Tesla Cylindrical Battery Holds Game-Changing Potential

Korea Automotive Research Institute Industry Trend Report Published
"Price Competitiveness for Complete Vehicles, Leaving Development Direction Concerns for Battery Companies"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunseok Yoo] An analysis has emerged suggesting that the medium-to-large cylindrical batteries to be mass-produced by Tesla have the potential to become a game changer in the battery and automotive industries.

The Korea Automotive Technology Institute (KATECH) published an 'Industry Trends' report on the 7th, stating, "The medium-to-large cylindrical battery (4680 battery) unveiled by Tesla at Battery Day in 2020 is set for mass production this year," and explained, "If mass production is successful, it could significantly improve the productivity and cost competitiveness of electric vehicle batteries."

Battery types applied to electric vehicles include prismatic, pouch, and cylindrical. Prismatic batteries are resistant to external shocks but have relatively complex manufacturing processes. Pouch batteries can be made in various sizes and shapes but, like prismatic batteries, have complex processes and difficulties as drawbacks. Cylindrical batteries are easy to mass-produce due to stable manufacturing processes. However, when packaged in packs, cylindrical batteries are evaluated to have unused space due to their shape, which is considered a problem.

Tesla has focused on cylindrical battery technology with high productivity since its early entry into the electric vehicle market. It first demonstrated the applicability of cylindrical batteries to electric vehicles by equipping the 'Roadster' launched in 2008. Then, by adopting the 21700 battery with increased diameter and height in the 2017 'Model 3,' Tesla enhanced the energy of single cells and improved the cost competitiveness of cylindrical batteries.

The 4680 battery to be mass-produced this year is characterized by having 5 times the energy density, 6 times the output compared to existing batteries, and increasing driving range by 16%. KATECH evaluated that the 4680 battery implements a design that increases single cell capacity without compromising charging time. Additionally, thanks to the increased size of single cells, it reduces resources required for battery activation processes, enabling cost reduction.

KATECH explained that while Tesla is focusing on sustainable profit generation, cylindrical batteries have the potential to become a game changer in the battery and automotive industries. KATECH stated, "Battery manufacturers focusing on medium-to-large prismatic and pouch types are expected to face a choice between concentrating on high-speed processes corresponding to Tesla's medium-to-large cylindrical batteries or developing medium-to-large cylindrical batteries themselves."

Regarding automakers, it added, "Existing automakers using medium-to-large prismatic and pouch batteries may face difficulties in price competition with electric vehicles equipped with cost-reduced medium-to-large cylindrical batteries."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.