New Tesla Batteries Could Offer Huge Range Improvements In 2023

Teslas are already pretty solid vehicles in their current form, and thanks to upcoming battery improvements, they could soon get even better with longer ranges and cheaper prices. Among all of the companies creating EVs, Tesla clearly stands out as one of the biggest proponents. Its cars have iconic designs, advanced ‘self-driving’ features, and are getting better all the time with frequent software updates.

Another advantage Tesla’s enjoyed is impressive range for its vehicles. Whether it’s Ford, Chevy, Subaru, or anyone else trying to create EVs, reliable range is something most companies struggle with. The baseline F150 Lightning targets just 230 miles of range, the 2022 Chevy Bolt touts 259 miles of range, and the upcoming Subaru Solterra promises 220 miles. By comparison, Tesla is in a league of its own. The Long Range Model 3 gets 334 miles, the Model Y is capable of 318 miles, and the Model S squeezes out 375 miles on a single charge.

As if those numbers weren’t impressive enough, a new report from Nikkei Asia claims they’re about to get even better. Per the report published on January 24, Pansonic will soon start producing upgraded batteries for Tesla vehicles as early as 2023. These new batteries are designed to help “compete with rival South Korean and Chinese battery makers” and provide future Teslas with a host of benefits — with improved range being among the biggest.

Why These New Tesla Batteries Are So Much Better

More specifically, Nikkei says the upgraded batteries could increase driving range by more than 15 percent. In other words, a Tesla Model S could go from 375 miles of estimated range to over 430 miles. That could also take the Long Range Model 3 up to 384 miles and the Model Y to 365 miles. Combined with the constantly growing network of Tesla Superchargers, and this could give Tesla an even greater range lead than it already has. Panasonic’s previously hinted at these batteries also being used in competing EVs down the road, but for now, it seems Tesla gets to exclusively reap the rewards.

The batteries are also exciting from a cost perspective. Panasonic’s new design is apparently twice as big as older versions and has a “fivefold increase in capacity.” This means Tesla gets to use fewer batteries in each car it produces — potentially resulting in a 10 – 20 percent lower production cost per vehicle. There’s no guarantee Tesla will pass these savings onto its customers in the form of lower retail prices for its vehicles, but it’s an exciting possibility to look forward to.

What’s more, there isn’t too much longer to wait for these new batteries to hit the scene. Nikkei Asia says Panasonic should start mass production in 2023. Tesla’s also previously noted that it’d produce some in-house variants in 2022, with a small number of vehicles with the new battery shipping that same year. Considering how much more competitive the EV space seems to get with every passing day, an upgrade like this is exactly what Tesla needs right now. Let’s just hope the batteries don’t get delayed as has become a tradition with most of Tesla’s products.

Source: Nikkei Asia

About The Author

Joe Maring
(1528 Articles Published)

Joe has been actively writing and talking about consumer tech since 2012. His biggest passion lies with smartphones, but he’s happy to talk your ear off about just about anything with a CPU. He lives in Kalamazoo, MI with his wife, two cats, and pit bull/boxer mix.

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