Panasonic has unveiled a new prototype battery designed for Tesla, Reuters reported today. The new battery will help Tesla lower its production costs and will strengthen the ties between the two companies. That’s what the reporting says anyway.
Kazuo Tadanobu, head of Panasonic’s energy business, showed the battery during a media roundtable. The battery is five times larger than those currently used by Tesla. Tadanobu also stated that Panasonic currently doesn’t have any plans to make cheaper lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries for more affordable EVs. Tesla just recently announced it was focusing on this type of battery for its lower cost cars.
He explained that the reason Panasonic developed the prototype was due to Tesla’s “strong desire” for it. “We have developed this because of the strong desire of the other party, and we think this can only lead to stronger ties,” he said.
Tadanobu didn’t give any details as to when Panasonic would begin full-scale production. Tesmanian noted that Panasonic had been developing the new battery for over a year and that earlier this summer, Panasonic’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Yuki Kusumi, said that the company would make a “large investment” in the production of new battery cells for Tesla and other EV manufacturers.
Tesmanian added that Panasonic plans to test the production of the new 4680 battery cells in Japan by March of next year. The article cited a piece by the Wall St. Journal where Tadanobu described the 4680 batteries as tailor made for Tesla’s requirements.
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