It's not shocking that Panasonic would be so willing to open its wallet. The tech giant stands to profit from a flood of Model 3 sales, of course, but this could also be crucial to a major shift in strategy. Panasonic is trying to reduce its dependence on consumer electronics like phones and razors, which don't generate much profit and are subject to volatile markets. By shifting more of its efforts to the car industry, the tech giant gets both more profit and relatively stable demand. The Tesla investment is still something of a gamble (we don't know how well the Model 3 will fare after the initial rush), but it could give Panasonic a solid foundation for its future.