Looks like the first dry cathode 4680 Cybertruck has been produced. I’m interested to see how these things test in the real world with the new engines and batteries. Will we see increased performance or will this just be for cost savings? Hopefully I get one with all the new goodies to see for myself.
https://x.com/sawyermerritt/status/1816903964022980842The dry process for cathode and anode is mostly for cost savings and then a bit for faster production times.
The batteries should perform a bit better when charging at lower temps and have a few more cycles before losing capacity.
Largest issue IMO is the fact that there are a couple of other processes that are ramping up a lot more quickly then anticipated.
Samsung delivered sold state batteries to EV manufactures for testing early this year and should have production up and running by the end of this year.
Going to be for more expensive higher end vehicles to start but as always that should drop quickly.
Probably does not matter much in the long run, battery tech is moving so fast that you will never be 1st for long.
Late 2024 Tesla is ahead with it's dry 4680, mid 2025 Samsung and others are ahead with sold state, early 2026 Dave & OgNasty are ahead with their sodium batteries after that someone will come up with a revolutionary ground coffee battery or something else. It's just what it is.
Saw a CT up close the other day at a charger, it's a fingerprint magnet and if you lean up against it in shorts it's shows where your legs touched it.
Anyway, neat but with 1 big flaw IMO, it is designed for the Tesla / NACS plug. Going from the J1772 AC to a NACS is fine. BUT going from a CCS (DC Fast) charger to NACS the charging port cover does not open enough to let you plug in an adapter.
https://www.amazon.com/EVCONN-CCS-Tesla-Adapter-Compatible/dp/B0C281YM22/Had to let the guy charge up off of my car using AC so he could make it to the next supercharger. It's kind of funny, this was his 3rd Tesla so he just took the adapter out of one car and threw it in back of the CT so he could charge anywhere and didn't think about it. Oops.
Seriously, until more places start installing NACS I see this as an issue.
There are FAR FAR FAR more NACS supercharges out there then CCS ones. BUT they are in larger groups. Using where I live as example there are 3 super charger stations (4 if you go a bit over 5 miles) that have a total of 24 or 30 stalls. After that nothing till the 10+ miles point. There are 7 or 8 CCS fast chargers BUT they only have a total of about a dozen plugs. HOWEVER, and this is the big HOWEVER, they are spread out all over the place so when you do an oops and don't have enough range it's not a big deal to make it to one. Going to the 10 mile point where you get more NACS I can't count the number of CCS DCFC stations since there are so many but they are still all just 1 or 2 per location but there are a lot of them. I don't and most other EV drivers don't (including Tesla) think about it since there is always a DCFC somewhere. Might be expensive, might be slow, but it's there. Not being able to do that in a CT I see messing up people who are used to it.
1st time EV owners will not think about it, but to someone who is used to just stopping off for a quick dozen KWh of power and find their adapter does not fit in their car are in for a wait.
Oh and OG if it does not come with one get a portable AC charger and ALWAYS carry it with you. The shoe leather you save may be your own. Does not matter the brand or the make or the model. Shit happens and you can always find a 110V outlet to get you the 3 miles per hour of range.
-Dave
EDIT: This was not a random encounter with a CT owner, was a friend of a friend of a friend kind of thing who after calling a bunch of people for help wound up getting in touch with me since someone knew my car has 20A 110V output.