TESLA Battery Day Sep 22 - PATENTS & LEAKS, page-466

Summary of the battery day event from this blog.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/invest...esting-takeaways-from-teslas-battery-day/amp/

Tesla Team Outlines Goals for Mining Companies
[Tuesday, September 22, 7:04 pm]
Contributed by Sarah Smith

• Musk says that the fundamental constraint on Tesla is overall cell production. That is why the company focused today’s event on complete innovation and cost-reduction.
• Musk says at the same time, he is conscious the company could overdo it by attempting to supply battery cells to other companies.
• The CEO is calling on other car companies to make more efficient vehicles.
• Tesla also said that mining companies should diversify on the cathode side. This is why Tesla is moving forward with 100% nickel cathodes for energy-intensive vehicles.
• Team members say their model for vertical integration is something other companies should take inspiration from — something that “shortens the path from mine to cathode.”
• Tesla is hoping to incentivize miners to diversify their focuses and form supply deals with Tesla.

Tesla Plans to Build Battery Cathode Factory in U.S.
[Tuesday, September 22, 6:29 pm]
Contributed by Sarah Smith

The next part of Battery Day is a walk through battery cathodes — something CEO Elon Musk described as bookshelves. A handy graphic shows metals like cobalt, carbon or nickel surrounding the lithium in the battery. Tesla is flirting with moves to use more carbon and nickel instead of cobalt. Tesla also plans to build its own cathode plant in the U.S.

Here is why this matters:

• Cobalt is the most expensive metal to use.
• Musk has long flirted with a cobalt-free battery, asking nickel miners to come forward if they were interested in signing a long-term supply contract with Tesla.
• The CEO is specifically interested in working with environmentally and socially responsible mining companies.
• Cobalt mining also raises concerns over human rights violations, such as child labor in countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
• Musk shared that the most energy-intensive vehicles like the Cybertruck and the semitruck models would use 100% nickel. Other vehicles would use a combination of nickel and other materials.