Graphene battery for Tesla: Challenges and competitionFrom: INN
500 mile graphene battery: China’s Xinhua News Agency is largely responsible for rumors that Tesla may be making a graphene battery. Why? All the way back in 2014, the news outlet
published an article stating that Tesla was working on a graphene battery that could nearly double the range of the Model S car to 500 miles.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk chimes in: Xinhua’s story was given credence because around the same time it came out because Musk said that he thought it would be possible to create an
EV with a range of 500 miles. “In fact we could do it quite soon, but it would increase the price,” he said. However, he didn’t specify that graphene would be used to create such a vehicle.
That’s where the situation stands today. While a graphene battery from Tesla is certainly a compelling idea, as of yet there’s been no confirmation that the company actually has one in the works.
That said, there are other companies interested in the idea of graphene batteries that might someday power EVs. For example, major tech company Samsung (KRX:005930) is working on a graphene ball battery that could reduce charging times from 45 minutes to 12 minutes. Of course, investors are clamoring to know how soon this new development could be applied to the auto sector.
There’s also a startup from Spain called Earthdas that has developed a graphene battery that charges motorcycles and electric bikes in only five minutes. Again, people speculate that it’s only a matter of time before it can be used for other vehicles.