Battery Cell Production

Graphite plays an important role in the battery, it is the main active anode component in lithium-ion batteries and makes up 10-14% of its total cost. But its mining and preparation needs to be improved, because these processes still leave a carbon footprint.

In November 2019, Tesla filed a patent 'Cell with a tabless electrode', which Tesmanian described earlier. All Tesla’s inventions aimed at developing batteries are incredibly important, as the company strives to develop a battery that will be cheaper to manufacture and have higher performance than those currently on the market. But this patent is very important, which was emphasized by Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

Tesla posted three new jobs for Fremont Factory, days before it plans to reopen on May 8. All three positions were linked to battery cell manufacturing and hints at some of the announcements Tesla might make during Battery Day. 

Hanwha Group's engineering division has signed a contract for the supply of battery formation equipment for the Tesla factory. This collaboration will primarily be for the automaker's pilot production line in Fremont, California. And then to production facilities in Giga Nevada, Giga Shanghai and Giga Berlin.

Tesla’s EIA report hints at the automaker possibly building a battery cell production facility inside the Gigafactory 4 compound. Elon Musk has talked about Tesla pursuing vertical integration with its production line for years. Tesla has also made certain moves towards its own battery cell production line recently.

Panasonic hired chemical engineers from the non-battery sectors and trained them in working with lithium-ion batteries. Now it employs 3,000 people, as well as about 200 technical assistants from Japan, who work 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Many questioned the reasoning behind Tesla’s GA4 tent, but its effects have rippled through reaching Gigafactory 3 and now Gigafactory 4. An automaker’s assembly line efficiency can significantly affect its sales and distribution numbers. For example, Ford’s Model T sales hit its stride after the automaker’s founder created an innovative assembly line for mass production.