Tesla-Panasonic Energy preparing to produce high-capacity EV batteries

Washington WASHINGTON: Japanese Tesla supplier Panasonic Energy has finalized preparations for mass production of its high-capacity electric-vehicle batteries, the company said on Monday, as it looks to start supplying cells to automakers.Panasonic Energy’s renovated plant in the western prefecture of Wakayama will serve as the main factory for producing the 4680 cells, which the company says have a capacity five times greater than that of its smaller 2170 cylindrical batteries.

The Panasonic Holdings unit has sent samples of 4680 batteries to some automakers for which it is already a supplier, and intends to start production after getting the green light from customers, a Panasonic spokesman said.It previously said it planned to start producing 4680 cells in the first half of the current business year starting in April at the Wakayama plant, where it previously made parts for automotive batteries.

The larger cells, which have a diameter of 46 mm and a height of 80 mm, will allow automakers to increase the driving range of electric vehicles and use fewer cells to achieve the same battery pack capacity, Panasonic Energy said in a statement. Tesla begins deliveries of the Cybertruck in November 2023 after several years of delays and a difficult production ramp-up.