Photo: Tesla | Edited
Tesla started production of the basic version of the Model Y at Giga Berlin earlier this month. The Model Y RWD, built with BYD structural battery packs, has started deliveries, and people have put them to the test. The results show that the BYD LFP cells are superior to their CATL rivals.
Tesla has an interesting relationship with BYD, as the Chinese company is both a competitor in the EV market and a major battery supplier. This is also surprising, considering that Tesla mostly used CATL LFP cells in its more affordable models, while the Long Range versions have been powered by Panasonic and LG cells. Yet, earlier this month, Tesla insiders announced that Giga Berlin would start production of the Model Y RWD with structural battery packs supplied by BYD. This differs from the Model Y RWD imported from China, which uses CATL cells.
Both battery packs are based on lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) chemistry and have a comparable capacity, which leads to a similar range. But there's one area where the two battery packs differ significantly: charging performance. This has become evident after one of the first customers of a made-in-Germany (MiG) Model Y with the new BYD battery shared their experience on the German Tesla forum TFF. The well-documented charging session shows that the BYD battery can sustain the maximum 172-kW charging power for much longer than the CATL pack.
TFF member ingolfernst started charging their Model Y RWD at 20% SoC and was surprised to see the power stabilizing at 172 kW. The car charged at this power continuously until the battery reached 50% SoC, which is impressive considering that the CATL pack drops the power rapidly. At 50% battery, the CATL only accepts 110 kW. From 50%, the BYD battery pack starts dropping power faster than the CATL and the two curves meet at 90% without crossing. This shows the new BYD battery is off to a good start, although more tests are needed to know for sure whether it's indeed superior to its CATL counterpart.
One particular concern is durability since the BYD pack takes a faster charge for longer. Considering that the first examples were just delivered, it will take a long time before we'll see the first durability testimonies. There's another issue, as Tesla has stopped for now deliveries of the new Model Y variant. According to Teslamag, this is due to a mistake that makes registering the new vehicles impossible.
Tesla installed a new drive unit in the Model Y RWD produced at Giga Berlin, and it's not covered in the type approval. The new model is very different under the hood compared to the one imported from China, so Tesla must get a new type approval. This is why deliveries have been halted, and customers have been informed of delays. The MiG Model Y RWD is produced with single-piece megacastings front and rear, both attached to the BYD structural battery pack.
Both battery packs are based on lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) chemistry and have a comparable capacity, which leads to a similar range. But there's one area where the two battery packs differ significantly: charging performance. This has become evident after one of the first customers of a made-in-Germany (MiG) Model Y with the new BYD battery shared their experience on the German Tesla forum TFF. The well-documented charging session shows that the BYD battery can sustain the maximum 172-kW charging power for much longer than the CATL pack.
TFF member ingolfernst started charging their Model Y RWD at 20% SoC and was surprised to see the power stabilizing at 172 kW. The car charged at this power continuously until the battery reached 50% SoC, which is impressive considering that the CATL pack drops the power rapidly. At 50% battery, the CATL only accepts 110 kW. From 50%, the BYD battery pack starts dropping power faster than the CATL and the two curves meet at 90% without crossing. This shows the new BYD battery is off to a good start, although more tests are needed to know for sure whether it's indeed superior to its CATL counterpart.
One particular concern is durability since the BYD pack takes a faster charge for longer. Considering that the first examples were just delivered, it will take a long time before we'll see the first durability testimonies. There's another issue, as Tesla has stopped for now deliveries of the new Model Y variant. According to Teslamag, this is due to a mistake that makes registering the new vehicles impossible.
Tesla installed a new drive unit in the Model Y RWD produced at Giga Berlin, and it's not covered in the type approval. The new model is very different under the hood compared to the one imported from China, so Tesla must get a new type approval. This is why deliveries have been halted, and customers have been informed of delays. The MiG Model Y RWD is produced with single-piece megacastings front and rear, both attached to the BYD structural battery pack.
Google News