Tesla 4680 battery cell volume manufacturing will be delayed, according to Panasonic, in order to implement “performance improvement measures.”
Tesla first introduced its 4680 battery cell in 2020. It is an innovative tab-less battery cell with a larger format and novel chemistry that enables more affordable and/or long-range electric vehicles.
The cells are currently present at the Gigafactory Texas, where the Model Y is being built. The manufacturer is utilising its own cells for the first time to enable the production of electric vehicles. Tesla will nevertheless require so many new 4680 cells that it is also working with current battery manufacturers to launch their own manufacturing of the cells.
The earliest battery partner of Tesla, Panasonic, has hinted that it may introduce a working manufacturing facility for the latest battery cell. Following that, Panasonic’s latest CEO, Yuki Kusumi, declared that the business is prepared to put in a “large funding” in manufacturing Tesla’s fresh battery cell if test manufacturing is successful.
The Japanese firm announced a custom 4680 cell that it has created with Tesla in October 2021. After that, Panasonic approved a $700 million expenditure to manufacture 4680 cells in Japan with the intention of scaling up manufacturing of the cell elsewhere.
After agreeing to investing in Tesla’s battery cell last year, Panasonic has since announced that it will delay mass manufacturing of the Tesla 4680 cell in order to make improvements.
In its earnings report, the Japanese company stated:
| Mass production has been postponed to start in 1H FY3/25 to adopt performance enhancement initiatives that will further boost competitiveness.
The new battery cell would then be mass produced at Panasonic during April and September 2024.
Tesla is increasing its own output of 4680 cells at the Gigafactory Texas in the interim to enable the creation of the Cybertruck. Without providing a specific timeframe, LG Energy also declared intentions to manufacture an entirely novel battery cell using a similar format.
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