Tesla, Inc.'s
The main reason behind the production lag is its 4680 battery with its new dry-coating technology, Reuters reported, citing nine people familiar with the matter.
The report added that the current production rate of 4680 battery cells at Tesla's Giga Texas factory is only enough to power approximately 24,000 Cybertrucks per year, representing about a tenth of the necessary output.
Tesla has not achieved industrial-scale dry-coating, a crucial process for producing 4680 batteries quickly and meeting its production targets, the report read.
Dry-coating the anode in the 4680 cells posed no issues for Tesla. However, the company is facing challenges with the same technique for the cathode, which is the most expensive component in a battery, the report added.
Tesla is encountering difficulties in blending the cathode materials, comprising lithium, manganese, and nickel, with a binder, the anonymous sources told Reuters.
The challenge lies in adhering these materials to a metallic foil to create a cathode without incorporating moisture.
The report noted that the 4680 batteries in Cybertrucks include an estimated 1,360 individual cells.
To meet the demand for 250,000 electric pickups annually, Tesla must produce almost a million cells daily.
The Austin factory reportedly takes 16 weeks to make 10 million 4680 cells, amounting to 32.5 million cells a year, sufficient for just under 24,000 pickups, specifically for the Cybertruck.
Price Action: TSLA shares are trading higher by 1.54% to $250.94 premarket on the last check Thursday.
