“Tesla Files Patent for New, Cheaper, and Longer-lasting Battery Chemistry”

Tesla Files Patent for New Battery Chemistry

As 2020 draws to a close, Tesla is making significant strides in the battery technology sector. The automaker has filed a patent for a new battery chemistry that promises to deliver better performance, longer lifespan, and lower costs.

Collaboration with Dalhousie University

Earlier this year, we reported on Tesla’s partnership with Jeff Dahn and his team at Dalhousie University. The team unveiled the results of tests on a new battery cell that could last over 1 million miles in an electric vehicle. The battery tested is a Li-Ion battery cell with a next-generation “single crystal” NMC cathode and a new advanced electrolyte. Since then, Tesla has been filing US and international patents on this new battery chemistry.

New Patent Application

Through its ‘Tesla Motors Canada’ subsidiary, Tesla filed a new international patent titled ‘Dioxazolones and nitrile sulfites as electrolyte additives for lithium-ion batteries’. The patent application states:

“This disclosure covers novel battery systems with fewer operative, electrolyte additives that may be used in different energy storage applications, for example, in vehicle and grid-storage. More specifically, this disclosure includes additive electrolyte systems that enhance performance and lifetime of lithium-ion batteries, while reducing costs from other systems that rely on more or other additives.”

Implications of the New Battery Chemistry

The patent application indicates that the new two-additive mixtures in an electrolyte solvent can be used with lithium nickel manganese cobalt compounds, also known as an NMC battery chemistry. This type of battery chemistry is commonly used in electric vehicles by many automakers, but not by Tesla. The company has used the technology in its stationary energy storage systems, but it uses NCA for its vehicle battery cells.

The patent filed by Tesla’s battery research group mentions that the technology would be useful for both electric vehicles and grid-storage. Interestingly, Tesla has been rumored to be switching to NCM battery cells for Chinese Model 3 vehicles.

Tesla’s Battery Development

Tesla has been filing new battery patents as it has also been making moves toward building its own battery cells. Earlier this year, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said that they built Model 3 to last as long as a commercial truck, a million miles, and the battery modules should last between 300,000 miles and 500,000 miles. However, Musk claimed that Tesla has a new battery coming up next year that will last a million miles.

Here’s Tesla’s full patent application:

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