Tesla CEO criticizes Nissan batteries 08/10/2010
Small electric car maker Tesla and its CEO Elon Musk have made waves for the company's successful initial public offering and groundbreaking vehicle technology that has gotten the company attention from automakers like Toyota and consumers interested in green car technology.
Yet Tesla's cars, aimed at the higher echelon of car buyers, are designed for luxury customers. The first electric cars for moderately-priced consumers, the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf are due this year. But Musk is not impressed with the technology beneath the hood of the vehicles, according to DailyTech.com.
In a recent conference call with investors, Musk dismissed the Leaf's battery technology, saying that Tesla's batteries are superior. The difference, Musk says, is in the cooling technology. While Nissan's batteries are air-cooled, Tesla uses liquid-cooled batteries which make the cars more reliable, according to the CEO.
Musk said the Nissan's batteries will be subject to shifts in temperature, causing the batteries to undergo "huge degradation" in the cold and literally "shut off" as temperatures get warmer.
Tesla is currently developing its Model S sedan, which will be its second car after its Roadster coupe. Musk says the batteries in the Model S will be a significant upgrade over both the Roadster and the upcoming EVs from Chevy and Nissan.