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Batteries are the lifeblood of any electric vehicle (EV), and for a company like Tesla (TSLA), scaling production means securing a steady, reliable supply of them. That’s where Panasonic (PCRHY) comes in. The Japanese electronics giant has been Tesla’s battery backbone for over a decade. Their partnership has helped fuel Tesla’s rise to the top of the EV chain.
But cracks may be forming. Panasonic just announced a major restructuring, cutting 10,000 jobs globally, about 4% of its workforce. The company is under pressure from rising costs, weak consumer demand, and aggressive Chinese competition. It is merging sales divisions, offloading unprofitable units, and absorbing a nearly $900 million restructuring charge. While EV batteries are not the stated target, any disruption at such a critical supplier raises questions.