One key factor expanding Tesla’s consumer base is its unmatchable battery technology. Their highly efficient 18650 lithium-ion batteries can be found in the Model S, Model X, and Tesla Roadster.
How Many 18650 Batteries Are There in a Tesla Electric Vehicle?
Unlike traditional gasoline-powered vehicles that depend on fossil fuel combustion, electric cars are designed to run on the electric charge stored in their chemical battery packs.
To cater to the massive global automobile consumers and their unique preferences, Tesla has designed different electric vehicles in different sizes, weights, and price ranges.
The larger a Tesla electric vehicle is, the bigger the chemical battery powerpack it will require to pull its weight while maintaining excellent range and high performance.
Moreover, apart from the size, different Tesla electric vehicles also have chemical batteries designed to serve unique purposes.
One of the most abundantly used lithium-ion chemical batteries found in most Tesla electric car models is the 18650 battery.
These batteries are known for their excellent energy efficiency and battery life.
For a brief overview, the table below lists exactly how many 18650 lithium-ion battery cells are found in different Tesla electric Models.
| Name of Tesla Electric Vehicle Model | Type of Electric Vehicle | Chemical Composition of the Battery | Type of Battery | Total Number of 18650 Lithium-ion Cells in Main Battery |
| Tesla Model S (Plaid version) | Luxury Sedan | Lithium-ion Battery | 18650 | 7920 cells |
| Tesla Model X (100 kWh version) | Compact SUV | Lithium-ion Battery | 18650 | 8256 cells |
| Tesla Roadster | Sports car | Lithium-ion Battery | 18650 | 6831 cells |
Continue reading to learn about the 18650 lithium-ion battery and why this specific battery type is so popular in the global electric vehicle industry.
Moreover, this article will also shed light on the other types of batteries found in other Tesla electric vehicles. Lastly, the article will contain essential tips regarding battery care to help the reader increase their Tesla battery’s range and total lifespan.
Let’s get started!
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What is the 18650 Lithium-ion Tesla Electric Vehicle Battery?
Tesla is a company known for never compromising on quality and innovative technology. Because of these standards, Tesla managed to conquer such a massive market share in less than a decade.
To deliver unparalleled battery technology, Tesla gets its 18650 lithium-ion batteries designed and manufactured by Panasonic, the master of battery technology.
The 18650 lithium-ion battery has this particular name due to its design measurements; 18mm x 65 mm. These batteries are designed to have a voltage of almost 3.6 V and a current reading of 2600mAh to 3500mAh.
Apart from being used as the leading electric powertrain of Tesla Model S, X, and the Roadster, these 18650 lithium-ion batteries are also used to power other electrical devices, such as laptops, kitchen blenders, flashlights, many children’s toys, etc.
The main reason behind the 18650 lithium-ion battery’s globally abundant usage is its ability to get recharged more than a hundred times over without incurring any significant battery damage.
Moreover, their long run times and unmatchable reliability also add to their global popularity.
The 18650 lithium-ion batteries are used in different Tesla electric car models because of their ‘high drain battery’ quality.
This means that the 18650 lithium-ion battery can produce a considerably high current and voltage output to power the motor of a significantly heavy Tesla electric vehicle.
These electric vehicles require a constant high dosage of electrical power to maintain operations, speed, range, and overall drive performance.
Hence, the 18650 lithium-ion batteries are excellent for this purpose.
Moreover, the lithium-ion chemical composition of these batteries allows them to have longer total lifespans of almost 15 to 30 years, along with higher per charge ranges.
As a result, the Tesla electric car consumer can drive their vehicles at high speeds and drive for a while without worrying about finding a charging station or the battery’s range.
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What Are the Many Benefits of Using 18650 Lithium-ion Batteries in Different Tesla Electric Vehicles?
18650 lithium-ion batteries have many extraordinary benefits that make these batteries Tesla’s number one choice of battery for most of its electric vehicles.
Some of the main reasons why 18650 lithium-ion batteries are one of the best chemical EV batteries in the market are as follows:
Significantly Higher Level of Safety
User safety should always be a priority whenever one has to handle a chemical battery. This is exactly why Tesla prefers to use the 18650 lithium-ion battery type for most of its electric vehicles.
Compared to any other types of batteries, the 18650 lithium-ion battery has a significantly higher safety standard and performance level.
This means that the consumer handling the battery or driving a Tesla EV with this battery does not have to worry about the battery exploding, catching fire, or releasing toxic substances that can be detrimental to their health or the environment.
To design these 18650 lithium-ion batteries, Panasonic runs safety performance checks that eventually allow these batteries to be safe for more than 500 recharging cycles.
To prevent and limit the possibilities of short circuits in the 18650 lithium-ion battery, Panasonic keeps the positive and negative electrodes separated by a fair distance.
Moreover, although lithium-ion batteries are notorious for being extra sensitive to external weather conditions, the 18650 lithium-ion batteries have proven to be an exception as they demonstrate extremely impressive temperature resistance.
Furthermore, for even greater safety, a protection board is often installed to prevent the 18650 lithium-ion battery’s overcharge or over-discharge, as either of the two activities will reduce the battery’s total service life.
