The Future of Electric: Tesla Joins the Race for the Next-Gen Battery

China, Japan and South Korea have long been in the lead when it comes to car battery technology. With new technologies and better production methods, Tesla now wants to change that. Germany is falling behind.

By Philip Bethge

Tesla CEO Elon Musk doesn’t shy away from grand visions. When he kicked off his highly anticipated “Battery Day” on Tuesday, he began with an early September photo of San Francisco bathed in the orange light of the surrounding wildfires followed by a chart showing the Earth’s skyrocketing temperature.

He then spoke of the need to save the world – and of the solution he already has at the ready: new batteries. “Roughly 20 to 25 terawatt hours” of battery production each year “sustained for 15 to 25 years (is necessary) to transition the world to renewable,” Musk said. That is more than 100 times present-day production capacity. Who, then, is going to deliver the needed technology? Musk, of course!

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