In 2019, Elon Musk announced that Tesla had a “1 million-mile battery pack” in the making. He said that it was going into production “next year,” which is now here. Tesla, while in a partnership with physicists from Canada’s Dalhousie University, filed a patent in December for new lithium-ion battery tech. The patent is for advanced battery chemistry. Titled “Dioxazolones and nitrile sulfites as electrolyte additives for lithium-ion batteries,” it refers to adjustments to the battery cell chemistry for Tesla products. This chemistry will increase the battery’s performance and longevity while also cutting back the costs. According to the patent application:
“This disclosure covers novel battery systems with fewer operative, electrolyte additives that may be used in different energy storage applications, for example, in-vehicle and grid-storage. More specifically, this disclosure includes additive electrolyte systems that enhance performance and lifetime of lithium-ion batteries, while reducing costs from other systems that rely on more or other additives.”
“Improved battery systems have been developed for lithium-ion based batteries. The improved systems include a nonaqueous electrolyte including one or more lithium salts, one or more nonaqueous solvents, and an additive or additive mixture comprising one or more operative additives selected from a group of disclosed compounds, including 3-aryl substituted 1,4,2- dioxazol-5-ones and 3-phenyl-1,3,2,4-dioxathiazole 2-oxide.”
Got that?
Maybe Elon will be able to put it in more normal language at the coming Tesla Battery Day.
Perhaps this is why Tesla Semi production is starting in 2020 — the reason could have been that Tesla wanted to have a 1 million-mile battery perfected before it started producing the Semi.
