The Japanese company has long been viewed as the likely strategic partner for the project. A fresh report from Nikkei suggests the companies have finally established a basic agreement, if not a finalized contract.

Panasonic is expected to invest up to 30 billion yen (~$294 million USD) up front, installing the necessary machinery to begin manufacturing battery cells. Another $700 million in later investment is also expected, representing 20 percent of the estimated $5 billion in overall costs.

Tesla has established a lofty goal of revolutionizing the battery industry. Bringing in one of the top players in the segment has been viewed as a necessary strategy to keep the project on track for production in 2017.

Panasonic reportedly aims to dominate the automotive battery business by 2019, around the time EVs and plug-in hybrids are expected to be met with a surge in demand. Sales numbers will be contingent upon the value proposition, requiring a substantial decline in per-kWh prices.

Tesla is hoping to reduce battery costs by as much as 40 percent within three years, enabling the company to make a profit from a mass-market vehicle with at least 200 miles of range.

The California-based startup is expected to formally announce the Panasonic partnership in the near future.

Suzuki announced on Tuesday that it is recalling 26,000 Verona sedans from the 2004-2006 model years due to daytime running lights that can overheat and cause a fire. All vehicles included in the recall were produced by General Motors in Korea.

According to Suzuki, the Verona’s daytime running lights can cause a transistor located in the car’s instrument panel to overheat. If that component overheats, it’s possible that the panel could melt and catch fire.

Suzuki isn’t aware of any fires or injuries linked to the recall.

If Suzuki’s latest safety campaign seems familiar, that’s because it is. Back in May Suzuki recalled certain Forenza and Reno models because their daytime running lights were determined to be fire hazards. Like the Verona, the Forenza and Reno were both made by GM.

Suzuki filed for bankruptcy in the U.S. in 2012.

As expected, the redesigned models fetch a modest premium over their 2014-model-year predecessors. A model shakeup leaves the 2015 C300 4Matic as the only direct comparison, adding $1,000 to reach $41,325 (including $925 freight).

The rear-wheel-drive C300 base model commands $39,325, marking a $2,000 jump over the previous C250 that previously sat at the bottom of the range. At the top, the C400 4Matic is priced at $49,515.

The 2015 lineup features several new engine choices, starting with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine that provides 241 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque for the RWD and AWD C300 sedans. The C400 steps up to a bi-turbo 3.0-liter V6 that gives the C400 329 ponies and 354 lb-ft of twist.

Buyers will be able to pick up the C300 4Matic later this summer, however the entry-level RWD edition is not slated to arrive until early next year.

Road & Track managed to get the lowdown on the updated Viper the same way we found out about the impending Charger Hellcat – through an official SAE J1349 document. Chrysler is one of three automakers – the other two being General Motors and Ford – that take advantage of SAE’s power certification program.

According to the document, the stated output of the Viper’s 8.4L V10 will grow from 640 horsepower to 645 for the new model year. Torque remains unchanged at 600 lb-ft.

Although any increase in power is a welcome sight, the Viper is still down on power compared to its stablemate, the 707 horsepower, 650 lb-ft of torque Challenger Hellcat. Perhaps more importantly, the Viper is also at a deficit compared to the latest Chevrolet Corvette Z06, which makes 650 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque.

Dodge has already stated that the Hellcat engine simply won’t fit beneath the Viper’s hood, so the supercar will have to soldier on with its comparatively underpowered V10 for the foreseeable future.