Tesla announced the 4680 battery-cell format for its next-generation battery design in 2020.
At Tesla’s Battery Day presentation in September 2020, the company described a larger cylindrical cell measuring approximately 46 millimeters in diameter and 80 millimeters in height. That geometry gives the cell its name: 4680. Tesla said the format could improve energy capacity, manufacturing efficiency, vehicle range, and cost when combined with structural-pack and production changes.
The 4680 cell was presented as part of a broader battery strategy rather than as a simple replacement for every earlier cell. Tesla vehicles had previously used cylindrical formats including 18650 cells and, in many newer applications, 2170 cells.
The number 4680 identifies the cell’s approximate dimensions, not its capacity in kilowatt-hours. This is a common mix-up. Actual vehicle-pack capacity depends on how many cells are used, their chemistry, and the architecture of the battery pack.