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In front of an audience of investors, Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s presentation was full of optimism during the 2023 Tesla Shareholder Meeting.
Musk said the company is progressing to achieve 20 million cars produced per year (In 2022, Tesla built 1.37 million), promised camera monitoring to ensure that children do not work in cobalt mines in Africa, and demanded more investment in lithium refineries.
In a moment that went almost unnoticed by the audience, however, Musk mentioned a change that could impact Tesla’s demand for copper.
He confirmed the automaker is switching its models’ low-voltage system from 12 volts to 48 volts.
Tesla says that starting with the Cybertruck (slated to be released this year), the Optimus robot, and all future electric vehicles, the 48V low-voltage system will be used.
“Cars have been operating with 12V batteries for basically about a century, so for the first time in I think over a hundred years we’re actually going to change from 12V outside of the drivetrain to a 48V architecture,” said Musk.
The automotive industry moved from 6V to 12V in the 1960s. Some smaller vehicles still use 6V, while larger vehicles use 24V.
In traditional 12V systems, wiring and components must be larger and heavier to handle high electrical loads. With a 48V system, Tesla expects a reduction in battery weight and cost savings. As a result, it could also result in less copper used in manufacturing.
“First approximation, that means we need only about a quarter as much copper in the car as would be needed for a 12V battery, so that’s a big deal because people often worry about whether there is enough copper,” Musk said. “Yes, there is.”
Some Tesla cars use up to 82kg of copper. For example, Tesla’s Model S uses a mile of copper just in connecting the battery packs to all electronics.
As reported by MINING.COM, to achieve Tesla’s goal of building 20 million cars per year, the company would need 1,820,000 tonnes of copper, roughly 9% of global production in 2022 or almost two years of production at Escondida in Chile, the world’s largest copper mine.
Based on Musk’s prediction of a reduction to a quarter of today’s copper usage, at annual production of 20 million electric vehicles, the company could save more than 1.3 million tonnes, which equals over $10 billion at today’s prices.
Musk is known for making some predictions that did not come true, such as saying Tesla cars would achieve full self-driving by 2015.
If his calculations are correct this time, the 48V system could be a big step for the company.
6 Comments
Northern Venture Group Inc
So now Elon wants to buy a copper mine?
OTOH/IMHO
“In traditional 12V systems, wiring and components must be larger and heavier to handle high electrical loads. With a 48V system, Tesla expects a reduction in battery weight and cost savings. As a result, it could also result in less copper used in manufacturing.” If heavier wire was needed in the switch from 6 to 12 volt systems, why would going to 48 volts take less?
jack
watts are volts x amps. Think of volts like the pressure in a water pipe. If the pressure increases, (or the flow rate) you can get away with smaller pipes for the same amount of water flowing through.
Bob Riley
The copper saving is only for the 48v auxilliary battery. The traction battery will still use the same.
Expect the whole industry to follow suit.
The other saving is in the poisonous lead, so a double hit for weight saving, not mentioned in the article.
I expect Elon is watching room temperature superconductivity to decimate all conductor requirements. All these things have been obvious for 50 years but LED lighting has made them viable for 10.
Why so long?
Keith Hermann
As far as I understand a vehicle’s architecture, the low voltage system is used to power lights, infotainment, etc. Not the drivetrain where ~80% of the copper is found.
So let’s say copper is reduced by 75% in the low-voltage system. That is a maximum reduction of ~15%, not 75%.
0-10% is more likely given the rationale for switching to a 48V low-voltage system is the load all the new gizmos put on the system.
Then again, maybe I know nothing. But do think for yourself.
Oredigr
Thought there was a safety component to staying with 12V? Does 48V represent a shocking hazard to humans? Can I get someone to test that out and message me back?