The Tesla Cybertruck may have a secret killer feature against the Ford F-150, thanks to its million-mile battery. Tesla Battery Day may be pushed back to later this year, but excitement for the secrets that will be unveiled during the event is just as palpable. Talk of Terafactories and battery capacity constraints are abound, but how will Battery Day change the perception of Tesla’s Cybertruck?
The Limiting Factor found some interesting tidbits about Tesla’s battery during his in-depth research on the topic. While watching one of Jeff Dahn’s videos, he heard that Tesla could unlock vehicle-to-grid applications with the revolutionary new battery. Vehicle-to-grid applications could turn Teslas into mobile Powerpacks or battery storage systems.
The paper Jeff Dahn supervised mentioned vehicle-to-grid applications as well. “Cells in vehicles tethered to the grid will be racking up charge-discharge cycles even when the vehicle is not moving. Clearly, EVs destined for vehicle-to-grid purposes, robotaxis or long haul trucking, would favor a lithium-ion chemistry that could deliver many more charge-discharge cycles in a decade than an EV that was destined for typical commuter driving where high energy density to give the longest driving range for weekend trips might be emphasized,” wrote Dahn and Harlow et al. in their paper .
The Limiting Factor mused that vehicle-to-grid applications could work best with “a utilitarian type vehicle with a huge battery pack that could power your house for a week.”
Enter the Tesla Cybertruck.
The all-electric pickup has all the features for vehicle-to-grid applications, and its demographic could find such a feature quite useful. For instance, there is a demand for backup power generators amongst pickup truck owners. However, trucks—like the Ford F-150—don’t commonly come with built-in generators. It could cost consumers thousands more to have gas generators installed in their vehicles.
If the Cybertruck were to have vehicle-to-grid capabilities, it could be the one feature that sways consumers still on the fence about Tesla’s pickup. The applications of vehicle-to-grid features could be a game-changer.
Credit: @Grand_Ad/Twitter and Mechanic Guides
With vehicle-to-grid capabilities, the Cybertruck could store energy for daily tasks, or even power a house if needed—thanks to the million-mile battery. The argument supporting vehicle-to-grid application becomes even more potent when Maxwell’s Dry Battery Electrode technology is factored into the equation.
Jeff Dahn’s million-mile battery uses a wet slurry and toxic solvent, which contribute to the compounded degradation of batteries. Maxwell’s Dry Battery Electrode tech eliminates at least the wet slurry component, so theoretically, degradation within the battery should significantly decrease inversely, increasing the lifespan of Tesla’s batteries.
Featured Image Credit: aufcar45/Instagram
H/T: @Grand_Ad/Twitter for the Cybertruck vs Ford F-150 infographic.
