New battery, who dis?
Tesla
The refreshed Tesla Model 3 is full of updates that we’ve previously looked at, but confirmation from soon-to-be owners in Europe show the automaker’s battery partner, Panasonic, packed a surprise to usher in longer driving ranges. The latest Model 3 sedans come with an 82 kilowatt-hour battery pack full of more energy-dense cells, which explains the healthy increases in the car’s driving range.
Electrek first reported on the information, which comes from owners on Reddit, and they show early registration information needed in Europe to take delivery of a new Tesla. Included is a photo that shows an 82-kilowatt-hour battery pack is part of the party. One of the big changes to the latest Model 3 is an increase in driving range across the board; the Standard Range car goes 13 miles further, the Performance model goes another 16, and the Long Range does 30 more miles now.
With the photo evidence, we know it’s because of the latest improvements from Panasonic’s battery cells. The Japanese company recently made a sizable investment into Tesla’s Nevada-based Gigafactory for cell production, but it’s nice to see the fruits of its labor come so quickly. The original report points out these cells are not the new “Biscuit Tin” units, however. Those are still under development right now and could help Tesla produce cheaper cars with far greater ranges.
Watch this:
Tesla Model 3 Performance lives up to its name, but still…
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