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Tesla: A Carmaker Or Grid-Storage Company?

Posted by samzenpus on from the power-up dept.

cartechboy (2660665) writes "Let's be real, the three Detroit automakers were skeptical of Tesla Motors, and rightfully so. But at this point, it's pretty hard to deny the impact this Silicon Valley automaker is having on the industry. Now there's a new question buzzing around: Is Tesla Motors actually a carmaker, or is it really just a grid-storage company? If you think about it, the company's stock price is too high for Toyota or Daimler to just buy it outright. So maybe Tesla's gigafactory will not only make batteries for its own electric cars, but it could also sell battery packs to electric utilities and others. In reality, the gigafactory could become its own separate company and just sell the battery packs to Tesla, and others."

8 of 151 comments (clear)

  1. Panasonic by AmiMoJo · · Score: 5, Informative

    The gigafactory is basically a Panasonic battery factory. Tesla is involved because they want it in the US and are a major consumer of Panasonic batteries, but all the tech is Japanese. So yeah, Panasonic is in the grid storage business. They do home battery packs and wind farm output smoothing in Japan, and maybe soon in the US.

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    1. Re:Panasonic by Ralph+Wiggam · · Score: 5, Informative

      Tesla is putting up something like $2B of the total estimated $5B price tag. So they would be a partner, not just a consumer.

      But you are correct that US news outlets were overplaying Tesla's involvement in the project and underplaying Panasonic's.

    2. Re:Panasonic by AmiMoJo · · Score: 4, Interesting

      In 15 to 20 years time when "worn out" Model S battery packs start to become available I expect one of the main applications will be storage for domestic solar installations that can tolerate having only 70% capacity remaining. Tesla have said they estimate a 250,000 mile lifespan for their packs (down to 80% capacity), and offer an 8 year unlimited mileage warranty that seems to back that up (averaging 15k/year for 8 years is 120k miles, but some people do double that).

      Japanese manufacturers already offer this.

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  2. Re:There is already a Tesla home battery pack by bferrell · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Having investigated this scenario, here's how it works:

    Solarcity installs a system (panels, storage, chargers/inverters) on your premises at zero cost to you. They get the tax subsidy offered for the installation. You roof is now occupied by solarcity. They sell you electricity AND what you don't use, they sell to your local utility. You have now switched energy providers and are STILL paying power bills.

    I fully recognize they they take on what maintenance there is on this plant... But there isn't much and they are completely unregulated. They charge the home owner whatever they please, just so it's below the regulated utility.

    It doesn't sit well with me and I won't do business that way.

  3. Re:There is already a Tesla home battery pack by mr+dirtbag · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It doesn't sit well with me and I won't do business that way.

    Seems like the customer who can't afford the upfront cost of panels is benefiting from cheaper energy bills.

    How is this unfair?

  4. Probably not by Animats · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Batteries for grid storage have different properties than batteries for cars.

    • Weight doesn't matter for grid storage.
    • Recharge time need not be faster than discharge rate.
    • Grid storage batteries should last a decade or two. Car storage batteries only need a working life of a few thousand hours.
    • Efficiency over a charge/discharge cycle matters more for grid storage.

    So grid storage tends to use different battery technologies than vehicles.

  5. Re:There is already a Tesla home battery pack by ganjadude · · Score: 4, Informative

    I cant speak for this company but we have a setup like this at our home

    What we did was sign a lease with the company, they own the panels, we own the electric. We pay them a fixed price on the panels per month which is around 25% of what we were paying prior to the installation. At the end of the month, Any excess power created above the lease price is paid to us (not the lease company) At the end of last year we made 1800$ in electric generation (after paying the fees, the actual check was somewhat higher, around 2800)

    I dont know what company we are using as my father is the one who deals with it

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  6. Re:Stock price too high? by fishybell · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yeaaaaah, no. They couldn't. Remember who runs Tesla?

    Iron man?

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