Why Tesla and Lithium-Ion Battery Leaders Will Dominate the Next Decade

[RV_]

This is why I post here so much of Musk's Manufacturing genius.

 

Excerpt:

 

"Tesla Motors Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) has been in the forefront of developing electric vehicles, and a huge part of that is having a battery that can go the distance. Luckily, a research firm believes that Tesla can stand to profit from a drop in lithium-ion prices in the coming years.

 

Lux Research sees the electric vehicle (EV) opportunity as set to expand, considering the leading battery developers such as Panasonic are driving down the prices of lithium-ion (Li-ion) by 35% to $172 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in 2025. However only the best-in-class players will achieve that cost threshold while others lag at $229 per kWh.

 

A key point made in the report was that in 2025, a disruptive Li-rich NMC (magnesium, nickel, cobalt) would bring in cost gains of $17 per kWh over conventional NMC/graphite cells. While scale-up efficiencies like Tesla’s Gigafactory remain a key strategy, geographical location and technology like high-voltage cathodes are also key factors.

 

At the same time, the competitive gap is widening. Technological innovation and scale are helping leaders like Panasonic, in partnership with Tesla, widen their competitive advantage. While Panasonic-Tesla and China’s BYD will achieve $172 per kWh and $211 per kWh at the pack levels, respectively, the Nissan-AESC partnership risks falling behind at $261 per kWh unless it changes technologies and production strategies."

 

More here: http://247wallst.com/autos/2015/05/19/why-tesla-and-lithium-ion-battery-leaders-will-dominate-the-next-decade/