Solid state batteries, Is Tesla close to market?

[lukefrisbee]

I read all the reaction to Tesla's Q4 report, and there was really only one guy that stood out amongst all the negative posts.
A guy brought up Toyota was coming to market with a solid state battery EV.
And to me EV's are really good for two reasons...software and batteries. If any company dominates one or the other they will be one of two leaders.
Tesla right now has both. I don't see them falling behind in the software war... but if Toyota can actually bring a Solid state Battery to the EV world (2022) it will change the landscape forever.

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[ajdelange]

Tesla bought Maxwell for its battery technology which may well result in solid electrolyte cells within a couple of years. Elon has been making lots of cryptic remarks implying great things and the company has certainly been active in strengthening its position with respect to cell supply and technology recently but there won't be much detail forthcoming until Battery Day (probably April). A 500 Wh/kg battery is a pretty exciting prospect but it won't come in 1 step. Manufacture sans solvent may confer bigger bragging rights than increased specific energy at first.

Toyota would presumably get its dry electrode cells from CATL. Tesla gets cells from them too so if Toyota has them I would expect Tesla to have them too.

 

[Devix]

Probably in April, during the Battery Day, Elon will announce the improvements achieved but in my opinion he will speak about dry electrolyte.
It seems that solid state is still not reliable enough for EV.
No doubt that Tesla is working on it.

 

[Frankenblob]

I read all the reaction to Tesla's Q4 report, and there was really only one guy that stood out amongst all the negative posts.
A guy brought up Toyota was coming to market with a solid state battery EV.
And to me EV's are really good for two reasons...software and batteries. If any company dominates one or the other they will be one of two leaders.
Tesla right now has both. I don't see them falling behind in the software war... but if Toyota can actually bring a Solid state Battery to the EV world (2022) it will change the landscape forever.

A Toyota executive did say that they will "mop the floor with Tesla" as far as their SS battery is concerned. Some prototypes are coming out next year.

 

[ldjessee]

The specs for the prototype solid state batteries might not be as good as the batteries Tesla is producing now in its pilot plant (4680 cells).

For Toyota to mop the floor, they would need to out innovate (they are not, they are paying some else to do it) Tesla and they would need to do so faster than Tesla is innovating. Many companies get complacent once they have something working and milk it for as long as possible, but that does not seem to be the Tesla culture.

That might change once they have 5 or more factories around the world and making a change would mean updating the factories...