Panasonic to begin building 30GWh US EV battery facility

2170 (left) and 1865 (right) batteries Source: Panasonic

Japanese electronics giant Panasonic announced this week that it is on track to begin construction of a 30GWh EV battery production facility in Kansas.

Located in the city of De Soto, Kansas, the new facility will produce cylindrical lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles.

Initially, Panasonic expects the Kansas facility to expand the existing production of the company’s 2170 EV batteries, which will help ensure fulfilment of existing customer orders.

2170-sized cylindrical battery cells Source: Panasonic

As with most all EV battery production sites, ramp-up will be a process, but Panasonic expects to reach mass production by the end of March 2025. At this time, Panasonic expects production capacity to be 30GWh.

The facility will be Panasonic’s second EV battery facility in the United States, following in the footsteps of the Panasonic Energy of North America facility in Nevada.

“As the global shift to EVs accelerates, we are looking into ways to strengthen our battery production capacity in North America and meet the growing demand from our automotive partners,” said Kazuo Tadanobu, President, CEO of Panasonic Energy.

“With our superior technology and extensive experience, we will drive the growth of the Li-ion battery industry, accelerate our efforts to achieve zero emissions in the future, and work toward our mission of achieving a society in which the pursuit of happiness and a sustainable environment are harmonized.”

Based on reporting from earlier in the year, this Kansas facility will, at least in part, be supplying Tesla with its new 4680 cell.

Given Tesla’s dominance in the United States and its recent delays in shipping new models, new battery production and supply will likely be a welcome relief.