Tesla allows use of patented electric powertrain tech
Elon Musk, CEO, Tesla Motors has announced that the firm will allow manufacturers to borrow Tesla’s patented electric powertrain technologies “to accelerate the advent of sustainable transport.” This move by Tesla is an extremely generous one as rival electric car makers will be able to integrate its innovative technological breakthroughs without the fear of legal action. Tesla is looking to spread the technology it has developed, namely everything from the supercharging stations to its integration of heavy batteries with small cells directly into the chassis and their battery management system.
The California-based manufacturer, unlike other EV makers, uses thousands of lithium-ion 18650 commodity cells (used in laptops) rather than single-purpose, larger format cells due to which the battery is lighter and cheaper to manufacture. Panasonic, an investor in Tesla Motors, is currently the sole supplier of battery cells for the company.
The use of smaller cells to construct bigger batteries is not only cost effective due to the faster lifecycle of commodity electronics but it also means that the larger batteries will be able to charge faster, hold the charge longer and are claimed to be more reliable and easily available than the automotive batteries that are currently produced.
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The Model S can be charged to 50 per cent in just 20 minutes at supercharging stations.[/caption]
The comparatively larger battery consists of 7,104 lithium-ion battery cells in 16 modules delivers a larger range and much more power than the current crop of electric vehicles. The range-topping Tesla Model S has an 85kWh battery pack powering the rear wheels that produces 416bhp and 600Nm of peak twisting force. The claimed range for this electric motor is a massive 426km while replacing the battery pack costs about Rs7.5 lakh. The 85kWh motor propels the all-electric luxury sedan to 100kmph in 4.2 seconds and can achieve a top speed of 210kmph.
To put things into perspective, Nissan’s all-electric Leaf hatchback is powered by a 24kWh lithium-ion battery pack (made up of 192 cells in 48 modules) that delivers 110bhp and 280Nm of torque to the front wheels. This battery pack costs an estimated Rs 11 lakh to replace and has a claimed range of 135km. The Leaf hits the ton mark in just under 10 seconds and can reach a top whack of 150kmph.
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The fourth generation Tesla Roadster Sport 2.5 does 0–100kmph in 3.7 seconds[/caption]
“Technology leadership is not defined by patents… but rather by the ability of a company to attract and motivate the world’s most talented engineers,” said Elon Musk. Tesla Motors had originally filed for patents, fearing that larger firms would copy and use Tesla’s technology and push the budding EV manufacturer out of business. But since large companies like General Motors and Ford invest only a sliver of their resources for the advancement of EVs, Tesla would have to bear the burden of churning out all-electric cars to offset the brewing carbon crisis themselves.
In addition, Panasonic and Tesla Motors are planning to construct a large ‘gigafactory’ by 2020 to produce previously unheard amounts of batteries, a peak of 500,000 lithium-ion packs a year, which is more than all the batteries produced worldwide in a year. If there aren’t enough players in the market to use the batteries being produced, the factory will fail economically. Reports suggest that Panasonic may consider the risk too high and back out of any significant investment though only time will tell. This is another reason why Tesla’s freeing of its patents makes sense. Major manufacturers like Nissan and BMW have contacted Tesla Motors for sharing of its technologies and to develop charging infrastructure.
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Tesla’s Model S sedan was the top selling car in the full-size luxury sedan category in the U.S beating out the S-Class, BMW 7-Series, Lexus LS, Audi A8 and Porsche Panamera[/caption]
In India, Mahindra Reva Electric Vehicles sells the E2O and has recently expanded into the US market with its GenZe electric scooter. It is sure to benefit from Tesla’s generosity. The Halo electric sportscar, showcased at the 2014 Auto Expo, is said to borrow design cues from the Tesla Roadster. Considering the EV manufacturers’ new position, Mahindra could easily make ugrades using the borrowed technology to make the electric sportscar cheaper and more accessable to the average consumer instead of having a Rs 20 lakh plus price tag. The possibility of the next E2O taking the fight to conventional hatchbacks seems more likely now.
