Tesla Gigafactory

[RubberToe]

Matt, thanks for posting the photo.
Is there some one place we should look for GF progress?

Apparently all that is required is an OxBlue username and password :smile:

Anyone care to share this with TeslaMotorsClub? Any reason for Tesla not to open it up to the public? They already said when they are going to start producing batteries and how many. Nothing particularly secret about putting up a large steel building...

RT

 

[deckofficer]

I just found out the Gigafactory will not be making the 18650 battery format but one that is physically larger. Does anyone know if the format their going to build is still a standard lithium cell or something unique?

This explains why they have only mentioned gWhr yearly output and never mentioned a yearly cell count.

The 18650 cell from Panasonic they currently use is about 12 whr per cell and is also the most common cell used in laptops.

On one of my projects I'm using a different format that is 13.14 whr at 1/2 the price of a Panasonic 18650.

 

[JRP3]

Tesla has said about 10% longer and 10% larger diameter, which would mean something like a 20720.

 

[deckofficer]

Tesla has said about 10% longer and 10% larger diameter, which would mean something like a 20720.

That would be a unique to Tesla size. The one in my hand is 26650 and the newest of that version is up to 14.8 whr.

 

[JRP3]

When you're the largest volume user and producer you can make any size you want.

 

[deckofficer]

When you're the largest volume user and producer you can make any size you want.

I guess it just boils down to energy density, cycle life, and cost per kWhr. A unique size cell though precludes selling unused production output into the market.

 

[Rheazombi]

Somehow I doubt they're gonna have a lot of unused cells, lol.

 

[TheTalkingMule]

I think they figure any cells unused in car manufacture can just be sold and home packs. In the not too distant future the demand for Tesla branded home packs should outweigh any need for dumping excess cells on the open market.

 

[MassModel3]

Tesla chose the 18650 for various reasons, to include commercially proven and mass availability. When they're the driving force, as JRP3 said, they can make any size they deem appropriate to optimize charge/discharge, storage, and space constraints. Still lithium? I don't think they've ever said otherwise, but construction of the Tesla cells, they have said, is non-standard (i.e., no thermal protection required).

 

[VolkerP]

I understand there are two limits to cell size:

- ability to shed heat produced inside via the case. Thicker cells get more warm.
- yield. It get's harder to make a flawless cell, as internal surface grows.

Other than that, they can make any cell format they like to in the GF.

 

[Model 3]

I just found out the Gigafactory will not be making the 18650 battery format but one that is physically larger.

Is that confirmed? At one time JB said that the format of the cell(s) in the battery was of no interest, but they had found that a cylindrical cell about 10% wider and higher (like JRP3 said) would be the most ideal cell-format to use if they staid on the same type of cells (and that he did not see any reason to replace the type any time soon). But did - as far as I know - not say that they would use this format. Everybody - me included - assumed that they would.

 

[v12 to 12v]

Apparently all that is required is an OxBlue username and password :smile:

Anyone care to share this with TeslaMotorsClub? Any reason for Tesla not to open it up to the public? They already said when they are going to start producing batteries and how many. Nothing particularly secret about putting up a large steel building...

RT

Try username "Babe" and password "PaulBunyan".:wink:

 

[scaesare]

On one of my projects I'm using a different format that is 13.14 whr at 1/2 the price of a Panasonic 18650.

So... that cell is ~2.1X the volume of an 18650 cell, yet it's only ~1.1X the power.

So, despite it being half the price, for an equivalent amount of power and money, it will take roughly twice the volume of an 18650. I don't know the weight, but with that much more volume I'm going to guess it's going to be significantly heavier as well.

Why are you using it? Chemistry?

 

[Larry93428]

Giga Photos!
02.15.15 Tesla Video Update!! - YouTube
(Posted with permission.)
~Larry

 

[Larry93428]

Giga Photos

Super photos:

02.15.15 Tesla Video Update!! - YouTube

~Larry

 

[hobbes]

Cool, thanks for posting.

 

[deckofficer]

So... that cell is ~2.1X the volume of an 18650 cell, yet it's only ~1.1X the power.

So, despite it being half the price, for an equivalent amount of power and money, it will take roughly twice the volume of an 18650. I don't know the weight, but with that much more volume I'm going to guess it's going to be significantly heavier as well.

Why are you using it? Chemistry?

No, form factor for a custom LED 3000 lumen flashlight.

 

[scaesare]

Oh, cool. I assumed an automotive project.

Nice!

 

[deckofficer]

Oh, cool. I assumed an automotive project.

Nice!

Not this time. I've always thought if you dissipate the heat, a flashlight that could brightly light up a football field even if only for 12 minutes would be fun.

A typical high output commercially produced LED torch.....


A roll your own that gets pretty hot in short order...


The heat sink


When I was a little kid camping with the family, the brightest flashlight of the day was the 6 volt lantern type. Here I set the exposure the same for the 6 volt lantern type...


And the roll your own LED. I tried a different exposure that shows the 6 volt lantern doing a decent job but using that same exposure was completely over exposed with the LED, so these two pictures are the same exposure.

 

[jerry33]

The colour temperature is different, so it's not a 100% fair comparison. The warmer temperature of the incandescent bulb makes it appear darker than it would to the eye. Of course, the LED is also brighter.