Episode 501: Special Guest: Tesla Co-Founder JB Straubel
Mar 9, 2025
auto_awesome
JB Straubel, co-founder of Tesla and CEO of Redwood Materials, shares his journey from building the first Gigafactory to pioneering battery recycling. He recounts fascinating stories from Tesla's formative days, including his collaborations with Elon Musk. JB discusses the challenges behind the Model 3 production and how recycling can enhance battery quality. With insights on sustainability and his ambitious plans for Redwood, he emphasizes the importance of a circular supply chain in the growing EV landscape.
JB Straubel's engineering-focused mindset drives his passion for battery technology, highlighting its critical role in advancing electric vehicles.
He played a pivotal role in establishing Tesla's Gigafactory, overcoming skepticism to significantly enhance the global battery supply chain.
With Redwood Materials, Straubel is addressing battery waste and promoting recycling to create a sustainable and economically viable battery ecosystem.
Deep dives
J.B. Straubel's Engineering Background
J.B. Straubel identifies strongly as an engineer rather than a traditional car enthusiast, highlighting his fascination with batteries and sustainable energy since childhood. His early interest in electricity and innovative designs, such as a record-setting electric Porsche 944 he built during college, exemplified his engineering-driven mindset. This formative experience emphasized the challenges of battery technology, which he recognized as a critical obstacle for electric vehicles (EVs) at that time. As he transitioned into the world of automotive engineering with Tesla, his engineering passion became key to navigating and overcoming the industry's hurdles.
The Birth of the Gigafactory
Straubel played an instrumental role in the creation of Tesla's Gigafactory in Nevada, borne out of the need for a reliable battery supply chain to support Model 3 production. The project initially faced skepticism, with many doubting its feasibility given Tesla's startup status and ambitious goal of doubling the world's battery capacity. However, guided by his engineering insights and innovative vision, Straubel successfully organized and led the effort to establish the world's largest battery factory. This effort not only addressed Tesla's immediate battery supply needs but also laid the groundwork for scaling EV production globally.
Founding Redwood Materials
In 2019, Straubel founded Redwood Materials to tackle the challenges of battery waste and promote sustainability within the EV sector. He recognized the importance of establishing a closed-loop battery supply chain, where materials could be recycled and reused indefinitely, thus reducing reliance on mining. This initiative aligns with his belief that recycling EV batteries is not only environmentally beneficial but also economically viable. By refining and repurposing materials, Redwood has the potential to revolutionize the battery economy while mitigating environmental concerns surrounding battery disposal.
The Importance of EV Education
Straubel emphasized the need for public education regarding the sustainability of EV batteries and the recycling processes that support the circular economy. Many consumers remain concerned about the environmental impact of battery disposal and often seek reassurance about their choices in buying EVs. Effective communication and grassroots education initiatives play a crucial role in informing the public that recycling batteries can be beneficial and economically sound compared to mining new materials. By increasing awareness, both current EV owners and potential buyers can better understand their role in supporting sustainable practices.
Future Growth and Challenges
As the demand for electric vehicles continues to rise, Redwood Materials is preparing for an influx of end-of-life batteries to recycle, effectively positioning itself to meet this challenge. With ambitious growth targets, Straubel aims to scale operations to match the increasing volume of materials needing repurposing. The company is also establishing additional facilities, such as one in South Carolina, to expand its recycling efforts across different battery types and chemistries. By staying ahead of the supply chain needs, Redwood seeks to create a seamless recycling ecosystem that supports the broader transition towards electrification and sustainability.
Tesla co-founder, current board member, and former Chief Technical Officer JB Straubel joins me to discuss Tesla’s early days, his interest in batteries, building the first Gigafactory, his battery recycling efforts at Redwood Materials, and more. Enjoy!
TIMECODES
10:45 Interview starts 11:33 More of a car guy or engineering guy? 12:14 Origin of his interest in batteries 12:47 Building his first EV…long before Tesla 14:43 Did he always want to go to Stanford for engineering? 15:35 How JB met Elon 17:55 Recalling when he helped build the first Lotus Elise engineering mule for Tesla 18:43 JB still has his original Tesla Roadster 20:30 On the origins of Gigafactory 1, aka Giga Nevada 21:28 What car(s) JB daily drives 24:11 How Tesla acquired the NUMMI plant from Toyota 25:16 What were the challenges of building the Model S versus the Roadster 27:41 How JB felt when the Model S started winning awards, like Motor Trend’s Car of the Year 29:07 Did Panasonic get on board with Giga 1 right away? 32:21 How Model 3’s “production Hell” was for JB 33:33 When JB felt like Tesla was going to be OK 35:07 When he started thinking about battery recycling 36:41 How JB feels about EV FUD 38:08 Battery recycling actually leads to better quality batteries 39:17 Figuring out what it would take to start Redwood Materials 41:03 It’s not just about EV batteries 42:15 Redwood Materials’ not-so-secret master plan 43:48 Goals for scaling Redwood Materials 45:04 Expansion plans 46:20 A tidal wave of EV battery recycling is coming 47:24 How much education is needed on the corporate side? 48:42 What about educating the general public about battery recycling? 50:32 What can Tesla/EV owners do to help spread the word about battery recycling? 52:07 Yes, you can send your ready-to-be-recycled batteries to Redwood Materials
If you enjoy the podcast and would like to support my efforts, please check out my Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/teslapodcast and consider a monthly pledge. Every little bit helps and there are stacking bonuses in it for you at each pledge level, like early access to each episode at the $5 tier and the weekly Lightning Round bonus mini-episode (AND the early access!) at the $10 tier! And NO ADS at every tier!
FOR FIRST-TIME TESLA BUYERS: The referral program is back and it's the best one in a while! You can get $2500 off of your Model 3 or $500 off your classic Model Y purchase (or $1000 off of Cybertruck, Model S, or Model X) by ordering through my referral link. Clicking this will take you to the Tesla website where you can order with the discount applied: https://ts.la/ryan73014
And don't forget to leave a message on the Ride the Lightning hotline anytime with a question, comment, or discussion topic for next week's show! The toll-free number to call or Skype is 1-888-989-8752.
INTERESTED IN AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR YOUR TESLA? Be a part of the future of transportation with XCare, the first extended warranty designed & built exclusively for EV owners, by EV owners. Use the code Lightning to get $100 off our “One-time Payment” option! Go to www.xcelerateauto.com/xcare to find the extended warranty policy that's right for you and your Tesla.
P.S. Get 15% off your first order of awesome aftermarket Tesla accessories at AbstractOcean.com by using the code RTLpodcast at checkout. Grab the SnapPlate front license plate bracket for any Tesla at https://everyamp.com/RTL/ (don't forget the coupon code RTL too!).
Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts
Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.
