Latest / Elon Musk Podcast / Watch out Tesla - A Chinese EV Drove 650 miles of range on a single charge
Transcript
- 0:01Hey everybody, welcome back to the Elon Musk Podcast.
- 0:05This is a show where we discuss the critical Crossroads, The
- 0:08Shape, SpaceX, Tesla X, The Boring Company, and Neuralink.
- 0:13I'm your host, Will Walden. Today's episode is about NEO,
- 0:18which is a prominent electric vehicle manufacturer in China.
- 0:21You might not be familiar with them, but they've recently
- 0:24completed a huge range test for their latest 150 Watt kilowatt
- 0:29per hour semi solid-state electrolyte battery pack.
- 0:33And this test which performed in real world conditions achieved
- 0:37an impressive 652.5 miles or 1044 kilometers on one charge.
- 0:45A single charge saying a new benchmark in EV battery
- 0:49performance. Now Neo CEO William Lee
- 0:52personally took the wheel for this test, which was live
- 0:55streamed to demonstrate the battery's capabilities.
- 0:58The journey, which covered over 650 miles, took about 14 hours
- 1:03with a battery pack still retaining 3% of its charge at
- 1:07the conclusion of this test. Now William Lee adhere to
- 1:10driving regulations, driving for a maximum of eight hours at a
- 1:14time, with the car in motion for about 12.5 hours in total.
- 1:19Now the journey was conducted in varying temperatures,
- 1:22demonstrating the battery resilience in different
- 1:24environmental conditions. Now this is a huge milestone for
- 1:27NEO and the EV industry as a whole. 150 Watt kWh battery
- 1:33pack, currently the highest energy density pack in mass
- 1:36production globally, is advanced for safety and efficiency.
- 1:41And significantly, all NEO models available for sale can be
- 1:46upgraded to this new battery through the company's innovative
- 1:49battery swap system. So if you currently have a Neo
- 1:52car which doesn't have this battery pack and once they prove
- 1:56this technology and get it out to the market, you can go in for
- 2:00a swap. Initially, the introduction of
- 2:02this semi solid-state battery was marred by delays and
- 2:05production challenges. It's taken a while, however, the
- 2:07successful completion of this test marks a turn around for
- 2:10Neo, validating the performance in range of their new battery
- 2:14pack. Now this development positions
- 2:16its Neo ET7 sedan. The vehicle used for the test is
- 2:19a strong competitor in the luxury EV market.
- 2:23Now the test conditions were challenging though, with
- 2:25temperatures ranging from -2 to 9°C.
- 2:29Yet the battery's performance remain unaffected.
- 2:32This demonstrates the battery's robustness, A crucial factor for
- 2:36EV users concerned about range and reliability in different
- 2:40weather conditions. A lot of people are concerned
- 2:43about the range that their EV's can have.
- 2:46If they have 300 miles, that's kind of I guess at this point
- 2:51OK. But anything over 400 or 500
- 2:55miles, this will get people to buy EVs and Neo's approach to
- 3:00battery technology is very innovative.
- 3:02When CATLA leading EV battery manufacturer was unable to meet
- 3:07NEO specific requirements due to the high costs and time
- 3:11constraints involved in developing new battery
- 3:13chemistries and production lines, NEO partnered with Weed
- 3:17Lion new energy technology. Together they developed the
- 3:21first hybrid solid-state battery with an industry leading energy
- 3:25density of 360 WHK chain. Now the ET 7's performance
- 3:32during this test is a statement to the advanced technology used
- 3:35in the construction. The CAR semi autonomous driving
- 3:38system, speed limitations and efficient energy consumption all
- 3:42contributed to achieving the impressive range of this
- 3:45vehicle. This demonstration also
- 3:47highlights the potential of semi solid-state batteries which
- 3:50offer high energy density and better safety compared to
- 3:54current battery technologies. And despite the success though
- 3:57the availability of this new battery pack in the US remains
- 4:00uncertain. Recent regulations concerning EV
- 4:03tax credits and the use of specific batteries from China
- 4:07and the components can impact its introduction to the US
- 4:10market. Now Neo differentiates itself in
- 4:14the EV market, Battery as a service or the Baas model
- 4:19allowing customers to subscribe to a monthly battery rental
- 4:22service. This service includes the option
- 4:25to swap batteries thus offering flexibility and potentially
- 4:29reducing the upfront cost of owning an EV.
- 4:31Now the 150 kWh battery packs range performance sets a new
- 4:37standard for EV surpassing many gas powered vehicles in terms of
- 4:41distance covered on a single Phillip or a charge.
- 4:44Now this is achievement is particularly notable given the
- 4:47battery's mass production status, a crucial factor for
- 4:51widespread adoption. And Neo's battery tech is not
- 4:54just about high capacity, it's also about efficiency and
- 4:57adaptability. The battery's dimensions and the
- 5:00weight are comparable to smaller capacity packs, ensuring
- 5:03compatibility with existing NEO models.
- 5:06Now this interchangeability is a strategic advantage offering
- 5:09existing customers an easy upgrade path.
- 5:12That subscription we were talking about earlier, they can
- 5:14swap out the battery now. The test also showcased the
- 5:17battery's compatibility with Neo's Advanced Driver Assistance
- 5:21System or the ADAS, which contributed to reduced power
- 5:25consumption and enhanced driving convenience.
- 5:28Such integration of battery technology and vehicle systems
- 5:31is crucial for the future of autonomous and semi autonomous
- 5:35vehicles. The cost of the new 158 kWh
- 5:38battery pack is significant, comparable to the price of Neo's
- 5:41entry level ET5 battery. However, Neo's flexible battery
- 5:45subscription model may make this advanced technology more
- 5:48accessible to a broader range of customers, especially for those
- 5:52requiring extended range. Occasionally, the success of
- 5:55Neo's range test is not just a win for the company, but also
- 5:59the signal of the rapid advancements in EV tech.
- 6:03This achievement challenges other EV manufacturers such as
- 6:06Tesla to push the boundaries of battery technology and the
- 6:10vehicle performance. Now Neo's upcoming Neo Day 2023
- 6:15is anticipated to reveal further innovations, including the ultra
- 6:18luxurious sedan ET9, likely featuring the new battery
- 6:23technology. Now, these events are crucial
- 6:26for showcasing advancements and new things and setting future
- 6:30industry trends and standards. And the start of mass production
- 6:34for Neo's new battery in April is a huge, huge step for the EV
- 6:38industry. Altogether, this development
- 6:41promises to enhance the viability of EVs as a practical
- 6:45alternative to traditional gas powered vehicles or ICE
- 6:48vehicles. Thank you for tuning into the
- 6:50show today. I really do appreciate your
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- 7:18and each other and I'll see you tomorrow.