Panasonic delays 4680 battery production again as Tesla orders fail to materialize
Panasonic has missed its second deadline for mass-producing 4680 battery cells, with no new target date in sight. The company's Energy division has yet to receive binding purchase orders from its primary customer, Tesla, stalling any move to full-scale production, per Automotive World. For anyone shopping a Tesla — or betting on EV battery technology to mature quickly — this is a sign the timeline has slipped again.
The broken promise
Tesla introduced the 4680 cell format at its 2020 Battery Day as a step forward in energy density, cost, and range. Panasonic, Tesla's longest-standing battery partner, took on the task of scaling it up. The original goal was mass production by the end of fiscal 2024. That slipped to March 2026. March 2026 has now passed with no announcement.
The performance gap is already visible on the road. European Model Y buyers who received cars fitted with Tesla's own 4680 cells — rather than LG's proven pack — report a WLTP range of 609 km versus the 661 km they expected. That's a 52 km drop, and Tesla made no public announcement about the swap. Independent testing confirms the difference: Tesla's 4680 cells achieve 244 Wh/kg energy density against 269 Wh/kg for the older pack — 13% worse, documents Electrek.
Panasonic's 4680 cell, designed for higher energy density and lower cost, has yet to reach full-scale mass production.
A pivot away from EVs
Panasonic is not standing still. The company is redirecting some of its existing 2170 cell production lines toward energy storage systems (ESS) — the large battery banks used by data centers and power grids — where demand is more predictable. A planned third U.S. factory for 4680 cells was frozen in 2024, and its Kansas facility has also been delayed. Panasonic has withdrawn its battery revenue targets entirely.
The Cybertruck remains the only vehicle using 4680 cells at any meaningful volume, and it barely reaches five-figure annual sales — far short of the 250,000–500,000 units Elon Musk once projected. No mass-market vehicle currently needs 4680 cells at scale, which removes the urgency for Panasonic to absorb the manufacturing risk alone.
What this means now
The 4680 delay doesn't kill the format — it just pushes it further into the future. Panasonic's Wakayama plant in Japan remains the only active production site. Until Tesla places firm orders, that situation won't change. Buyers considering a new Tesla should check which battery pack their specific configuration includes; the range figure on the spec sheet may not reflect what arrives at delivery.