Posted on 02 Nov 2022
Japanese battery manufacturer Panasonic Energy said Monday it will start construction of its new US gigafactory next month in De Soto, Kansas, Kallanish reports.
The facility will initially produce 30 gigawatt-hours of cylindrical lithium-ion batteries for EVs. The plan is to expand production capacity of the 2170 batteries, which Panasonic says are in high demand from customers. Mass production is targeted by the end of March 2025.
“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,” comments Panasonic Energy ceo Kazuo Tadanobu.
The company, which already operates EV battery manufacturing capacity at its PENA facility in Sparks, Nevada, sees potential for further expansions in Kansas through a phased-investment approach.
“We will drive the growth of the lithium-ion battery industry,” the ceo adds.
The US’s recently approved Inflation Reduction Act has accelerated investment decision from foreign battery and EV makers, particularly Japanese and South Korean companies, due to its localisation requirements.
Source:Kallanish
