New partner for Tesla
04.11.2010
The equity investment of the Japanese is part of a long-term collaboration between the two companies aim to expand the market for electric cars. The pioneer Tesla, which has just gone public, is currently using battery cells from several suppliers and is also working with Panasonic on the development of the next generation of electric car batteries. In future, Tesla will primarily purchase lithium-ion battery cells from Panasonic.
Toyota and Daimler are also involved in Tesla
The Japanese car company Toyota has also invested in Tesla, as has also Daimler. Tesla supplies batteries for the electric smart from Daimler. The Californians are developing an electric drive for the small off-road vehicle RAV4 for the auto giant Toyota, which has acquired a 50 million dollar stake in Tesla Majority shareholder Elon Musk will not be able to make profits before two years at the earliest. However, the small manufacturer is considered a technology pioneer. The partnership with Panasonic will enable Tesla to further improve its batteries and at the same time save costs, Musk said in a joint statement.
