The start of production at Gigafactory Berlin is important not only for Tesla's expansion, but also for the launch of a large new version of the Model Y. With its structural battery pack, Tesla wants to build the new Model Y at Gigafactory Berlin on a completely new platform.
Tesla announced its new 4680 battery cell, as well as a new battery architecture based around it, at its Battery Day presentation last year.
Tesla decided to design a battery pack that acts as a body structure, linking the front and rear under body elements, inspired by the aerospace innovation of building planer wings as fuel tanks instead of building the fuel tanks inside the wings.
Tesla currently manufactures battery packs by assembling cells into modules, which are then joined into a battery pack. The vehicle platform has that battery pack installed.
The difference with this new concept is that instead of using modules, Tesla is creating the entire battery pack as the vehicle's structural platform, with the battery cells supporting in the compression of the platform as one large unit.
Tesla can connect a large single-piece rear and front under body to this structural battery pack using its expertise in large casting parts.
This new design reduces the number of components in the battery pack, as well as the total bulk of the battery pack, enabling Tesla to improve efficiency and, as a result, the range of its electric cars.
Tesla showcased the latest iteration of the structural battery pack during its Gigafest, a sort of country fair at Gigafactory Berlin.
What's interesting is that this three-part base – a battery pack and two huge cast components – is responsible for a significant portion of the vehicle.
Tesla also presented a breakdown of the structural battery pack, which revealed the 4680 battery cells below
During a presentation, Tesla stated that the seats will be able to be installed directly on it and the body will be lower around them, significantly simplifying the assembly procedure.
The Model Y's cost and efficiency are expected to improve greatly as a result of all of these production improvements together.
Musk stated at the occasion that Tesla plans to begin Model Y production at the Gigafactory Berlin next month.
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