Tesla's 4680 Battery: CATL Chairman Doubts the Future

Headline Overview:

• The chairman of Chinese company CATL, a key player in the battery industry, casts doubt on Tesla's development of its cylindrical 4680 batteries. He stated that Tesla’s battery might fail but complimented Elon Musk on other technological ventures, despite concerns over his aggressive timelines. Nevertheless, Tesla continues pushing forward with the expansion of its 4680 battery production.

Details Surrounding the Battery Debate:

• CATL vs. Tesla's 4680 Battery: Robin Zeng, the CATL chairman, expressed skepticism about Tesla's 4680 battery, saying it won’t likely succeed long term. The statement was made in a conversation with Musk during his visit to Beijing earlier this year.

• In-Depth During Their Debate: Zeng argued that Musk's expertise lies in areas like chips, software, and machinery but not in electrochemistry. According to Zeng, making batteries requires deep understanding in that field, a point that Musk reportedly remained silent on.

• Tesla's Production Milestones: Despite the critique, Tesla celebrated producing its 100 millionth 4680 cell at its Texas Gigafactory in September 2024. It plans to continue expanding production, aiming for even higher outputs at their Gigafactory in Nevada, with a dedicated facility expected to enter full operations by 2025.

Other Key Topics in their Discussion:

• Musk’s Full Self-Driving (FSD): Zeng agreed with Musk's vision for Tesla's FSD (Full Self-Driving) technology, which relies solely on cameras for sensor data. However, he believes Musk often sets overly optimistic deadlines that can stretch the team thin.

• Pushing for Excellence: Zeng shared that Musk tends to overpromise, often compressing 5-year projects into 2-year goals. Musk has admitted to being pathologically optimistic but argues that his ambition drives Tesla to achieve unparalleled results.

Looking to the Future:

• CATL's Plans for a U.S. Factory: CATL is exploring opportunities to build a factory in the U.S. but faces political obstacles. The company's hope is that under the right conditions, investments in the U.S. could be viable, possibly under policies from the Trump administration.

< Summary >

Tesla’s 4680 Battery tech faces criticism from Robin Zeng, the chairman of CATL, who doubts its long-term success. He reflects on his prior debate with Elon Musk and highlights that Musk excels more in areas like chips and hardware but not electrochemistry. Despite the skepticism, Tesla continues producing the 4680 cells and is aggressively expanding its battery production capabilities. Zeng also supports Tesla’s Full Self-Driving technology but warns that Musk’s optimistic timelines often create unrealistic expectations, although Musk remains unapologetically optimistic. Additionally, CATL is exploring the possibility of constructing a U.S. factory but faces political challenges depending on policy shifts.

< 핵심내용 요약 >

Tesla의 4680 배터리 기술은 CATL의 회장 Robin Zeng으로부터 장기적인 성공 가능성에 대한 의문을 받고 있다. Zeng은 Elon Musk와의 토론에서 배터리 제조에 필요한 전기화학적 기술에서는 Musk가 상대적으로 약하다고 거론하였다. 그럼에도 불구하고, Tesla는 4680 배터리 생산을 이어가며, Gigafactory 생산 능력을 계속 확장하고 있다. Zeng은 또한 Tesla의 FSD(자율주행) 기술에 대해서는 좋은 방향이라 평가하면서도 Musk의 낙관적이면서도 비현실적인 일정 스케줄에 대해 경고하였다. CATL은 미국 내 공장 설립도 계획하고 있지만 정치적 장애물로 인해 아직 확정되지 않은 상황이다.