Panasonic Energy begins production at new factory in De Soto, Kansas
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- On Monday morning, Panasonic Energy Co., Ltd., opened its new cylindrical lithium-ion battery factory for electric vehicles in De Soto, Kansas, marking one of the largest automotive battery plants in the United States.
The grand opening is scheduled for Monday, and according to the company, the factory has already begun the mass production process of 2,170 cells, with an annual production goal of about 32 gigawatt hours (GWh).
The site itself spans about 300 acres (or 225 American football fields) and represents Panasonic Energy's goal of accelerating U.S. production and advancing the electric vehicle industry in both Japan and North America.
Despite being the second production site in the region -- with the first being in Nevada -- the new facility aims to significantly boost nationwide production from 41 GWh to about 73 GWh once it's fully operational.
The Kansas factory is expected to be about 20% more productive compared to the Nevada facility. Additionally, it will bring about 8,000 total jobs, including those in supplier and related industries, for the state, as well as 16,500 construction jobs, according to an independent Wichita State University economic impact study.
The company announced that it will also be partnering with the University of Kansas to "promote long-term industry-academia partnerships focused on technological advancement and specialized talent development," as well as contributing to De Soto and Kansas' economic growth.
“The opening of our Kansas Factory marks a major milestone in our journey to scale advanced battery production in the United States. This achievement would not have been possible without the strong support of our local partners and the State of Kansas," CEO Kazuo Tadanobu said.
"Together, we are accelerating the shift to electrification, reinforcing regional supply chains, and nurturing the next generation of battery talent. This facility represents not only our commitment to the region but also a foundation for long-term collaboration and innovation in the U.S.”
Gov. Laura Kelly said that the De Soto plant has already hired about 1,000 staff and that it is expected to bring about $2.5 billion annually to the state of Kansas.
“Panasonic’s state-of-the-art EV battery plant marks a bright new era in Kansas,” Gov. Kelly said.
“The monumental effort that has gone into every aspect of this project has culminated in this historic day as the plant begins mass production of EV batteries. It’s hard to overstate what Panasonic’s investment means to Kansas and the value of the partnership that made it possible.”