Tesla CEO Elon Musk has unveiled a series of changes that could reduce the cost of manufacturing electric vehicles.
Shortly before showing off the $140,000 Model S Plaid and its 200 MPH+ top speed, Musk said these changes could help Tesla build a $25,000 electric car within three years.
"We don't have an affordable car, that's something we'll have in the future. But we need to reduce the cost of batteries."
Aside from the price, this car has no name or form, and considering the $35,000 Model 3's trajectory, we wouldn't want to pre-order one. Speaking of pre-orders, about 600,000 people have contributed $100 for the Cybertruck, according to Engadget.
Musk also claimed that a private beta version of the long-awaited Full Self Driving upgrade for Tesla Autopilot could be released in the coming months, following a "fundamental rewrite" of the car's software
Along with Drew Baglino, Tesla's SVP of powertrain and energy engineering, Elon Musk said the changes could deliver six times more power, five times more energy, and a 16 percent increase in range.
With the modifications they are planning, thermal management issues were raised, which were addressed by the cylindrical design. Eliminating thefoil-to-taband aligning the films in a spiral formation gives a shorter electrical path, although the manufacturing process is not yet well-established.
As Reuters, analysts estimate that Tesla batteries cost about $156 per kWh in 2019, a cost that has the potential to drop to $70 or $80 in the coming years, which could save drivers a few thousand per vehicle.
