Tesla Breaks Through in 4680 Battery Dry Electrode Tech; New Cells to Power Robotaxi, Cybertruck and More

On February 2, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced that the company has achieved a major breakthrough in scaling up production of its dry-electrode battery technology. This innovation significantly reduces battery costs and energy consumption, simplifies manufacturing lines, and increases energy density. Tesla is currently developing four variants of its 4680 cells using the dry-process technology: the NC05 will power the upcoming Robotaxi and may also be used in SUVs and the Cybertruck; the higher-energy NC20 is suited for SUVs and the Cybertruck; while the NC30 and NC50 incorporate silicon-carbon anode technology and will be deployed in the Cybertruck, electric sedans, and high-performance vehicles like the Roadster. Compared to conventional wet-process methods, the dry-process enables the production of thicker electrodes, further enhancing battery performance.