• Battery production delay
• New process creates challenges
• Batteries still have to be imported
Complete cell production is actually planned for the Tesla plant in Grünheide. However, all machines for production are being moved to Austin, Texas, the company’s headquarters. The production of the batteries will probably be delayed by at least a year, reports the Handelsblatt, citing insider information. Only the electrode research remains in Grünheide, but that should not be a rejection of the German production site.
reasons for the delay
Tax incentives worth billions and significantly lower energy prices currently make Austin a more attractive production location than Grünheide. But there are probably other reasons for the delay in cell production at the German production site. The Handelsblatt refers to insider information and reports that there are problems with the so-called dry coating of the electrodes. So far, the technology has been running well on the test systems, but it is currently failing when it comes to large-scale production. Dry coating is a new option that dispenses with toxic solvents and intensive drying with a high energy requirement. This makes dry coating a more environmentally friendly variant of the previous process.
Import of batteries from China
Tesla is currently purchasing smaller battery cells from China for production in Grünheide. The insiders reported to the Handelsblatt that there would hardly be any logistical delays in importing the batteries. Due to the lower energy costs in China, not even the import duty is a financial hurdle. In addition, Tesla is not under time pressure: the permit for the construction of the cell factory does not expire until 2025, by which time the plant must be in operation. But an extension of the deadline is not impossible.
Editorial office finanzen.net
Leverage must be between 2 and 20
No data
More news about Tesla
Image Sources: Nadezda Murmakova / Shutterstock.com, Katherine Welles / Shutterstock.com