U.S. expansion for Panasonic Energy: Second battery manufacturing plant launched
Panasonic Energy, a leading manufacturer of lithium-ion batteries, has recently commenced mass production at its new automotive battery factory in De Soto, Kansas. This marks the second battery factory the company has established in the United States.
The new factory, designed to produce 2170-type cylindrical lithium-ion cells, is set to have an annual capacity of 32 gigawatt-hours (GWh). This capacity, when combined with Panasonic Energy's existing Nevada site, will significantly increase the company's total U.S. battery production capacity to approximately 73 GWh annually.
The new factory's production lines are expected to result in approximately 20 percent higher productivity compared to Panasonic's Nevada site, thanks to the use of automated, labor-saving production lines. Additionally, Panasonic plans to implement advanced materials at the Kansas plant that will increase cell capacity by about 5 percent.
The Nevada site, operational since 2017, currently has an annual capacity of approximately 41 GWh. The new factory's cells are of the 2170-type, a specific type of cylindrical lithium-ion battery cell, and are not designed to produce flat or prismatic lithium-ion batteries.
This expansion solidifies Panasonic Energy's position as one of the largest automotive battery plants in North America and significantly contributes to scaling advanced battery production in the U.S. The new factory is also creating up to 4,000 direct jobs and approximately 8,000 total jobs, contributing substantially to the local economy and the company's manufacturing footprint in the United States.
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- The deployment of automated, labor-saving production lines at the new Panasonic Energy factory in De Soto, Kansas, is expected to yield approximately 20 percent higher productivity compared to its existing Nevada site, demonstrating the company's commitment to technological advancement.
- Panasonic Energy's new factory in De Soto, Kansas, will significantly increase the company's total U.S. battery production capacity, positioning the company as one of the largest automotive battery plants in North America and a key player in scaling advanced battery technology in the United States.
