During Tesla’s important Battery Day held in September there were important announcements about the change in battery strategy of the car brand of Elon Musk . First of all the new cell 4680 for the Tesla of the future, more powerful and with production costs significantly lower, to the point of allowing the production of much cheaper electric cars and, perhaps, even a Tesla-branded European-style compact car.

Tesla and the internal production of batteries

During the event Tesla also spoke of the possibility of acquiring machinery for the internal production of batteries, while up to now it has always turned to external suppliers. Catl (China), LG Chem (South Korea), Panasonic (Japan ), BYD (China) and Samsung Sdi (South Korea) are currently the leading manufacturers of batteries for electric vehicles. Panasonic has long been Tesla’s main partner for battery manufacturing, but the American brand has also relied on LG Chem and CATL in the recent period.

However on that occasion the CEO Elon Musk did not clarify whether the new cell 4680 would have been entrusted to external battery manufacturers and the same applies to the fate of the current formats 2170 is 18650, which now power all Tesla electric vehicles . Now Nikkei Asia reports that Panasonic is working on production lines to produce cell prototypes 4680 . Panasonic will create a production line prototype at existing facilities. The cost of the project is expected to reach tens of millions of dollars “ reports the Japanese economic newspaper.

Production of the new cells would start at start 2021 and should lead to a new supply agreement with Tesla , which has already started experimental production of the new cells through a pilot plant at the Fremont plant ( Gigafactory 1 ). Tesla is already planning on the volume production of the new batteries by adapting the Gigafactory in Berlin ( Gigafactory 4 ) and other manufacturing centers.

Tesla has the capacity to produce almost any battery it needs in-house, but in the latter years decided to turn to external suppliers in order to concentrate on the engineering and production of battery modules and battery packs. ery Day Musk had hinted at the desire to produce the batteries internally, probably this is a long-term plan, still after the cell 4680.

Regarding Tesla’s battery plans don’t miss how Tesla is building the largest battery in the world.