Tesla began producing lithium-ion batteries in its Gigafabrika

Last night, Tesla Motors reported on its blog about starting production of lithium-ion batteries in its factory, which they call Gigafactory. Tesla will help in the production of batteries Japanese company Panasonic, which is a traditional partner of the manufacturer of electric cars.

Earlier, Panasonic announced an investment of $ 853 million in the project of solar panels Solar Roof , the production of which is also engaged in the company Ilona Mask.

Gigafabrika will produce batteries for the last electric car of the Model 3 company. The start of production for electric vehicles is scheduled for the second quarter of this year, and by 2018 Tesla and Panasonic plan to reach production volumes of 35 GW / year in terms of recalculation. At the same time, company representatives say that this figure will amount to almost half the capacity of all batteries produced in the world. The production will employ 6500 people, and indirectly, another 20-30 thousand jobs will be created.

The batteries produced at Gigafabrika will be cellular, and they will be based on the joint development of Tesla and Panasonic, a highly efficient 2170 battery.



Manufacturers call the selected form factor optimal in the ratio of cost and capacity. In this case, the battery 2170 will become universal as in the production of batteries for electric cars, and as a battery for other devices.

Thus, cells 2170 will be used in Powerpack and Powerwall - Tesla Motors production devices suitable for storing and storing energy in private households and in small enterprises. These energy storage systems are also considered as ancillary devices for Solar Roof panels.

According to the authors, the concentration of production in one place and a significant increase in process automation will significantly reduce the cost of batteries produced and, as a result, reduce the final cost of Tesla electric vehicles.