500% more autonomy for electric cars: The new battery Panasonic 4680 increases the efficiency of electric vehicles and reduces their price – Aktual24

Panasonic is to start mass production of the new 4680 battery, which will increase the energy density and autonomy of electric cars by 500%, reports Interesting engineering.

Panasonic claims that the 4680 lithium-ion cylindrical car batteries offer significant improvements over standard 2170 cells also reducing the number of cells required for the same battery capacity.

This leads to a more efficient battery pack assembly process and ultimately lowers the cost of electric vehicles, making them more affordable for a wider market.

Panasonic Energy has said it has leveraged its 30 years of experience in the development of cylindrical lithium-ion battery technology to pioneer a mass production method for high-performance 4680 cells.

The company announced that the Wakayama factory in western Japan will be the main factory for the production of 4680 batteries.

The factory will play a key role in improving the quality and competitiveness of products, the newly proven processes will be implemented worldwide in other factories. By March 2025, approximately 400 employees are expected to be involved in the development and production of modern batteries at the Wakayama plant, according to Panasonic.

“I am delighted that we are ready to begin mass production of the next-generation 4680 battery,” said Kazuo Tadanobu, president and chief executive officer, Panasonic Energy.

“This milestone is the result of years of experience in the production of cylindrical lithium-ion batteries. I am confident that it will revolutionize the battery and electric vehicle industry”.

In order to achieve an ecological product, the Wakayama factory intends to use renewable energy sources to the maximum extent, such as solar energy and onshore wind energy, following almost zero CO2 emissions during the production processes. Panasonic said in a press release.