Future Teslas could have up to a 100 years of battery life if the company’s research group in Canada can turn their recent research paper into reality, reports Not a Tesla App.
Dr Jeff Dahn and his team at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada, have been working with Tesla since 2015 to develop new Lithium-ion batteries.
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The team recently wrote a research paper called “Li[Ni0.5Mn0.3Co0.2]O2 as a Superior Alternative to LiFePO4 for Long-Lived Low Voltage Li-Ion Cells” in the Journal of the Electrochemical Society.
The paper focuses on using a nickel-based battery (NMC) to allow for a greater number of charging cycles. The researchers specifically state, “NMC cells, particularly those balanced and charged to 3.8V, show better coulombic efficiency, less capacity fade and higher energy density compared to LFP cells and are projected to yield lifetimes approaching a century at 25°C.”
Maintaining a temperature of 25°C may be unrealistic in real-world conditions. But, Teslas do have the best battery thermal management systems currently available on the market. It has long been known that relatively stable temperatures result in a prolonged battery life expectancy.
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Many prospective EV owners wonder about the life expectancy of Tesla batteries, noting that the replacement cost for a car’s battery pack can range from $12,000-$22,000. There isn’t a consistent answer to the life expectancy question.
Current Tesla battery life can be affected by factors including temperature, discharge activity, Fast Charger use, and driving habits. It is believed that Tesla batteries typically last approximately 1,500 charge cycles. If Tesla’s research team can implement the new battery design in the future, Tesla battery life expectancy would indeed increase dramatically.
