Tesla had announced its new 4680 battery cell technology last year which has been in tests for the last couple of months with its various battery partners - and now Panasonic, arguably its most important partner which even has its own facility within its Gigafactory, has shown off the first prototype cells of the 4680 tabless batteries.
The 4680 name comes from its dimensions - 46mm diameter and 80 mm height. The 4680 battery promises better performance and lowers costs - for Tesla, this means its cars will have a higher range and will be cheaper to manufacture at scale. Panasonic hasn't revealed the chemistry of this battery and this comes after its CEO had indicated major investment for the technology if it worked well at a prototype stage.
These new batteries were announced at its recent battery day event
Panasonic isn't the only one working on these types of cells - LG Energy Solutions and CATL are also working on similar projects. In fact, Tesla is also working with them for the supply of these types of batteries as it diversifies its supply chain for global operations.
"We have developed this because of the strong desire of the other party, and we think this can only lead to stronger ties," said Kazuo Tadanobu, the battery chief at Panasonic.
"...Panasonic had no plans to make cheaper Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) batteries for more affordable EVs," he added, saying basically that the Japanese giant wasn't focused on low-cost technologies that are used in entry-level EVs.
