Range Extender - Any Updates? (MAR 2025)

[yohst]

Tesla is super close to a major breakthrough with dry cathode (at mass scale) that should land them ~20 percent or more energy density. They are definitely waiting for that to be a thing before deploying a range extender.

Dry cathode tech does not increase battery capacity but does lower production costs. (And has some environmental advantages)

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[REM]

As Tesla has said in the past, the dry cathode won't produce much or any additional energy density. It's a cheaper, faster process. The future phase of high silicone anode would produce the additional energy density.

https://digitalassets.tesla.com/tesla-contents/image/upload/IR/2020-battery-day-presentation-deck

Dry cathode will yield density increases. But most of the upcoming improvements in the v3 cells seem to be from both chemistry and tweaks to packaging.

 

[REM]

Dry cathode tech does not increase battery capacity but does lower production costs. (And has some environmental advantages)

Dry cathode will slightly improve cell density too.

 

[SCTesla]

Dry cathode will slightly improve cell density too.

Maybe, but as discussed in the past, will likely be less range to begin. We have no idea when Tesla will be starting to extend range witg what was promised on battery day.

We do know that Elon doesn't believe the fleet needs additional range.

 

[rlhamil]

Maybe, but as discussed in the past, will likely be less range to begin. We have no idea when Tesla will be starting to extend range witg what was promised on battery day.

We do know that Elon doesn't believe the fleet needs additional range.

For the cars/SUVs, mostly it doesn't. For the Cybertruck and the Semi, it depends on the use cases, some (but certainly not all) of which could benefit from as much range as possible.

 

[Gigahorse]

It's kinda fun to wait for this one because longer time prolly means better. I have faith that the CT team will make it happen. Just need a little more time for the chemistry and engineering creativity to come together....the truck and us are ready. In my mind, I don't see the RE as a revenue/profit item but more so a product/promise mission ?

I mean I hope it gets better, but trust me, when you have had to unhitch your trailer in a tight gas station parking lot 4-5x to charge in one day you will be ready for them to hurry up.

 

[Cactusrick]

They can’t even get me my lightbar and I picked up my beast last June lol

yep -same - there were only about 4-5 thousand FS CTB's made -

 

[Amuma]

I really believe they are working on just making a bigger battery pack instead and easy swap out for those who purchased the extender.

 

[PungoteagueDave]

I actually had a opportunity to visit the Gigafactory in Nevada and got to see the solar tiles up close. They were a real product and I was trying to get them installed on my house but apparently they just cannot get them right. There is apparently one house in my area that has them and they are doing no more it’s discontinued indefinitely maybe never will be seen again.

Got to hold them and look at them up close, If they could’ve gotten it done, it would have been incredible!!! They were absolutely stunning as a product!

They had a cool kind of iridescent character to them almost like mother of pearl, but not so vibrant - hard to describe. Would’ve looked awesome on my house!

The problem is pv cell efficiency vs esthetics. The “industrial” solar panels on grids are where you can get above 23% efficiency. I am doing a new fully integrated Tesla Powerwall/gateway/dual wall charger system now, with Canadian Solar panels - because Tesla couldn’t ever be competitive with the Chinese and other panels that have gone from 220 watts output each to over 430 watts output.

Tesla solar roof shingles were always doomed because the format produces less than half the output per square inch compared to the panel format that doesn’t need to consider esthetics. Tesla roof was always form over function and I never thought it could succeed. Another Tesla folly.

 

[PungoteagueDave]

I did reserve the RE, but agree, after maybe a service center retrofit for the connector (since the current connector is definitely not user friendly), installation/removal should be something we can do safely and easily with a simple hoist. Plugging in should be as easy as plugging in a supercharger then let the pack(s) manage the balancing.

You are ignoring cooling fluid connections.

 

[Mikec3399]

They can’t even get me my lightbar and I picked up my beast last June lol

ask for the light bar in the app at the service center, make the appointment for 5-6 weeks out, make a list of all other repairs including the extra slant in the toneau cover, this will give them ample time to get it in and your name will be on the parts list. its worked for everyone i spoke with

 

[Mikec3399]

Range right now in a AWD is not as expected, and the Cyberbeast is much lower, as for the extra Battery pack, late 2025 or 2026, last price i saw was an additional $16,000 for approx. 100-125 miles
i currently own a Cyberbeast, Best truck on the planet. my next Cyberbertruck will be a 2WD with the extra battery. I did not buy a Cyberbeast for range, I purchased it as my retirement supercar! I can't fit into a Lambo, Ferrari, or Porsche, however I got the vehicle that smokes them all!
i also had 2 chevy Silverado's RSV's on order, i went in Dec to test drive one, I was extremely disappointed in the truck. full of extreme luxury, I did try a stripped-down WT for $68,000, I said I'll stick with the cybertruck. I got my deposits back
suggestion, rent or test drive an AWD and see if it what you are expecting

 

[SeattleTom]

IMO - Range extender would likely will be a pack swap. LG is manufacturing 4680's for tesla in Arizona, and that plant is going to be ready in the second half of 2025. LG has plans for 46x120 cells, which is a great way to use the extra vertical space in the pack. With the 50% volume increase, that would be 487 miles of range.

Well this is my dream too. Swap the pack, use the empty space under the truck, give me the extended range, and leave the bed open for me.

I realize this is highly unlikely for a lot of reasons of course. Still…I can’t stop myself from hoping that Tesla does exactly this!!!

 

[PungoteagueDave]

I was advised by a Tesla sale rep at the Aventura location two weeks ago to not order and make the $2,000 deposit for range extender. She indicated skepticism that it will be available within the next few months. I took delivery soon afterwards and drove to Virginia, where I hooked up a 5,000-lb box trailer and towed it 200 miles to my house in Maryland. It required one charge halfway along, towed great, but definitely will need the extender to pull our 9,300-pound World Cat trailer rig between Florida and Maryland twice per year.

 

[VAF84]

Range right now in a AWD is not as expected, and the Cyberbeast is much lower, as for the extra Battery pack, late 2025 or 2026, last price i saw was an additional $16,000 for approx. 100-125 miles
i currently own a Cyberbeast, Best truck on the planet. my next Cyberbertruck will be a 2WD with the extra battery. I did not buy a Cyberbeast for range, I purchased it as my retirement supercar! I can't fit into a Lambo, Ferrari, or Porsche, however I got the vehicle that smokes them all!
i also had 2 chevy Silverado's RSV's on order, i went in Dec to test drive one, I was extremely disappointed in the truck. full of extreme luxury, I did try a stripped-down WT for $68,000, I said I'll stick with the cybertruck. I got my deposits back
suggestion, rent or test drive an AWD and see if it what you are expecting

I'm guilty of trying to have it all in one package and this thread is reminding me of nature's limitations, and why I reluctantly passed on the CT the first time.

I'm in full agreement of your experience. Even when moving on from the Lightning, my RST test drive was underwhelming as a person who values sportiness and I reviewed it on different forums as such. I ended up in a Sierra EV and that fixed my range issues, at the expense of some of the fun factors of the lighter trucks. GM's "My Mode" did address some of that because it allows me to keep acceleration at max for daily driving, but it's not the same dynamic. Still better than any ICE OEM super truck IMO, but at the bottom of the EV trucks for fun factor.

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