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Connected in a Series
The 18650 lithium-ion battery cells are always connected in series, allowing them to reduce energy wastage and increase efficiency. Read below to learn how the 18650 battery cells are arranged in different Tesla electric car models.
Number of 18650 Battery Cells in Tesla Model S Electric Sedan
The Tesla Model S Plaid electric car comes with a 99-kWh lithium-ion battery pack containing cylindrically shaped 18650-type battery cells.
The Model S Plaid version battery contains almost 7920 18560 lithium-ion cells, installed in five separate modules, with each module containing nearly 1584 battery cells.
The Model S 18560 lithium-ion battery contains cells arranged in 22 parallel rows, which allow the luxury electric sedan to enjoy an impressive 390 to 396 miles of range on flat landscapes.
As a result, the Model S driver can enjoy a smooth and stable ride at high speeds without worrying about having to recharge the battery frequently.
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Number of 18650 Battery Cells in Model X Electric Compact SUV
The Model X SUV is the first-ever SUV designed and launched by Tesla. Due to its excellent range and outclass battery efficiency, the Model X SUV has received multiple global awards for being the best electric all-drive vehicle.
To cater to different consumer demands and budgets, the Model X SUC was initially launched in different versions, such as 60, 75, and 90 kWh lithium-ion batteries. However, now, it is only available in the 100-kWh version.
The Tesla Model X’s battery comes with almost 8256 18650-type lithium-ion battery cells arranged in a series of 16 modules, each containing almost 516 battery cells.
As a result, this high-power electric sedan can reach high speeds on flat and rugged, and steep landscapes. Moreover, due to the high number of 18650 battery cells, the Model X SUV can enjoy an incredible range of 300 to 351 miles.
Number of 18650 Battery Cells in Tesla Roadster
The Tesla Roadster is the only high-power sports car Tesla has launched. This sports car is globally renowned for its stable performance, incredibly high-top speeds, and unmatchable range.
Due to a lithium-ion battery containing 18650-type battery cells, the Tesla Roadster can be recharged multiple times. The battery can maintain an average temperature at all speed levels.
Panasonic has designed the Tesla Roadster to contain almost 6831 18650-type lithium-ion cells arranged in a series of 11 sheets.
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Relatively Lower Internal Resistance
The 18650 lithium-ion battery is designed so that the internal resistance of its polymer core is lesser than the internal resistance of its liquid core.
As a result, it significantly reduces the power usage of the battery, allowing the Tesla electric vehicles to have impressive ranges and high-top speeds.
Can Work for Longer
The 18650 lithium-ion battery is designed to minimize battery usage while offering an excellent range.
As a result, the battery does not get depleted too quickly and does not have to be charged as frequently.
This is extremely important as every time a lithium-ion battery is charged after a complete discharge; it loses some of its charge storing capacity.
As a result, the battery can no longer carry as much charge, and hence the entire range keeps dropping with time.
Can be Recharged Many Times Over
One excellent quality of the 18650 lithium-ion battery is that it is designed to have more than 500 to 1000 recharging cycles. As a result, the Tesla electric vehicle’s battery can maintain performance for a long lifespan.
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Other Lithium-ion Battery Types Found in Other Tesla Electric Vehicles
Although the 18650 lithium-ion battery type is the most abundant battery in most Tesla electric vehicle models, Panasonic has still designed two other battery types to power the other remaining Tesla EV models.
These other battery types are the 2170 lithium-ion battery and the 4680 lithium-ion battery. The table below contains information about which battery cell type is used in which Tesla electric vehicle.
| Name of Tesla Electric Vehicle Model | Type of Electric Vehicle | Chemical Composition of the Battery | Type of Battery | Total Number of 18650 Lithium-ion Cells in Main Battery |
| Tesla Model 3 Standard Range | Compact Sedan | Lithium-ion Battery | 2170 | 2976 cells |
| Tesla Model 3 Long Range | Compact Sedan | Lithium-ion Battery | 2170 | 4416 cells |
| Tesla Model Y | Luxury Electric All-drive SUV | Lithium-ion Battery | 4680 | 900 cells |
Top Tips to Caring for a 18650 Lithium-ion Tesla Electric Vehicle Battery
- Charge the 18650 lithium-ion battery as frequently as possible.
- Do not let the 18650 lithium-ion battery’s charge level drop below 20% or charge above 90%.
- Never drive the Tesla EV when the 18650 lithium-ion battery is either too hot or too cold.
- Never delay battery repairs.
- Do not carry excessive heavy weights, such as too much luggage, on your Tesla EV, as it will add stress to the 18650 lithium-ion battery.
- Do not continue to drive on worn-out, old, and sticky tires, as doing so will damage the 18650 lithium-ion battery.
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My name is Matthew, staying in Seattle, Washington. Electric Vehicles (Electric Cars & Electric bikes) caught my attention for the last few years and my love for electric cars and bikes is everlasting. I spend many of my weekends traveling to various places all over various cities with my electric vehicle (e-bike and electric car). Here I am sharing my expertise, experience, and invaluable information about electric cars and electric bikes. Check out more.