A significant update was recently noticed on the Tesla Megapack website. Until recently, each Megapack was stated as having a capacity of 2.6 MWh of energy storage. Without fanfare, the page now claims that each Megapack has 3.9 MWh of storage capacity – a roughly 50% increase. What caused this to happen?
Tesla has introduced a new Megapack XL that is 50% more powerful than its predecessor. Furthermore, the new battery is huge and powered by lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, marking the next phase in the company’s energy business development.
The new Megapack units are larger and heavier than previous models. They are 64% heavier at 33,000 pounds. They are also six feet longer, two inches broader, and one foot higher than their predecessors. These changes indicate that Tesla has begun using LFP battery cells, which are likely manufactured by CATL, which should have significantly reduced the cost of production.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk disclosed in early 2021 that the business intends to use cobalt-free LFP batteries in its stationary energy storage devices. He emphasized that the cathode is the bulk and expense of the cell.
Nickel-based lithium-ion batteries are employed for high-energy cells, such as those found in the majority of the automobiles it manufactures. They produce more energy and have a greater range than iron-based cells.
However, because stationary storage is only used on the ground, energy density is unimportant. As a result, the great majority of stationary storage facilities manufactured by the firm will be iron-based lithium-ion cells with an iron phosphate cathode.
The absence of the contentious cobalt makes production not only more feasible from a financial standpoint, but also more morally acceptable. Another issue is that such elements are rather scarce, whereas iron is a highly common material.
Thus, manufacturing energy storage devices with cobalt-free lithium-iron-phosphate batteries will solve a number of critical issues while producing a high-quality, low-cost, and unrivaled product.
Reference- Tesmanian, Tesla Megapack website, reddit, Clean Technica