Tesla budget car for India-China
The American electric car manufacturer seems to be on its toes when it comes to creating the buzz in the global market. Tesla CEO, Elon Musk has been committed to promoting green vehicles’ usage and connectivity with ease. Recently, Tesla has confirmed to roll out an easy-on-pocket model for the Asian car market. Further in this article, we will talk about this Tesla budget car and the plan behind this move from the manufacturer.
A pocket-friendly plan
Tesla is looking to develop a budget electric car, the development of which will take place in China. The entry-level model is likely to be designed at the R&D centre, which is currently under construction in Shanghai, Tesla China president Tom Zhu said in one of the interviews. We do know that the manufacturer is aiming to produce 4.5 lakh units a year as its Shanghai centre will be operational by early 2022. The R&D centre will be the first one outside of the United States and will handle all aspects of design, vehicle development and testing.
With the R&D centre once ready in China, Tesla’s ultimate goal will be of designing, developing and producing a vehicle that is manufactured in China, possibly with 100% localisation and to be placed in Asian markets. Moreover, as we talk about localisation, Tesla is likely to feature BYD-sourced lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack in the car, under a strategy already employed for some Shanghai-built Model 3 sedans that saves the most energy-dense cells for the Semi and Cybertruck.
Musk announced the company would use new ‘tabless’ batteries developed in-house for its new entry-level vehicle. These batteries were expected to be six times more powerful than the brand’s existing batteries and increase range by around 16%. Tesla previously sourced all its batteries from Panasonic. The latest generation of BYD’s electric cars use the Blade Battery, the name Blade is due to the battery’s slim structure. Chemically speaking, the Blade Battery is said to boast slow heat release and low heat generation and is said to be far less susceptible to catching fire, with BYD making battery safety a primary focus in its testing. BYD also put its batteries through a series of tests, including crushing, bending, overcharging it by 260%, and heating it in a furnace to 300°C. None of these resulted in a fire or explosion.
As of now, the above details and roadmap conclude that the American manufacturer might have something up its sleeves with the affordable model for Asia.
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