Some early innovators fade away when they are unable to cope with disruptive intruders in their space. That’s because not all pioneers are in the same mold. CNBC questions whether Elon Musk’s lithium-ion commitment will turn out a wise decision in the medium term. Or are those Tesla chickens we hear coming home to roost?
Is Lithium Technology Hitting a Wall, Right Now?
Yifei Mo, materials science and engineering professor at University of Maryland thinks lithium is maxing out. “If you really want to increase energy density, you have to go to a completely different paradigm,” he told CNBC on March 18, 2019.
Moreover, the Tesla chickens tapping on the door are hoping to build cheaper, better batteries with improved density and performance. However Tesla still has space around it to respond. “It’s taken us eight years and probably 35,000 iterations of our material synthesis. Just to have something that’s commercially ready,” Gene Berdichevsky, CEO of Sila Nanotechnologies says.
Gene Berdichevsky is ‘Rethinking Batteries’
Which Companies are Likely to be Leading Tesla Chickens?
CNBC has put some money on the assumption Sila Nanotechnologies will be in the forefront of the pack. This especially since its lithium-silicon battery project attracted $70 million D Series financing from the likes of Siemens’ global venture firm.
This money will now fund the first silicon anode battery production line. Thus Tesla must be regretting letting its seventh employee go. That’s because mechanical and energy engineer Gene Berdichevsky developed the Tesla Roadster battery. This shows he clearly is a first rate innovator.
However, Tesla Motors will be able to rest easy, at least for a while Berdichevsky explains. Because we will start with small consumables first. “The material required for one car is the equivalent of 10,000 smartphones or 1,000 smart watches.” We live in hope of a solid state smartphone battery from one of the Tesla chickens escaping the coop.
Related
New Silicon Battery Anodes From Bottles
Tesla S Batteries ‘Inherently Unstable’ (Lawyer)
Preview Image: Gene Berdichevsky
Video Share Link: https://youtu.be/ZcVNhTrI4Rw
