Tesla strikes battery deal with South Korean giant Hanwha Corporation

A South Korean company known as Hanwha Corporation has signed a supply deal with Tesla, where the electric car maker will be receiving battery formation equipment from the Seoul-based company.

Hanwha Corp. is a subsidiary of parent company Hanwha Group, which is a large business conglomerate that was founded as Korea Explosives in the early 1950s. Hanwha has developed into 15 different affiliates, all of which focus on different areas of expertise, such as Hanwha Energy, Hanwha Chemical, and Hanwha Aerospace, to name a few.

An official of Hanwha Group confirmed the supply deal in an interview when he stated, “We had a supply deal of battery formation equipment with Tesla,” The Korea Times reported.

The battery formation equipment that Hanwha will supply to Tesla ensures the initial charge and discharge of battery cells. The equipment confirms the health of the batteries by clarifying that they are fully functional and operational before they are installed into a product.

This is an important step to make sure the cells that are put into Tesla vehicles and energy storage devices are fully functional and of the utmost quality. While battery packs contain thousands of cells, it is crucial to confirm each one’s functionality. If one cell is malfunctioning, it could lead to decreased battery life, lower range, and possible safety concerns.

These are issues Tesla has tackled for a number of years. The company has worked on improving battery quality through research and development, which has led to industry-leading range, faster Supercharging speeds, and increased longevity of battery packs.

The Korea Times added that the battery formation equipment would be heading to Tesla’s primary production facility in Fremont, California. Eventually, similar equipment will likely be added to the Tesla Gigafactory in Sparks, Nevada, Giga Shanghai in China, and Giga Berlin in Germany, at least when its construction is completed.

Tesla has worked diligently to improve its battery quality for not only its electric cars but for its energy storage systems. A partnership with Hanwha could improve Tesla’s quality control, which could eventually lead to better-performing battery packs. Interestingly enough, despite Tesla’s already industry-leading battery technology, the company continues to make significant improvements to its batteries.

Tesla’s partnership with Hanwha shows the company’s willingness to improve the quality of its products through extensive R&D, along with the utilization of help from other companies. This, in a way, highlights the notion that even though Tesla already maintains a healthy lead in the sector, there is always room for improvement.

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