Panasonic Energy Opens One of North America's Largest EV Battery Factories in Kansas

Panasonic Energy, a Panasonic Group company, has announced the official opening of its new cylindrical lithium-ion battery factory for electric vehicles (EVs) in De Soto, Kansas. The factory, which marks one of the largest automotive battery plants in North America, is expected to significantly boost Panasonic Energy's U.S.-based production capacity to approximately 73 GWh once fully operational. The new plant will also help meet the demand from automotive customers expanding their electric vehicle production, creating up to 4,000 direct jobs and approximately 8,000 jobs in total.

Key Takeaways:

• The Kansas Factory will have an annual production capacity of approximately 32 GWh in the future, boosting Panasonic Energy's U.S.-based production capacity to approximately 73 GWh once fully operational.
• The new plant will help meet the demand from automotive customers expanding their electric vehicle production, creating up to 4,000 direct jobs and approximately 8,000 jobs in total.
• Panasonic Energy has introduced labor-saving production lines at the Kansas Factory, expected to achieve approximately 20 percent higher productivity compared to the Nevada Factory.
• The Kansas Factory marks Panasonic Energy's long-term commitment to investing in and advancing the electric vehicle industry through a dual-region model in Japan and North America.
• The company has a proven track record in lithium-ion battery manufacturing, having grown the Nevada facility into one of the largest in North America, employing over 4,000 people and delivering more than 11 billion cells to date.
• Panasonic Energy aims to further advance manufacturing capabilities and achieve stable mass production at the Kansas plant at an early stage.
• The factory is expected to create up to 4,000 direct jobs and approximately 8,000 jobs in total, including those in supplier and related industries.

Statistics:

• Annual production capacity of the Kansas Factory: approximately 32 GWh in the future.
• Total U.S.-based production capacity: approximately 73 GWh once fully operational.
• Number of direct jobs created: up to 4,000.
• Total jobs created, including supplier and related industries: approximately 8,000.
• Years of experience in lithium-ion battery manufacturing: approximately 30.
• Number of people employed at the Nevada Factory: over 4,000.
• Number of cells delivered to date: over 11 billion.

Sources:

• Source: Panasonic Group
• Source URL: https://na.panasonic.com/news/panasonic-energy-begins-mass-production-at-new-automotive-lithium-ion-battery-factory-in-kansas-aiming-for-annual-capacity-of-32-gwh-to-accelerate-us-local-production
• Source URL (Disclaimer): https://na.panasonic.com/news/panasonic-energy-begins-mass-production-at-new-automotive-lithium-ion-battery-factory-in-kansas-aiming-for-annual-capacity-of-32-gwh-to-accelerate-us-local-production