Comment Make batteries? (Score 4, Informative) 362
I was under the impression that Tesla vehicles used banks of off-the-shelf 18650 Li-ion batteries. Panasonic is their current supplier if I recall. Even their proposed battery plant in the southwest is really a place for Panasonic to manufacture batteries for Tesla. Yes, they package them well and I'm sure they have some great controls and associated hardware and software, but is there really something groundbreaking about their batteries specifically? They already make a powertrain for Toyota - a move that hasn't produced a fraction of the buzz and money as their own vehicles. Not sure I understand this suggestion.