Fundamental EV Battery Models Explain New Tab Design

Cylindrical cells are one of the most common battery types used in electric vehicles. Tesla recently improved on the typical cylindrical cell design, developing a new tab design that allows for a much larger cell. [1,2] With this design, a single battery pack only requires 900 cells — as opposed to the roughly 7,000 cells contained in a traditional pack — which offers multiple advantages: It is easier to manufacture the battery pack, and there are fewer cells as well as fewer cans and contacts per pack, which means that there is a larger amount of active battery material in relation to the can material and other nonactive materials.