[mgarblik]

Originally Posted by getmygoat

Tesla is introducing a battery that will last one million miles. Will be announced in September. Also, Tesla is planning to recycle batteries at its gigafactories. The old batteries represent a "high grade ore" that can be used as a source for Lithium, Nickel, Cobalt, etc.

Gas powered cars are history in the medium term.

Well, Elon Musk also said he would be selling 500,000 cars a year by 2020. Well, it's 2020, and he will probably be at around 300,000 units. But in all fairness to him, the pandemic has slowed sales so lets be fair. He did sell 367,000 units in 2019, pre-pandemic in what was at that time the strongest economy in modern times. So when he says he will deliver a 1,000,000 mile battery in September, it will likely be about 1/2-2/3 of his claim. But that's still very impressive. Toyota Prius batteries, which I work with daily last typically at least 10 years, and I have seen many go beyond 300,000 miles before degrading much. They don't just die like a cranking battery, they slowly lose range and take longer to charge. On a hybrid, that just means the gas engine runs more often and longer, not a huge deal. On a pure EV, of course it's more of an issue. I have been buying good used batteries from wrecking yards for hybrid cars, Prius, Highlander, Escape, Insight. Typically, $500-750.00. They have all worked just fine so far in customers vehicles. Parts stores sell reconditioned batteries for about 1/2 the price of new as well. So think of a new battery in terms of what a replacement engine might cost. Roughly equivalent. ICE, and EV cars can live together and will for decades to come. Making a statement that gas powered cars are history, may be a little premature. I am sure Francis Edgar Stanley said the same thing when his steamer first hit the road.