How Much Can Tesla 'Push The Envelope' On Battery Technology With Software?

Tesla Motors Inc TSLA is scheduled to have a press conference on Thursday to launch a software update. According to a recent tweet by Tesla's CEO, Elon Musk, the update aims to end ‘range anxiety'. The tweet reads – "Tesla press conf at 9am on Thurs. About to end range anxiety ... via OTA software update. Affects entire Model S fleet." Joint Center for Energy Storage Research's George Crabtree was on Bloomberg TV Wednesday to discuss Tesla's battery technology and this new software update. Crabtree was asked how much can Tesla ‘push the envelope' on battery technology they already have with software. He replied," They have been able to push the envelope an amazing amount and I think we are all on the edges of our seats to see what Elon is going to say tomorrow. The battery is basically [a sort of the] computer batteries, it's pre-packaged of course for the Tesla they take up a lot of space." He continued, "And his sort of announcement that he is going to make an announcement is a little strange because Tesla already goes farther than most electric cars. So, I and I think everyone else is very curious to see what he is going to say." Tax Benefits A Motivator For Tesla On how much do tax credits really helps Tesla and how does it affect his business, Crabtree said,"I think it is one of the motivators for Tesla and common sense would tell you that it is. Elon of course is smart enough to figure most of these things out." "I don't think it has a big affect on what we are doing because what we are producing we hope to transfer to manufacturing maybe in a few years and it will take the manufacturer another three to five years to bring it out," Crabtree concluded.