Tesla to set up pilot production line for battery cells

Tesla reportedly wants to set up a pilot production line for its own battery cells at their Fremont factory. In addition, the Californian company recently acquired Hibar – a company specializing in the manufacture of production equipment for battery cells.

This was revealed through corresponding job postings. The company is, therefore, looking for specialists under the job title “Pilot Line Production Engineer, Cell Engineering”. Aamong other things the job description states  “Tesla’s cell manufacturing engineering team is looking for a highly motivated development engineer to accelerate our next-generation battery cell manufacturing program.” The focus is on the development and commissioning of corresponding plants.

Further job offers indicate that Tesla intends to produce its own battery cells for the first time in Europe. It is questionable whether this will be the case in Grünheide: A month ago, it was reported that Tesla will probably not plan to produce its own lithium-ion cells in the first construction phase of the Gigafactory 4 planned for Brandenburg. But rumours that Tesla is planning to manufacture its own cells without its partner Panasonic have been around for several months – among other things in connection with the takeover of Maxwell. However, official information will probably only be available at an event planned for April.

Meanwhile, it has become known that Tesla has resumed operations at the Shanghai plant after the temporary closure of Gigafactory 3 due to the coronavirus. However, production is likely to be initially limited due to supply problems from Chinese suppliers. Xpeng Motors and Nio have also resumed production of electric cars in China.

electrek.co (battery cells), carscoops.com, insideevs.com (Gigafactory 3), electrek.co (Xpeng and Nio)

With reporting by Cora Werwitzke, France