Robin Zeng, founder and chairman of Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL), the world’s leading EV battery manufacturer, has expressed skepticism about Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s bet on 4680 cylindrical battery cells. In an interview with Reuters, Zeng claimed that Musk’s approach to battery technology “is going to fail and never be successful.”
Zeng revealed that he and Musk had an intense debate during Musk’s visit to China in April, during which he demonstrated his position on battery technology. “We had a very big debate, and I showed him. He was silent. He doesn’t know how to make a battery,” Zeng stated.
Tesla has touted its “tabless” 4680 cells, boasting “five times” more energy capacity compared to previous battery models. The technology is used in Tesla’s newer models, including the Cybertruck. In September, the company announced the production of 100 million 4680 cells. However, reports have surfaced of ongoing challenges, with a deadline set by Musk for the end of the year to address cost and production issues.
While CATL specializes in lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, which offer less range than cylindrical cell units but are used widely in Tesla vehicles produced in China, Zeng highlighted differences in approach. CATL’s batteries also power Ford’s Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning, among other electric vehicles worldwide.
Although Zeng was critical of Musk’s battery expertise, he acknowledged Musk’s prowess in other areas, including chips, software, hardware, and mechanical engineering. He also pointed out Musk’s habit of “overpromising” on timelines, especially for projects like Tesla’s Full Self-Driving technology. Zeng added, “Maybe something needs five years. But he says two years. I definitely asked him why. He told me he wanted to push people.”
