According To Panasonic’s CEO, Solid Electrolyte Batteries Won’t Be Suitable For Cars

Panasonic CEO Tatsuo Ogawa does not believe in solid electrolyte batteries for electric cars. He sees the technology only as a niche for certain products, although giants like Toyota or BMW are working on it.

Tesla’s main battery supplier, Panasonic, now has doubts about the future of solid-state batteries. CEO Tatsuo Ogawa doesn’t believe in the 1,600-kilometre range of electric cars. Instead, he simply calls the technology a niche product. In an interview with the Financial Times, Ogawa does not hide his scepticism.

The head of Panasonic believes that the new batteries will primarily be used in smaller devices, such as drones or drills. Solid electrolyte batteries theoretically offer several advantages, including longer range, faster charging, and improved safety. No company has yet succeeded in developing a battery that is ready for mass production in cars.

Despite this statement from Panasonic, numerous car manufacturers and their suppliers have not given up on the idea of so-called solid-state batteries and an enormously long range in passenger cars. The best example is Toyota, which, in cooperation with Panasonic, announced these batteries for its cars from 2027, while the Hyundai group announced that it has made serious progress with this type of battery and believes it can start mass production.

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