Tesla's Week 44 Highlights: Larger Battery for Model 3, FSD Plans, Lawsuits over Green-heath Issues, and a New Record at BYD

In the rapidly evolving world of electric vehicles, Tesla and its competitors continue to make strides. Here's a round-up of the latest developments.

Tesla has announced a new battery for its Model 3, with a net capacity of 62.5 kilowatt-hours. This is approximately 4% higher than the previous options from CATL and BYD. The base for this new battery is likely to be LFP batteries, as the use of newer chemistry LMFP is unlikely due to the unchanged nominal and final voltage. According to a well-informed X member, the Model 3 will be the first Tesla to receive the new CATL battery, potentially as early as mid-November.

In terms of sales, Volkswagen and its group brands, including Audi, Skoda, and Cupra, have surpassed Tesla in sales of purely electric vehicles in the last quarter of 2024. Tesla, however, has set a target to sell at least 515,000 more electric vehicles in Q4 to slightly exceed its 2023 sales in 2024.

BYD could sell more pure electric vehicles than Tesla in Q4, potentially exceeding 570,000 units. This would mark the first time BYD's revenue was higher than Tesla's for a quarter, with $28.2 billion compared to Tesla's $25 billion in Q3.

In Europe, the progress isn't as promising as in China. Automatic maneuvers in European cities might not be allowed until 2028. Tesla has, however, achieved a fourfold improvement in the distance driven before intervention and has announced its goal to widely distribute FSD V13.3 by the end of November.

The base version of the Model Y in Europe might also receive the new CATL battery. The updated Model 3 will have a WLTP range of 520 kilometers on 19-inch wheels, a slight increase compared to previous versions despite achieving a higher range in tests with a single charge.

Tesla's Gigafactory in Gruenheide, Germany, has faced challenges. A survey conducted by IG Metall union among Tesla employees revealed that 83% of participants often or very often feel overloaded. However, a permanent increase in staffing could provide relief: 500 temporary workers have been taken on permanently as of November.

Tesla did not initially respond to a request for comment on the survey results, according to a Handelsblatt report. The North American "actually smart summon" feature is planned to be brought to Europe and China, but the FSD package availability in these regions is contingent on regulatory conditions.

The company has also published interim targets for its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software on X, including the ability to independently park and reverse, and for version 13 to drive six times further than its predecessor before human intervention was required. These interim targets were supposed to be achieved by the end of October, but according to a new post from Thursday, they were not met.

Despite these challenges, Tesla continues to push the boundaries in the electric vehicle industry, striving to deliver innovative solutions and improve the driving experience for its customers.