Joel

BREAKING: The U.S. Government has officially announced that @Tesla and LG ​Energy have signed an agreement to ‌build a $4.3 billion lithium iron phosphate (LFP) prismatic battery cell manufacturing factory in Lansing, Michigan, with a 2027 start of production. "American-made cells will power Tesla's Megapack 3 energy storage systems produced in Houston, creating a robust domestic battery supply chain," the U.S. Department of the Interior said in a statement. Here's everything you need to know about Tesla's new Megablock, the latest in the company's industrial storage product lineup, which includes the new Megapack version 3: Megablock: • 23% faster to install with up to 40% lower construction costs • Plug and play platform (hardware, software and services) delivered as one all from Tesla. It's a pre-engineered medium-voltage block that integrates next-gen Megapack 3 • Eliminated above ground cabling between the transformer and the megapacks using new flexible busbar assembly • 91% MV round trip efficiency • 20 MWh of usable AC energy • Operates in temps of -40°C (-40°F) to 60°C (140°F) • 248 MWh per acre • 25-year life & >10,000 cycles • With Megablock, Tesla is targeting to commission 1GWh in 20 business days, equivalent to bringing power to 400,000 homes in less than month Megapack 3: • Will be manufactured in Tesla's upcoming Houston Megafactory starting in late 2026. 50 GWh annual manufacturing capacity when fully ramped. • 5 MWh of usable AC energy • Weight: 86,000 lbs • 28 foot long enclosure that can be shipped globally • Optimized for up to 8-hour applications • New drastically simplified thermal bay. Uses Model Y heat pump, but on steroids. 78% fewer connections, which minimizes failure points • Larger battery module and larger battery cell • 2.8 liter battery cell, co-engineered with Tesla's cell team • LFP battery • Operates in -40°C to 60° • Went from 24 cable connections in Megapack version 2XL, down to 3 simple busbar connections • 75% of the mass of Megapack 3 is battery cells. • A single module in it weighs as much as a Cybertruck • Tesla has enabled easier front access service, so there are no roof penetrations • Drastically simplified bussing system

First it was aero engines repurposed for data centers. WSJ now reporting that domestic battery capacity for EVs, including of Ford/GM, is also being repurposed for data centers with slowing EV sales. - LG producing battery cells for Tesla instead of EV batteries for GM - Ford investing $2B to repurpose EV manufacturing in Kentucky; Ford CEO - energy storage has a “short payback period” and that it can be used to “de-risk the core automotive business” - Samsung $1B deal with undisclosed company to use its Stellantis JV factory in Indiana - AESC retooling a factory in TN that made batteries for the Nissan Leaf - Repurposing requires change in chemistry from NMC for EVs to LFP for grid applications; change of shape more tricky - Volta Foundation annual report last month also called out 190 GWh of mfg capacity reallocated to LFP - Qualifying for tax credits not so straightforward given supply chain for materials is all from China As @TheStalwart said: "That which *can* be repurposed to serve the AI supply chain *will* be repurposed to serve the AI supply chain."