Daimler buys 10% stake in Tesla

Post by **FlyingPenguin** » Sun Jun 21, 2009 7:53 am

NOW we're talking. I want an affordable Tesla sometime in the near future.

Apparently Daimler is very interested in Tesla's battery technology.

Daimler buys 10% stake in Tesla, offers parts and know-how
http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/19/daim ... -know-how/

Executioner · Post by **Executioner** » Sun Jun 21, 2009 11:53 am

lithium-ion battery with 6,831 individual cells. Weight 992 lbs.

Wow! Wonder how much it will cost to replace the batteries after 5 years? Hopefully, the battery replacement can be done by your average joe.

Shadow250 · Post by **Shadow250** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 11:44 pm

i thought there wasnt enough lithium on the planet to make many batteries of this type.

normalicy · Post by **normalicy** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 10:33 am

i thought there wasnt enough lithium on the planet to make many batteries of this type.

Yeah, we need to get away from lithium. It's too rare to rely on (volatile too).

Post by **FlyingPenguin** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 7:02 pm

Lithium isn't all THAT rare BUT, like oil, is not found in quantity in this country. Most of the world's Lithium comes from Chile and Argentina, and new reserves have been found in Bolivia.

You can also re-cycle it which helps a bit.

There are better battery technologies on the way (hopefully super capacitors). Also someone recently announced they discovered a way to make Lithium batteries twice as efficient.

Right now Lithium Ion is battery tech is the best we have and Tesla is probably the world leader at using it efficiently. They've spent a lot of time and money developing efficient charging technologies, and high efficiency electronic motor controllers and Daimler wants that technology.

ALSO TODAY:

Feds lend Tesla $465 million to build electric car
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/06/23/tesl ... index.html

Pugsley · Post by **Pugsley** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 8:31 pm

FlyingPenguin wrote: Right now Lithium Ion is battery tech is the best we have and Tesla is probably the world leader at using it efficiently.

Everyone seems to forget Submarine batteries. They are the most advanced and hell, the stuff we have today was probably in subs 15 years ago. Subs now probably use supercaps or something better.

normalicy · Post by **normalicy** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 10:22 pm

I realize that we're not running out of lithium any time soon, but I don't see a point in trying to base such a large industry off of a substance which is not exactly flowing out of the mines. Not to mention how very toxic it is when exposed. I'd rather wait a couple more years for a mature battery based off of common materials emerges. I don't blame Tesla for using them, that's their only current choice, but I'm hoping that soon better ways will emerge.

Post by **FlyingPenguin** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 10:55 pm

Pug: Submarines used Lead Acid batteries for the most part. Not practical for cars (too heavy).

Pugsley · Post by **Pugsley** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 10:15 am

Still? I would think they have something better, or they have versions of them that far surpass whatever we have now?

normalicy · Post by **normalicy** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 11:09 am

Still? I would think they have something better, or they have versions of them that far surpass whatever we have now?

Potatos?

Post by **FlyingPenguin** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 10:43 pm

Well most modern subs are nuclear powered, and they don't need any fancy batteries except for emergencies. Some countries do still use diesel/electric subs (not us) and that's what you need batteries for.

I just did some quick Googling and it looks like they still use lead-acid in subs. If weight is not a problem (and on a sub it isn't) you can't beat the energy you get for the cost of lead-acid batteries. This is a very mature and reliable technology.

Pugsley · Post by **Pugsley** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 12:25 am

Forgot about the whole Nuclear powered sub and the fact they can make power while underwater.