Photo: Panasonic
Billions of dollars have been spent in the last few years as part of the automotive industry’s efforts to embrace the electrification era. The most recent company to join said efforts is Panasonic.
The Japanese tech company has announced this week that it is building the world's largest factory focused on building batteries for electric vehicles in the state of Kansas. The facility will produce high-capacity 4680 cells for Tesla’s vehicles and will be located near the city of De Soto.
Kansas state officials have confirmed the deal and said the new Panasonic plant would create up to 4,000 jobs in De Soto, with an investment of up to $4 billion.
“As the largest private investment in Kansas history and one of the largest EV battery manufacturing plants of its kind in the country, this project will be transformative for our state’s economy, providing in total 8,000 high-quality jobs that will help more Kansans create better lives for themselves and their children,” said Kansas Governor Laura Kelly in a press conference.
According to 2021 estimates, De Soto has a population of just over 6,300 people. The new Panasonic EV battery facility will be built on a 9,000-acre area that used to be an ammunition factory that closed in 1992.
It’s already been reported that Panasonic has an agreement with Tesla to supply the automaker with a larger battery model - the 4680 cells - to be fitted in Cybertruck in 2023, but the new plant will likely produce batteries for other vehicles in Tesla’s lineup as well. Production of the new battery type will start in Japan, at its factory in Wakayama, in March 2023. The Kansas factory is expected to be up and running by 2024.
Panasonic plans to increase its battery production capacity by three to four times by 2029, with most of the growth in North America.
Kansas state officials have confirmed the deal and said the new Panasonic plant would create up to 4,000 jobs in De Soto, with an investment of up to $4 billion.
“As the largest private investment in Kansas history and one of the largest EV battery manufacturing plants of its kind in the country, this project will be transformative for our state’s economy, providing in total 8,000 high-quality jobs that will help more Kansans create better lives for themselves and their children,” said Kansas Governor Laura Kelly in a press conference.
According to 2021 estimates, De Soto has a population of just over 6,300 people. The new Panasonic EV battery facility will be built on a 9,000-acre area that used to be an ammunition factory that closed in 1992.
It’s already been reported that Panasonic has an agreement with Tesla to supply the automaker with a larger battery model - the 4680 cells - to be fitted in Cybertruck in 2023, but the new plant will likely produce batteries for other vehicles in Tesla’s lineup as well. Production of the new battery type will start in Japan, at its factory in Wakayama, in March 2023. The Kansas factory is expected to be up and running by 2024.
Panasonic plans to increase its battery production capacity by three to four times by 2029, with most of the growth in North America.
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