Berlin Gigafactory has produced the first Tesla Model with BYD’s bladed LFP battery.
This marks a strange combination as the car is based out of the United States, has a Chinese Battery, and has been manufactured in Germany. So how did this alliance come to be? A CarNewsChina article has explained the situation.
The Alliance
According to the article, BYD and Tesla have never officially cooperated. Both companies are the world’s largest NEV (New Energy Vehicle, which includes PHEVs, EREVs, and BEVs) producers and arch-rivals.
Along with their fierce battle in China for the lion’s share in the EV market, BYD also competed with Tesla in many overseas markets. However, the latest reports suggest that BYD has become a supplier to Tesla for bladed LFP battery packs. FinDreams, a BYD subsidiary, makes Blade batteries.
On May 4, German media reported that Tesla’s German plant began manufacturing the Model Y with BYD’s LFP Blade battery. As a result, the first BYD-powered Model Y has been produced.
The Product
German media reported that the Tesla Berlin plant produced the first Model Y with BYD’s LFP battery on May 20, 16 days after production was confirmed.
The EV is a prototype, with the entry-level cars having 55 kWh LFP batteries, good for 440 km of range. The entry-level Model Y in China uses a 60 kWh CATL battery, good for 455 km of range.
German testers shared some interesting statistics about the new product. The BYD-powered Tesla Model Y can maintain 170-kW charging power. It can charge from 11% to 71% in 15 minutes, significantly quicker than its counterpart with a conventional battery pack.
Also, the LFP batteries lose charging power after 50% charge, while the CATL battery loses charge much quicker. Furthermore, the Tesla Model Y with a BYD battery charges faster than the CATL variant.
It is unknown when or if the BYD-powered Teslas will make it to the market. Although, with its alliance with BYD, Tesla is geared to strengthen its position in the EV market even further.
The post Tesla Model Y With Chinese Battery Surprises Everyone appeared first on ProPakistani.
