On September 9th, 2024, according to Truck Technology Frontier, Panasonic Energy Co., LTD. (referred to as “Panasonic Energy”), a subsidiary of the Panasonic Group, has successfully completed the preparations for large-scale production of 4680 cylindrical automotive lithium-ion batteries. This milestone progress not only highlights the company’s strength and breakthroughs in the field of automotive batteries, but also indicates that the industry is about to undergo new changes. To meet the production demands of new batteries, Panasonic Energy has carried out a comprehensive renovation of its factory located in Wakayama, western Japan. This factory will serve as the mother factory for new batteries and shoulder the responsibility of leading the industry’s development. Today, the company also held a grand opening ceremony to celebrate this historic moment. Once the final assessment is passed, large-scale production will be officially launched, bringing consumers more environmentally friendly and efficient automotive battery products.
The 4680 cylindrical lithium-ion battery, a revolutionary battery form in the electric vehicle (EV) field, has achieved significant improvements compared to the traditional 2170 battery. Its battery capacity is five times that of the 2170 battery, which not only significantly increases the driving range of electric vehicles but also reduces the number of batteries required for the same battery pack capacity. This optimization makes the assembly of battery packs more efficient, thereby reducing the overall cost of electric vehicles and making them more competitive in a broader market.
Facing the manufacturing challenges of 4680 batteries, Panasonic Energy, leveraging its profound accumulation in the development of cylindrical lithium-ion battery technology, was the first to introduce a large-scale production solution for high-performance 4680 batteries, leading the industry trend. The Wakayama factory, as a production base for lithium-ion battery components, has successfully transformed into a parent factory for 4680 batteries and has taken on the role of a demonstration for new products and new production methods. This factory not only plays a core role in improving product quality, but also its newly tested process will be promoted and applied in other factories around the world. It is expected that by March 2025, approximately 400 employees at the Wakayama factory will be engaged in the development and production of the next-generation batteries.
In order to implement the concept of environmentally friendly manufacturing, the Wakayama factory is committed to making full use of clean energy such as solar energy and onshore wind power, striving to achieve low-carbon or even zero carbon emissions in the production process. Kazuo Tadanobu, the president and CEO of Panasonic Energy, is full of confidence about this. He said, “We are ready to embrace the large-scale production of 4680 batteries, which is the fruit of our years of expertise in the manufacturing of cylindrical lithium-ion batteries.” It is believed that this innovation will lead to profound changes in the battery and electric vehicle industries. With the addition of the 4680 battery, our product line will become more diverse, better meeting market demands, further promoting the popularization of electric vehicles, and helping us achieve our vision of a sustainable society.
