Zeng believes Tesla lacks the expertise to successfully develop and manufacture the 4680 cells at scale. Indeed, scaling up production of the 4680 cells has proven difficult. Tesla has faced issues with the cells collapsing in on themselves during use. Other battery manufacturers like Panasonic have also cautioned about technical problems hindering mass production.

Also, Tesla's plan to employ dry electrode technology – an innovation aimed at reducing costs and improving efficiency – has not achieved the anticipated results at a mass production level. This technology was a cornerstone of Tesla's vision for the 4680 cells but has posed significant implementation challenges.