Tesla’s Grand Milestone: 20 Million 4680 Cells Produced at Giga Texas
Tesla’s roaring engines of innovation have not slowed down a bit. Announced via a X/Twitter post, the electric automaker celebrated the production of the 20 millionth 4680 battery cell at its Giga Texas factory. This comes after a photograph captured staff jubilantly posing outside the ‘Plaid’ entrance, with ’20M’ balloons marking this monumental achievement.
Here’s a snippet of Tesla’s production journey: They took 16 months to ramp from 1 million to 10 million cells, averaging 562,500 cells monthly. Astonishingly, in just four more months, they doubled that figure, producing cells at an impressive rate of 2.5 million per month.
“If the pace holds,” you might wonder, “when will Tesla hit 30 million?” With the current production speed, February 2024 looks promising!
Remember, back in February 2022, the world heard of the 1 millionth 4680 battery cell rolling out of Tesla’s stables. By June, it was 10 million. A key detail to note: these 4680 cells aren’t just numbers. They are integral components of the structural battery packs used in the Model Y vehicles produced at Giga Texas. And the anticipation thickens with the upcoming Cybertruck, which will also be harnessing the power of these cells.
But Giga Texas hasn’t always been the center of 4680 cell production. Initially, Tesla began its 4680 cell journey at a pilot facility in California, adjacent to the Fremont factory. Fast forward to late 2022, two years post its Battery Day event unveiling, and the company was full steam ahead with production at Giga Texas.
A quick math dive: Currently, Tesla churns out roughly 588,000 4680 battery cells every week. This rate is sufficient to fuel around 700 Model Y Long Range cars. But wait, the Cybertruck is also on the horizon, slated to use these cells. If each Cybertruck is powered by a 130kWh battery pack, it equates to nearly 1,200 cells. This production capability hints at the potential of producing nearly 2,000 Cybertrucks monthly.
Yet, as the Cybertruck represents a brand-new production line, Tesla might not immediately hit that high number. Still, it’s evident they’ll have more than enough cells to keep up as production picks up pace.
It’s not just about numbers for Tesla. Quality and performance have been paramount. In a recent Q2 earnings call, it was disclosed that the Cybertruck would benefit from an enhanced 4680 battery version, boasting a 10% uptick in energy density. While Tesla kept the ‘how’ under wraps, they did attribute the advancements to process and mechanical design refinement.
