RWTH Aachen: Tesla 4680 cell: High thermal losses discovered

A recent teardown study by RWTH Aachen has brought surprising results to light regarding Tesla's 4680 cell. Despite the innovative tabless design, which was actually designed for high thermal conductivity, there are significantly higher thermal losses in Tesla compared to BYD's Blade cells. These findings raise questions about the optimization and efficiency of Tesla batteries.

Analysis of the Tesla 4680 cell

High thermal losses:
The study proves that Tesla's high-performance cell, although designed for maximum cooling performance, does not reach its full potential in practice. The thermal losses are significantly higher than those of the more cost-effective BYD batteries.
Production processes and design:
While Tesla scores with a reduced number of production steps, the high-current design proves to be insufficient in terms of thermal insulation. This could mean that engineers have not yet been able to exploit all optimization potentials.

Comparison to BYD and further insights

Different application fields:
While Tesla focuses on high performance with its 4680 cell, BYD offers lower thermal losses with the Blade cells and requires fewer cells for battery assembly – a clear advantage in terms of efficiency and cost.
Material analysis:
Surprisingly, the anodes of both cells contained no silicon, although this material is often used to increase energy density. This finding could provide new impetus for future battery technologies.

Outlook for European developers
The results of the study should also serve as an incentive for developers in Germany and Europe to act more boldly in the commercialization of battery technologies, even if these are not yet fully perfected. The study clearly shows where the boundaries lie between performance-oriented and cost-efficient battery designs, thus offering valuable insights into future developments.

Conclusion
The analysis of the Tesla 4680 cell shows that despite innovative approaches, there is still potential for optimization – particularly in heat dissipation. These findings not only provide information about the current state of battery technology at Tesla, but also open up new perspectives for the further development of batteries in electromobility.