The planned update of Tesla for Model S and Model X may be more extensive than expected. Sources with access to Tesla’s latest software code suggest that the two electric cars will receive not only a new drive but also new battery cells.
The battery cells are not entirely new but the 2170 cells Tesla is already using to power the Model 3. The story first appeared in the electric carmaker’s “home media” Electrek that claims to have sources with access to Tesla’s latest software code.
What we know is that the Model S and Model X will receive a new drive with a development project currently running under the code name Raven. It basically deciphers the switch from the three-phase asynchronous technology in use at the moment to a reluctance motor that also drives the Model 3.
An interior upgrade is imminent as well, but it looks as if Tesla will go further. To date, Tesla has relied on the widely used 18650 battery cells for its two large electric vehicle models. Now it appears that the harmonising effort will also affect the battery packs with a switch to the newer cells with the upgrade. This would not only result in higher energy capacity when using the 2170 cells, but the new battery pack would also allow Model S and Model X to benefit from the maximum 250 kW charging capacity of the new Supercharger generation, just like the Model 3.
Also, the new software contains code for charging via CCS, so it is quite possible that the new Model S and Model X will incorporate a CCS charging port. The Model 3 already has this option and we were able to observe vlogger Björn Nyland making good use of it at a high power charging station of Ionity in Norway (his video is here).
However, back to the battery insides, this video explains the workings of a Tesla Model 3 cell.
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