Today's newspaper has an article written by Dana Hull describing the prototype battery pack that Tesla will be using in their new Model S car. Looking at the photo of the battery included in the article, it looks to be about 2" thick, 4 feet wide and maybe 8 feet long (nearly the length and width of the car, according to the article). It is all one single piece, with what looks like a controller box, maybe 4" thick by a foot wide and about three feet long, sitting on one end. The battery pack is being used as a structural element of the car. Tesla says that the location and shape of the battery will enhance the Model S's handling and aerodynamics.
The article says that Panasonic and other lithium-ion vendors are creating batteries specifically for electric vehicles and that Tesla has not yet selected a vendor to produce their new battery design, with a focus on extending battery life and safety. Tesla has tested nearly 1,000 cells from top manufacturers from Japan, South Korea, China and Taiwan - no mention of the US, though.
Tesla claims that the energy density of the Model S battery pack will exceed 135 watt-hours per kilogram.
