The idea of the 4680 battery cell technology was first floated by Tesla for its Model Y vehicles to be manufactured in the Texas Gigafactory.
However, the company simply can’t achieve the massive production quantum required for the project on its own. This is why it has to rely on several partners.
Why Is Panasonic Energy Important For Tesla?
Panasonic Energy has been one of the industry giants and shares Tesla’s ambition regarding the 4680 battery cells.
Manufacturing Stage Seems Far Away For Now
The company has not been silent about its role in Tesla’s project. However, Panasonic Energy has also made it clear that it is far from the manufacturing stage for now. Thus, the production of these batteries won’t be started by next year.
Where Will Panasonic Energy Produce These Batteries?
The 4680 battery cells will be produced by the company in Japan and will then be exported elsewhere. This was announced by the Energy division.
Panasonic has also invested €633 million into this facility which shows how serious the company is about the technology.
Viewpoint Of Panasonic Energy’s CEO
The CEO of Panasonic Energy believes that the 4680 battery cell technology is the way to go for electric vehicles in particular.
He specified that the major reason for going down this lane is that this technology will reduce the overall cost of production of battery cells.
Developing The Technology Has Been Agonizing
It is to be kept in mind here that batteries are one of the most vital and expensive constituents of EVs.
But the company’s CEO also mentioned the hardships that Panasonic is presently facing in the development of this state of the art technology.
Not Just A Bigger Battery Case
He mentioned that putting 4680 cells in a battery is not just about making a bigger cell. It is much more complex than it sounds which is why Panasonic Energy has been working hard on this project for the past year.
Change In Cell Shape
Panasonic had to change the shape of the cells for this technology and is not yet sure about Tesla’s reaction to this.
Tesla on the other hand is reported to consider the new technology viable for its vehicles. This is a big step forward for both companies otherwise the whole effort of Panasonic Energy would have gone down the drain.
The best part is the result of the 4680 battery cell technology is according to the company’s expectations.
Tesla Working On Its Own As Well
Tesla has not been fully reliant on Panasonic regarding the development of the 4680 battery cell technology. The US giant is said to be already working on the pilot project in its California factory.
However, according to another report, the company is now confident about producing these 4680 battery cells in Texas as well.
10 GWh Capacity Won’t Be Enough
While the California facility can produce batteries having a capacity of 10 GWh annually, this will not be enough for the massive scale production of EVs.
This is why the partnership between Tesla & Panasonic Energy is crucial for the success of not just this technology but also for both companies.
Future Prospects For The 4680 Battery Cell Technology
This 4680 battery cell technology might be forwarded to the Tesla CyberTruck and thus the requirements will only increase further.
Tesla is also partnering with several other companies like:
– LG Energy Solution;
– CATL.
Panasonic, however, is the main partner because of its role in Tesla’s Nevada setup for the battery manufacturing technology.
Tesla recently celebrated the manufacturing of 1 million 4680 battery cells. This is a huge milestone in the right direction.
Final Verdict
As the world shifts over to the electric platform, drastic changes in this segment ensure that we move towards a better and more viable mode of operation.
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