- Japanese battery maker and Tesla supplier Panasonic is working on a breakthrough electric vehicle battery chemistry.
- The company is working on anode-free lithium metal batteries, which can boost energy density and reduce pack weight.
- With these new cells, Teslas could potentially get substantially more driving range.
The Tesla Model Y got a much-needed upgrade this year with its “Juniper” refresh. The automaker’s best-selling vehicle worldwide looks sleeker, is more efficient and benefits from serious chassis and suspension improvements. But its most significant upgrade might still be on the horizon. In about two years, the Model Y could see a massive range boost thanks to cutting-edge battery cells.
Panasonic Energy, Tesla’s primary high voltage battery supplier, said on Thursday that it’s developing a new type of cell that significantly increases energy density, Reuters first reported. The Japanese battery giant is betting on anode-free batteries, which it says could deliver “world-leading” capacity by the end of 2027.
When a battery charges, the anode acts as the storage side of the cell. Traditionally, it’s been made from graphite, a material dominated by Chinese supply chains that adds cost and manufacturing complexity. Panasonic’s idea is to ditch the graphite entirely. By doing so, the company claims it can free up space for more active cathode materials like nickel, manganese and cobalt. That could directly boost the pack’s energy capacity. It might also result in potentially lighter, smaller and cheaper batteries.
Panasonic will manufacture cylindrical cells at its newly inaugurated battery plant in Kansas.
Photo by: Panasonic Energy
If Panasonic delivers, the payoff could be big. The rear-wheel-drive Model Y currently delivers about 357 miles of EPA range. With anode-free cells, that number could climb by nearly 90 miles, Panasonic claims, putting it just shy of 450 miles on a single charge. That would give Tesla’s crossover a driving range that’s comparable to the Lucid Gravity or the General Motors electric trucks such as the GMC Sierra EV, which have hulking 200+ kilowatt-hour battery packs. The Model Y could deliver similar range while being substantially cheaper and with a much smaller battery pack.
All of this is still theoretical, and we haven’t seen anode-free batteries on the road in the U.S. yet. However, Panasonic isn’t the only company working on this chemistry. California-based battery start-up QuantumScape has been developing anode-free batteries in partnership with the Volkswagen Group. Michigan-based Our Next Energy has also experimented with dual-chemistry packs that once promised 600 miles of range in a BMW iX prototype.
Meanwhile, Panasonic has hinted it could use the tech not just for a higher range, but also to make smaller, cheaper batteries that keep today’s range while cutting cost and weight. The company also plans to reduce its reliance on nickel, another raw material whose supply chains are highly dominated by China. Some automakers are also thinking along similar lines. General Motors, for instance, is developing lithium-manganese-rich (LMR) batteries for its trucks and SUVs starting in 2028, aiming to reduce its reliance on costly nickel.
What Tesla will do with Panasonic’s breakthrough remains to be seen. But the timing couldn’t be more important. The automaker’s competitors are on the verge of introducing high-quality next-generation EVs in the U.S. The new Nissan Leaf is right around the corner. The next-gen Chevy Bolt is due for launch early next year. And Rivian’s Model Y competitor, the R2, is also a highly anticipated launch in 2026.
Tesla may be busy pitching itself as an AI and robotics company, but cars are still its lifeline. Giving its most popular vehicle an extra 90 miles of range could be the simplest, and possibly the most effective way to remind EV buyers why the company still matters.
Have a tip? Contact the author: suvrat.kothari@insideevs.com
