Among the many many adjustments that Tesla applied within the new Mannequin S Plaid, a brand new, 12-volt lithium-ion battery is without doubt one of the most refined but important enhancements the corporate made to its flagship sedan. The brand new 12v li-ion battery replaces the standard lead-acid battery that has been thought-about the “normal” in vehicles for a very long time. Nevertheless, Tesla aimed to enhance the life cycle of this low-voltage cell to enhance comfort and lifespan for homeowners.
The brand new, smaller, extra compact 12v battery really holds a number of benefits over the beforehand used battery that Tesla used. Whereas weight and dimension are apparent enhancements, one of many greatest benefits is an elevated lifespan. The earlier lead-acid battery didn’t have a constantly lengthy lifespan and was typically modified as much as 3 times a yr by some homeowners. This might be because of the overwhelming quantity of pressure that’s placed on battery cells when operating an electrical car. In gas-powered and combustion engine automobiles, the lead-acid battery is an acceptable alternative as a result of it’s only used for beginning the engine and minor electrical duties like powering inside lights. In electrical automobiles, the 12v battery may deal with extra duties, thus lowering the battery life.
Lithium-ion batteries are extra appropriate for EV functions, particularly as lead-acid batteries are extra advantageous to make the most of with automobiles which have excessive currents when beginning an engine. This doesn’t apply to electrical automobiles, and homeowners have been upgrading to lithium-ion 12v batteries for a while.
Preliminary images of the brand new lithium-ion 12v battery appear for example a major variety of benefits, together with dimension and weight. A photograph from Tesla Raj exhibits simply how compact the brand new battery is, leaving more room underneath the hood and eliminating among the weight that was held by the earlier lead-acid battery.
Wanting into the specs that Tesla outlines in its new Model S owner’s manual, the low voltage battery has a ranking of 6.9 amp hours, with a voltage of 15.5v. Beforehand, Tesla utilized a 33 amp-hour or greater battery with a 12V adverse floor.
Credit score: Tesla
The Mannequin S Plaid might be checked out as a transitional car for Tesla’s future fashions. Not solely is the automobile a marvel of software and infotainment, however Tesla additionally utilized refined applied sciences, like the brand new 12-volt battery lithium-ion battery to take away weight and improve area, to make the Plaid Mannequin S its finest car so far.
Try Tesla’s unveiling of the Plaid Mannequin S beneath.