Panasonic recently released a new large cylindrical battery designed to help Tesla reduce the production cost of electric vehicles (EVs). The Japanese company’s battery director said this move will deepen business ties with major US customers.

　　At the media roundtable, Kazuo Tadanobu, head of Panasonic’s battery department, showed this new type of lithium battery, which is about five times the size of Tesla’s current battery. He also said that Panasonic does not have a more obvious cost advantage in producing iron phosphate. Lithium (LFP) battery plan.

　　Tesla's decision to disperse battery suppliers to companies such as LG Energy Solution and CATL in South Korea, and the sale of Tesla shares by Panasonic, has caused people to criticize their ten-year partnership. Doubts about the future direction.

　　However, as the sole manufacturer of 4680-size (46mm in diameter and 80mm in height) lithium batteries, Panasonic is still a key link in the supply chain of electric vehicle manufacturers, at least for its more expensive models.

　　Tesla said that this battery can store more energy while halving the cost of the battery. It is expected to increase battery production by 100 times by 2030. "Because of the strong desire of the other party, we developed this project, and we think it will promote a stronger relationship," Tadanobu said. He did not say when Panasonic will start full-scale production. Panasonic has a factory in Nevada to supply Tesla.

　　Panasonic decided not to produce LFP battery modules, which means that Tesla needs to buy these LFP battery modules from the CATL, so that they can be used in some Chinese-made Model 3 and Model Y, as well as the entry-level Model 3 made in the United States-95 % Of LFP batteries are manufactured in China. Lithium iron phosphate batteries are considered to be cheaper, safer, and have more cycles than nickel-cobalt-aluminum (NCA) batteries, but have lower energy density and require more frequent charging.

　　Apple has also been discussing with CATL and BYD, trying to make these two battery manufacturers become Apple's LPF battery suppliers, because Apple has already started its electric car project. However, these negotiations have reached a deadlock. Tadanobu declined to say whether Apple had contacted Panasonic regarding the purchase of electric car batteries.

　　Lithium-ion battery (LIB) has become the main energy storage solution in modern social life. Among them, lithium iron phosphate batteries are a perfect substitute for lead-acid batteries, and are the first choice for grid-connected peak shaving, off-grid energy storage, photovoltaic energy storage, UPS, data center and other industries.