Tesla Gigafactory to produce new cell format: the 20700

[paxtana]

Compared to the standard 18650 cells we all know and love these new cells are 70mm tall and 20mm wide.

Due to Tesla's price and technical improvements 20700s are likely to be in high demand by ebikers. Might even replace the 18650 as the de facto standard cell of choice for ebike battery packs. However it sounds like the size will not fit the current dolphin and shark cases, and the cases may need a redesign.

Source

[gman1971]

Interesting; and I wonder what the energy density of those packs is.. is it know?

[Ade]

Compared to the standard 18650 cells we all know and love these new cells are 70mm taller and 20mm wider.

Source

I think you've misread. The new cells are a little wider and a little taller, 20x70mm as opposed to 18x65mm (not, as you say, 20mm and 70mm wider - which would make the cells gi-freaking-gantic ;) )

[paxtana]

Good catch, maybe I shouldn't make posts super late at night :)

[Lance Tesla]

There's a two page thread about these cells over at ES that started in March of 15, back then they thought they were going to be 21700s..... IMHO, all cells from the Gigafactory will be going towards Tesla car production for the first few years it is online. Ramping auto production up from 50k units per annum to 500k will eat up all the batteries they can make for a good long while. Eventually there will be excess capacity that Tesla cannot sell in their own branded products and at that point we will see cells from Nevada enter the market, meanwhile others will also be making the same format with competing chemistries. Just like today with the 18x65 cells. Energy density and current will be going up and prices will be going down, especially when the 18650 cell makers try to compete with each other on price in a shrinking market that's changing to a new format!