production into future.
5)
Sheet structure
Due to its sheet structure, it is easy to
obtain higher voltage by series lamination and provides all shapes ideal to
application. Due to its principle, the time for recharge is said to be much
shorter.
Tech & Industrial Analysis from Asia-
http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english/NEWS_EN/20140224/335902/
It is not difficult to imagine the
potential colossal impact of this product, such as you may be able use smart
phones full 7 days without recharging, and Tesla cars will run 3 times more
distances without recharging exceeding that of conventional cars with tankful
of gasoline. This Quantum Batteries will possibly become a Technological
Sensation!
‘Hermes 8080’ from Japan