Panasonic Energy begins mass production of EV battery cells at new factory in Kansas

Panasonic Energy has begun mass production of 2170 cylindrical battery cells at a new factory just outside Kansas City. The company plans to establish an annual production capacity of approximately 32 GWh in the future.

The Kansas Factory is Panasonic’s second EV battery production site in the US. The company’s Nevada Factory in Sparks, Nevada has been operating since 2017, and has a current annual capacity of approximately 41 GWh.

At the Kansas Factory, Panasonic has introduced labor-saving production lines, and expects to achieve approximately 20 percent higher productivity compared to the Nevada Factory. In the near future, the company plans to introduce products using advanced materials that will increase cell capacity by around five percent. Panasonic says its lithium-ion cells currently feature energy density of 800 Wh/L.

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. Panasonic Energy is also collaborating with institutions such as the University of Kansas to promote long-term partnerships to develop a skilled workforce.

“The opening of our Kansas Factory marks a major milestone in our journey to scale advanced battery production in the United States,” said Kazuo Tadanobu, CEO of Panasonic Energy. “This achievement would not have been possible without the strong support of our local partners and the State of Kansas. Together, we are accelerating the shift to electrification, reinforcing regional supply chains, and nurturing the next generation of battery talent.”

Source: Panasonic Energy Corporation of North America