Earlier this month, Tesla battery cell provider Panasonic introduced that it might delay the industrial manufacturing schedule of 4680 cells. Some surprise if the information might have an effect on manufacturing of the Tesla Cybertruck, which is about to start deliveries later this yr.
In accordance with Panasonic’s earlier steerage, the corporate deliberate to start manufacturing of its 4680 cells between April 2023 and March 2024. Nonetheless, the electronics manufacturing large now plans to begin 4680 cell manufacturing between April 2024 and September 2024 (through Reuters).
Panasonic has determined to delay manufacturing to boost 4680 cell efficiency even additional. The corporate has been engaged on producing 4680 battery cells for years in collaboration with Tesla, however the two have but to take action at excessive volumes.
Tesla launched the brand new 4680 form-factor cells at its Battery Day occasion in 2020. The automaker arrange a pilot manufacturing facility for the cells at its Fremont manufacturing facility, codenamed Roadrunner on the time.
Shortly after Battery Day, each Panasonic and Tesla introduced plans to arrange a joint pilot manufacturing line at Tesla’s Gigafactory in Sparks, Nevada. Nonetheless, Tesla hasn’t commented on what number of cells this pilot plant is definitely producing.
Panasonic has one other pilot manufacturing line for 4680 cells at its manufacturing facility in Wakayama, Japan. Tesla additionally began a manufacturing line for the cells at its Gigafactory in Austin, Texas, in 2021. Since then, the automaker has always upgraded the power to hurry up cell output.
In accordance with Tesla’s newest report on 4680 cells, the electrical carmaker was producing 868,000 items of those cells per week. This could barely be sufficient to make 1,000 Mannequin Y battery packs, and Giga Texas alone just lately reached a weekly manufacturing price of 5,000 Mannequin Ys.
Giga Texas achieves manufacturing of 5k Mannequin Y/week pic.twitter.com/WwZrv3CYae
— Tesla (@Tesla) Might 9, 2023
Panasonic’s schedule change is more likely to affect the mixing of the brand new cell into present automobiles, and it might additionally have an effect on Cybertruck quantity manufacturing. In February, Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed that the Cybertruck is slated to start manufacturing later this yr.
Tesla is already manufacturing alpha prototypes of the Cybertruck at Giga Texas. Utilizing Giga Press casting machines from Italian producer IDRA, Tesla is getting nearer to the Cybertruck’s closing manufacturing begin every day.
Picture by Kyle Area.
The automaker is repeatedly making an attempt to scale 4680 cell manufacturing, each at Giga Texas and at its Kato Street constructing close to the Fremont manufacturing facility. Nonetheless, it isn’t but clear what number of Cybertruck battery packs the amenities can assist per week/quarter/yr.
Tesla’s inner 4680-cell manufacturing is probably not ample to produce sufficient cells for quantity manufacturing of the Cybertruck. Beforehand, Tesla was aiming to scale up Cybertruck manufacturing in 2024, nevertheless it’s additionally unclear if this will likely be affected by Panasonic’s delays.
Alternatively, Tesla might discontinue the sale of Mannequin Y with 4680 cells in them and divert the availability to Cybertruck manufacturing. Nonetheless, a Mannequin Y has a roughly 70 kWh battery pack, whereas the Cybertruck is about to be a lot bigger than the Mannequin Y, requiring a bigger battery pack. Tesla hasn’t but disclosed the capability of a Cybertruck battery pack.
Tesla and Musk have but to touch upon how Panasonic’s choice would possibly have an effect on plans to scale up Cybertruck manufacturing. Nonetheless, the 2 have collaborated carefully for years, so Tesla could have already been conscious of Panasonic’s plan.
Initially posted on EVANNEX & Tesla Oracle. By @IqtidarAlii.
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