Panasonic is pushing back the volume production of its 4680 battery cells for Tesla use to later in 2024 after initially planning for a sooner production date.
Mass production of the battery cells is now slated for sometime between April and September 2024, rather than March 2024, according to Reuters. The decision is a result of Panasonic looking to improve the cell’s performance and enhance competitiveness, as revealed in the company’s recent earnings report.
The move from the Japanese electronics manufacturer is understandable. The 4680 battery cells are a big undertaking, and wanting to ensure the best performance possible is a logical step for the company. The 4680 battery format is capable of boosting the range of electric vehicles by over 15 percent.
According to Nikkei, the battery cells in question would be able to increase the Model S’s 404 miles on a single charge to around 465 miles. Who knows, maybe introducing “performance improvement measures” could see the batteries provide an increased charge when they finally do debut for Tesla.
Tesla currently uses its own batteries that are manufactured at the Fremont, California facility and at the Gigafactory in Texas, with production reported to ramp up in the south. At the moment, Tesla uses the 4680-type cell for the base Model Y produced by the company in Texas, not Panasonic.
Future car model releases from the company are being reported to use the 4680-type cell, such as the polarising Cybertruck, which is scheduled to begin mass production in 2024.
Image credit: Panasonic
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