If the rumors about Tesla getting BYD’s Blade Battery are true, the irony in the whole story will be very refined. A new report from the Chinese website MyDrivers.com stated that Tesla chose the Model Y to receive them. The reason would not be only cost but also the fact that the Blade Battery is a CTP (cell-to-pack) LFP structural battery pack. Since Tesla still did not manage to put its 4680 cells in production, it will evaluate the idea of a structural battery pack with technology from a competitor. But it gets worse: it is an automaker about which Elon Musk laughed ten years ago.
When (and if) the 4680 cells are ready, Tesla intends to put them in a tailor-made casting that will work as the Model Y cabin underbody. The company already developed massive castings for the front and the rear structures of the car. The latter is already in use since the Model Y was introduced.
Tesla is talking about a structural battery pack since Battery Day, which happened on September 23, 2020. Almost one year later, it was beaten to it at least by BYD and Ford. The Han and the Mustang Mach-E already present that sort of battery pack.
According to MyDrivers.com, Tesla would have chosen the Blade Battery because it is cheaper and more resistant to thermal runaway. A recent crash test in China brought doubts about that.
“Understanding the Car Test Ground” crashed the BYD Han against an ArcFox αS, and it caught fire 48 hours after the test. BYD claims that it was using a red coolant – which is conductive – instead of the purple one it should have. Owners of the BYD Han checked the coolant color in their cars, and it was also red. We asked BYD for more clarifications and have received no answers so far.
Cost and the fact that the Blade Battery is structural make a lot more sense. If the idea works, Tesla could start producing the Model Y in Giga Austin and Giga Grünheide with BYD’s solution instead of waiting for the 4680 cells to be ready. What a difference a decade makes, right?
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