How do BYD and Tesla construct batteries? What cell materials and processes do the manufacturers use? What do they cost? A team from RWTH Aachen has dismantled two batteries and provides partly surprising answers.

Technical Analysis Dismantling: A Comparison of BYD and Tesla Batteries

2025-03-12 From Thomas Günnel | Translated by AI 2 min Reading Time

How do BYD and Tesla construct batteries? What cell materials and processes do the manufacturers use? What do they cost? A team from RWTH Aachen has dismantled two batteries and provides partly surprising answers.

At RWTH Aachen, researchers analyzed Tesla's 4680 cells and BYD's Blade cells. In the image: Blade cells from BYD.(Bild: BYD) — At RWTH Aachen, researchers analyzed Tesla's 4680 cells and BYD's Blade cells. In the image: Blade cells from BYD.
(Bild: BYD)

A team from the Chair of Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components (PEM) at RWTH Aachen has disassembled and compared the latest drive batteries from Tesla and BYD. According to their findings, Tesla’s 4680 cells prioritize high energy density, while BYD’s Blade cell focuses more on volumetric efficiency and cost-effective materials. The study indicates that BYD's battery is more efficient because it allows for simpler thermal management.“Both players have only revealed limited data about their batteries, so the mechanical structure and most characteristics of the cells have remained hidden until now,” said PEM head Professor Achim Kampker. Generally, there is little detailed data and analysis available on modern electric vehicle batteries.

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Date: 08.12.2025

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