Panasonic is stepping up its efforts in Tesla’s Gigafábrica 1 with a primary expansion of its operations, investments in new infrastructure to manufacture higher capacity batteries at lower costs.
“It’s happening over the next two months,” Carl Walton, vice president of production engineering and amenities at Panasonic Energy of North America, told the Reno Gazette Journal.
“Then, early next year, we will install new appliances and production will begin soon after.”
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The additional capacity will come from the fourteenth production line panasonic is adding to the Gigafábrica.The new line is expected to particularly increase site capacity, which is 35 gigawatt hours consistent with the year before expansion.Exact number of additional gigawatt hours that will add expansion, but said the company expects a capacity increase of about 10%.
Panasonic also plans to have more employees. Gigafactory employs about 7,000 workers, and Panasonic and Tesla make up the majority of the workers, according to Walton.
“Expansion will increase our staff through about a hundred positions,” Walton said.”We are very happy to continue our investment in the northern Nevada network and our workers here.”
The expansion represents a doubling of Panasonic’s Gigafactory following uncertainty about its long-term plans for the site.
Just over a year ago, the Nikkei Asian Review reported that Tesla and Panasonic would freeze plans to expand the huge battery plant due to potential risk.Panasonic CEO Kazuhiro Tsuga also expressed his fear of Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s “unpredictable” habit in October.2018 profit summary, according to Reuters.
Musk, meanwhile, called Panasonic on a tweet last year, accusing his spouse of Tesla’s reluctance to further stimulate investment in the facility.Electric vehicle model 3.
However, a rapid advance to the present, and the relationship between Panasonic and Tesla turns out to be on much more forged ground.Last year, Panasonic Energy of North America President Allan Swan cited the call as the main driving force for any long-term expansion.Gigafactory in an individual interview with the Reno Gazette-Journal.Walton echoed Swan’s comments and attributed Panasonic’s resolve to move forward with its expansion plans for greater adoption of electric vehicles.
“The electric vehicle market around the world continues to explode and demand is there,” Walton said.”This is our goal of helping our spouse (Tesla) continue to supply electric cars to market.”
Panasonic expansion plans are limited to adding a production line.The expansion will also be accompanied by updates to your existing Gigafactory installation.
The updates adapt to Panasonic’s new battery technology, according to Walton.
“This painting is starting now and we’ve already started converting existing appliances to make those batteries for us,” Walton said.
The new generation of batteries meets two boxes musk discussed when discussing the increased adoption of vehicles: capacity and battery cost.
Advanced range and affordability are very important for competing with classic gasoline vehicles, so they are essential to drive the adoption of electric vehicles. Battery capacity and charging also take into account an early announcement through Musk on Battery Day, an occasion tesla CEO plans to celebrate this month.
Panasonic’s newest battery improves power density by 5% compared to its previous battery.Panasonic also claims to be 1.4 times denser than competitive iron phosphate batteries, making it the world’s densest battery.The company’s goal is to increase the energy density of its batteries to 20%.
Panasonic’s new generation will also increase battery prices by additionally reducing the amount of cobalt, one of the main points in battery cost.for its purpose of generating cobalt-free batteries.
Walton refused to supply the charge according to the kilowatt hour of his new batteries, which can be used to assist in the overall charge of a battery.Tesla’s largest battery has been valued at a hundred kWh or kilowatt hours lately.
The transition from 2019 to 2020 has been for Panasonic Energy of North America.
Panasonic reported its first quarterly profit in the Gigafábrica at the end of last year, which it followed with a consecutive profitable quarter earlier this year.
Then came COVID-19.
The pandemic led Panasonic and Tesla to stop operations on Gigafactory.
“The new coronavirus actually had an effect on functionality from mid-March to early May, however, since June, the company has benefited,” the company said in response to an RGJ consultation on profitability.I hope to recover for the year and make a profit for the full year.”
In particular, COVID-19 presents a challenge for sectors such as manufacturing, Walton said.While some companies may still work with virtually online equipment such as Zoom video conferencing, Panasonic has some painters who can paint remotely.
At the same time, complex production facilities such as the Gigaphobic are better positioned to incorporate the required protective measures through COVID-19, according to Walton.
“Part of our production environment has been a blank environment, thanks to batteries,” Walton said.”Now we are seeing a social estating and have also implemented strict security protocols, so this is a kind of newly popular for us.”
Walton, however, does not foresees that COVID-19 has a negative effect on Panasonic’s Gigaphobic operations, but that the largest anchor of profitability deserves to come from the maximum responsible for expanding operations and modernizing existing facilities, which is mandatory for even more long-term growth.Walton declined to give a percentage of the extension fee, saying only that it was a “significant amount.”A report through The Nikkei Asian Review estimates the investment at more than $100 million.
However, Panasonic also expects the adoption of ERV to continue to increase, especially once the economy has recovered after the pandemic.
“Last year there were other uncertainties in the global market, and then came the COVID scenario,” Walton said.with the limitations we have with the virus, I see that the industry continues to grow.”
“The economy is also back online, so I feel smart about our long-term and electric vehicle market as well,” Walton added.”We are very happy to continue this electrification of the entire shipping market.”
Jason Hidalgo covers business and generation for the Reno Gazette Journal, and also reviews the newest video games.Do you @jasonhidalgo like this content? Support journalism with a virtual RGJ subscription.