Our friend Andy Slye put together this highly informative video breaking down the details about the different batteries Tesla uses in its cars. Beginning in 2022, there are now three different variations, though there were just two not long ago. To be clear, Slye's not talking about different battery pack sizes, but rather, different chemistries and individual battery cell sizes.
Avid Tesla fans, or simply people with an obsessive "need to know," may be familiar with Tesla's different battery chemistries and sizes. However, it's not a topic that many people are familiar with, and if you're in the market for an EV, it's important to understand. Thankfully, Slye lays it all out in a way that's informative and easy to understand.
Tesla's first battery option is Nickel Cobalt Aluminum (NCA). The company started using NCA battery chemistry years ago in the form of 18650 cells, which were produced by Panasonic for the Model S and Model X. Tesla also uses cells with the same chemistry in the Model 3 and Model Y, though the size is different: 2170 cells, which are larger and more energy-dense than the 18650 cells.
