Tesla Model 3 on cobalt-free batteries will appear in China
June 13, 2020The main advantages of this type of battery are safety and a lower cost price. Of the “minuses” is the large weight of the battery, and therefore the increased curb weight of the electric car itself.
Not so long ago, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China (MIIT) published a new catalog of recommended electric car models, where a new modification of the Tesla Model 3 electric sedan on cobalt-free batteries appeared. Recall that this metal is one of the most expensive used in electric cars.
This is a lithium iron phosphate battery (LFP). Deliveries of cars with such batteries will begin in mid-July. The local company CATL is expected to play the role of supplier.
The weight of the “green” sedan with a battery without cobalt in running order will be 1,745 kilograms. Which is heavier than the same sedan with a different type of battery from LG Chem. For comparison, the weight of such a “Tesla” reaches 1,614 kilograms.
A number of factors prompted the search for an alternative to cobalt for battery developers – from the limited reserves of this metal on Earth to the use of child labor in its mining.
The density of stored energy in low-voltage batteries is lower, which is why it is necessary to make such batteries larger and heavier. Due to this, the range of the electric car may suffer. Typically, LFP batteries are found on commercial vehicles and buses. On passenger cars it’s more common to see batteries made of nickel, cobalt and manganese.
Recall that a six-wheeled lunar rover based on the Tesla Cybertruck electric pickup was shown on the Web earlier. The first thing that immediately catches your eye when looking at the render is futuristic tires consisting of separate sections.
