Tesla's 4680 Battery Design Falls Short Against BYD Blade in Thermal Efficiency
The slow charging curve of Tesla's Cybertruck can be attributed to the thermal inefficiency of its 4680 battery design, which has been exposed by a recent teardown comparison with the more efficient BYD Blade battery cell. According to a study led by Jonas Gorsch, a researcher at RWTH Aachen University, the prismatic BYD cell has twice the thermal efficiency of Tesla's 4680 battery when charging current is applied. This inefficiency could be due to increased charge transfer resistance in and at the surface of the anode, leading to higher heat generation during fast charging.
- The implications of this design flaw for the long-term competitive position of Tesla's electric vehicles, particularly in high-performance models like the Cybertruck, are uncertain and warrant further investigation.
- How will the adoption of more efficient battery designs by rivals like BYD impact the pricing dynamics between EV manufacturers in the coming years?