Tesla Motors has now officially teamed up with Panasonic to build a large-scale battery manufacturing plant in the U.S., known as the Gigafactory. Its location, however, remains to be determined.
According to the agreement, the electric car maker will prepare, provide and manage the land, buildings and utilities, while Panasonic will manufacture and supply cylindrical lithium-ion cells and invest in the associated equipment, machinery, and other manufacturing tools based on their mutual approval. Third-party suppliers will be called upon to produce the required precursor materials.
The goal with the Gigafactory is to keep reducing the cost of long-range battery packs in parallel with manufacturing at the volumes required to enable Tesla to meet its goal of advancing mass market electric vehicles.
“We have already engaged in various collaborative projects with Tesla toward the popularization of electric vehicles,” said Yoshihiko Yamada, Executive Vice President of Panasonic. “Panasonic's lithium-ion battery cells combine the required features for electric vehicles such as high capacity, durability and cost performance. And I believe that once we are able to manufacture lithium-ion battery cells at the Gigafactory, we will be able to accelerate the expansion of the electric vehicle market.”
The Gigafactory will produce cells, modules and packs for Tesla's electric vehicles and for the stationary storage market. It's expected to employ about 6,500 people by 2020.
Source : Tesla Motors
According to the agreement, the electric car maker will prepare, provide and manage the land, buildings and utilities, while Panasonic will manufacture and supply cylindrical lithium-ion cells and invest in the associated equipment, machinery, and other manufacturing tools based on their mutual approval. Third-party suppliers will be called upon to produce the required precursor materials.
The goal with the Gigafactory is to keep reducing the cost of long-range battery packs in parallel with manufacturing at the volumes required to enable Tesla to meet its goal of advancing mass market electric vehicles.
“We have already engaged in various collaborative projects with Tesla toward the popularization of electric vehicles,” said Yoshihiko Yamada, Executive Vice President of Panasonic. “Panasonic's lithium-ion battery cells combine the required features for electric vehicles such as high capacity, durability and cost performance. And I believe that once we are able to manufacture lithium-ion battery cells at the Gigafactory, we will be able to accelerate the expansion of the electric vehicle market.”
The Gigafactory will produce cells, modules and packs for Tesla's electric vehicles and for the stationary storage market. It's expected to employ about 6,500 people by 2020.
Source : Tesla Motors
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| Photo:Tesla |