As production of the made-in-China Tesla Model Y approaches, the supplier of one of the key components of the electric vehicle (EV) has been chosen.
According to a report from Business Korea, the South Korean battery firm LG Chem has been selected to be the sole supplier of batteries for the Model Y. The batteries will not be the new LFP batteries recently added to Model 3 production, but rather the nickel, cobalt and manganese (NCM) batteries.
The reported deal would leave two of the automaker’s other major battery suppliers, CATL and Panasonic out in the cold.
Earlier this month Tesla officially registered the Model Y with China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). The move put Tesla one step closer to finally beginning production of the Model Y at Giga Shanghai, which could happen before the end of the year.
Pre-production of the Model Y has already begun in China, with a camouflaged version of the electric SUV spotted entering the gates of Giga Shanghai earlier this month.
