Panasonic To Supply Model S Batteries

[green01]

Here's an article about Panasonic supplying Model S batteries.

Greentech Media: Panasonic Set to Make Batteries for Tesla’s Model S

I wonder if the batteries are the ones described below?

Green Car Congress: Panasonic Develops 1.5 kWh Li-ion Battery Module; Targeting Home Storage and Vehicle Applications

[doug]

Interesting. Not sure that Matsushita battery module is compatible with the Tesla temperature management scheme. But does have it's similarities to the Tesla pack. It's also interesting to get these two bits of news so close together.

[domenick]

Here's an article about Panasonic supplying Model S batteries.

Greentech Media: Panasonic Set to Make Batteries for Tesla’s Model S

I wonder if the batteries are the ones described below?

I thought it somewhat speculative to suggest that Tesla will be using Panasonic as a supplier. It's possible they might if, like some have said, they had been using Sanyo and since they were bought by Panasonic.... However, it's just a rumor (IMHO) if the only source saying so is an un-named "sources close to the Japanese electronics maker" and no one will go on the record to confirm. I also wonder if they used the plural for source despite having only one.

I guess we'll know eventually.

[vfx]

Here's an article about Panasonic supplying Model S batteries.

Greentech Media: Panasonic Set to Make Batteries for Tesla’s Model S

The battery pack for the 230-mile or 300-mile range is made up of 8,000 cells, compared with the 6,800 cells in the battery for Tesla's Roadster, a $100,000-plus sports car with a 244-mile range. Tesla is using better cells for the 300-mile battery pack, hence the number of the cells is the same as the battery for the 230-mile range, .... The battery pack for the 160-mile range would come with 5,500 cells.

I suppose we would need to at least know the weight of the Model S to calculate how much further a Roadster could travel if installed with these new "better cells".

[doug]

I thought it somewhat speculative to suggest that Tesla will be using Panasonic as a supplier.

good point

[Ben W]

I suppose we would need to at least know the weight of the Model S to calculate how much further a Roadster could travel if installed with these new "better cells".

We don't need to. 300 / 230 works out to 30.4% more energy storage, so presumably the Roadster would get 244 * (300 / 230) = 318mi ideal range with these new cells. Since the Roadster currently uses 2200mAh cells, the new cells appear to be the 2900mAh variety.

Also, with the succeeding generation of 3600mAh cells, the Roadster would be able to attain an ideal range of 399 miles. Sign me up!

[doug]

Tesla taps Panasonic for Model S batteries | VentureBeat

Greentech Media has broken news that electric vehicle heavyweight Tesla Motors has chosen Panasonic to supply the battery packs for its Model S sedan, its more affordable model, still in development — this, according to anonymous sources at Panasonic.

This slipped out less than a week after Panasonic’s announcement that it has discovered a way to bind lithium ion batteries traditionally used in personal computers into packs suitable for powering cars. ...