As electric vehicle (EV) maker Tesla prepares to implement structural battery packs for its 4680 battery upon the opening of its new Gigafactory Texas, we now have the latest update from battery supplier Panasonic.
Panasonic plans to begin mass-producing Tesla’s 4680 EV batteries by the end of March 2024, at the manufacturer’s Japanese factory, according to Reuters.
The next-generation battery, which is named for its size at 46 millimeters by 80 millimeters, is roughly five times larger than Tesla’s current 2170 batteries.
The 4680 batteries are considered the key to expanding vehicle range while lowering the cost of its EVs overall.
Tesla Celebrates Production of 1 Million 4680 Battery Cells https://t.co/66zOtW7ZGW
— TeslaNorth.com (@RealTeslaNorth) February 18, 2022
Panasonic also plans to expand to add two new production lines at its western Japan Wakayama factory.
While Panasonic has said that its 4680 battery supplies wouldn’t necessarily be exclusive to Tesla, the company said earlier this month that it would make Tesla a top priority as it begins producing the new battery cells.
Last month, Panasonic announced plans to start producing the 4680 battery in 2023, though the production ramp-up could definitely take up to a year to reach mass production levels.
Panasonic also revealed a prototype for the 4680 cell last year, just months after the expansion of Tesla’s Panasonic battery line at its Nevada factory.
