New ad? "Cybertruck: Best in class, with room to grow." I could be a marketer
In wonder if Tesla are hedging multiple bets with that space in the pack. Worst case, a double layer of 2170's and room to spare. 2170's will be available in quantity for quite a while. If thermal management improves (speculative here that this is a concern preventing double layering) OR cost reductions continue, double up the 4680 layer. Massive range at affordable cost. Or, as others have stated, move to a taller form factor (Rivian's or others mentioned before) and harvest that additional range.
Multiple options with only a pack and BMS change, hopefully. Cover all bases with minimal disruption to the Cybertruck ramp. We like that ramp. Leave it the heck alone.
Tangentially, most folks may have forgotten that the 4680 time line aimed for 2026. I recall the rough order of improvements as:
1. Make 'em fast (build for mass manufacture)
2. Make 'em cheap (minimal complexity, minimum material)
3. Make 'em better (chemistry improvements yielding better energy density)
To be sure, all are being worked on at once. The progress on each is hard to quantify out here.
Last Tegtmeyer flyover of Giga Texas that I saw, he described some of the ongoing work as adding to line 1.5, as in about a line and a half of 4680 production are currently installed. Anyone know more detail?