Tesla prepares to install two-million-kilometre battery

A Chinese car battery-maker says it is ready to deliver a product capable of powering a vehicle for two million kilometres across the course of a 16-year lifespan.

Tesla’s Model 3 made at Gigafactory Shanghai is expected to be the first model to get the battery manufactured by Contemporary Amperex Technology (Catl).

If the new battery lives up to expectations it will far exceed the present offerings from carmakers, which mostly offer warranties on car batteries ranging from 100,000 to 250,000 kilometres over a three to eight-year period.

Zeng Yuqun, Catl’s chairman, says the new battery will cost a 10 per cent premium over ones it already supplies for electric vehicles (EVs). “If someone places an order, we are ready to produce,” he adds.

The company sealed a two-year deal to supply batteries for Tesla’s Model 3 cars in February. Its other clients include BMW, Daimler, Honda, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo.

While Zeng has not confirmed any orders for the longer-lasting battery at this stage, he reveals he is in frequent communication with Tesla’s chief executive Elon Musk.