Panasonic's automotive battery business is about to enter a new phase

Panasonic's cylindrical lithium-ion batteries began with the aim of providing superior life and weight reduction for laptops, but the demand for batteries for cars in the late 2000s led to the launch of Panasonic's car battery business. Although this new functional requirement was a challenge, the company used decades of experience in producing various types of batteries, and in 2017, Panasonic commissioned a cylindrical car battery manufacturing plant in North America. The plant is committed to producing car batteries with an unprecedented plan, aiming to enable Panasonic to play an active role in a future where electric cars are ubiquitous in the context of a global commitment to environmental issues.

Panasonic's automotive battery business is about to enter a new phase

　　Shawn Watanabe, Head of Power Technology and Production, spearheaded the launch of the North American facility. "We used the expertise we gained from lithium-ion battery production in Japan to build North American affairs – a common sense that allowed us to build a plant that was planned to be five or three times larger. The speed of conventional equipment. Due to the nature of the product, we had to meet extremely high safety and quality standards, and a new local employee with a different culture and language had to be agile and accurate at the same time. We can't compromise on any of these aspects if our goal is to produce high-precision batteries uninterruptedly. ”

"In response to the challenge, we communicated with each other to localize the refined production system selected in Japan and further improve it according to local needs. Together, we have built a strong relationship of trust with our United States colleagues, and the results are clear."

Panasonic is currently developing two types of cylindrical car batteries: the 1865 and the 2170. The first two digits indicate the diameter (18mm/21mm) and the last two digits indicate the height (65mm/70mm). The latest type has the highest level of energy density in the world.

One of the keys to achieving high energy density is to improve the chemical composition of the active data (the information used to store electrical energy) in the cathode and anode in order to store more electrical energy. The other is the amount of active material added in the limited space of each cell. In both areas, Panasonic uses technical common sense to accomplish the highest level of functionality.

Today's batteries demand more than just functionality and competitiveness – they also need to be sustainable. Panasonic has succeeded in drastically reducing the cobalt content in its lithium-ion batteries. "We started working on lithium-ion batteries in the 1980s, and since then we have been acutely aware of the need to deal with rare metals. Our goal from day one was to reduce the amount of cobalt used in car batteries as much as possible. ”

Cobalt has the ability to stabilize the crystal structure and is an important material for achieving thermal stability. The type of cathodic active material used by Panasonic – NCA* – requires less cobalt than the alternative, known as NCM**. Panasonic has gradually reduced the cobalt content in each battery to less than 5% by using alternative elements and exterior treatments. Through a strategic partnership with Redwood Materials, a battery recycling business in North America, Panasonic is actively working to drive the sustainability of the supply chain so that it can reuse cobalt and other materials. With the goal of achieving an environmentally friendly approach to lithium extraction and production, Panasonic also began working with a power company to validate and optimize a sustainable process based on its industry common sense. Panasonic's latest battery, which combines higher energy density with reduced cobalt use, was launched in FY2020 across all production lines.

Capacity is the next stage in the development of car batteries. Panasonic is promoting the development of the next generation of large cylindrical car batteries with a cylindrical diameter more than double the size at the time, and the first step will be to set up a test line in Japan to verify safety and functionality. There are two reasons why the market is desperately waiting for larger batteries: larger capacity means fewer batteries are needed to accomplish the same level of functionality; The larger capacity also reduces the number of installations on the body, reduces the number of welds and helps reduce overall costs.

But capacity has its own challenges, including new planning and higher levels of security. Through comprehensive quality control of each process and manufacturing technology that can produce larger electrodes, Panasonic has accumulated expertise in supply capacity and safety.

The development of Panasonic car batteries stems from the search for "best value" for customers. The added capacity is one such example. Panasonic's real strength is that it can use its advantages in terms of energy density and environmental functions to get used to the needs of user scenarios such as long-distance driving and urban driving.

Panasonic is committed to addressing and dealing with global environmental challenges, and the car battery business plays an important role in promoting sustainable transportation. "The electrification of vehicles is an effective means of diversifying mobile power sources," said Watanabe. We will continue to use our technology to respond to the challenge of providing solutions to global environmental problems. ”

As part of the transition to a holding company structure in April 2022, a new power affairs company, Panasonic Power, will be created, which will play a key role in achieving the group-wide goal of achieving carbon neutrality and power generation. More energy than it consumes. As the international move towards decarbonization, the car battery business is steadily increasing its influence in Japan, the United States and Europe. Further innovation will accelerate the development of car batteries as an important thing to reduce the global environmental burden, and at the same time promote the popularization of electric cars.

Panasonic's automotive battery business is about to enter a new phase

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