Panasonic Energy Co., Ltd., recently announced plans to build one of the largest electric vehicle (EV) battery manufacturing facilities of its kind in the United States in the Kansas City region. The planned state-of-the-art facility in De Soto, Kansas, will create and supply lithium-ion batteries and accelerate the future of electric vehicle innovation on a global scale. It is expected to create up to 4,000 new jobs and $4 billion in capital investment, which represents the largest economic development project in Kansas history.

Panasonic Energy selected Kansas due to its business-friendly climate, robust talent pool and skilled workforce , support for technology innovation, strong transportation infrastructure and central location. This builds on Kansas City’s legacy manufacturing and automotive industry strengths.

The development will have ripple effects throughout the Kansas City regional economy, supporting an estimated 4,000 additional jobs created by suppliers and community businesses and 16,500 construction jobs, as cited in an independent Wichita State University economic impact study.

Panasonic Energy’s current U.S. battery manufacturing operation has shipped more than six billion EV battery cells. The new facility is part of the company’s plans to expand its production of EV batteries as the automotive industry shifts to more sustainable electric technologies. Panasonic Energy joins a variety of other companies, including GM, Ford, BMW and more, investing a significant amount into the electric vehicle sector. In April 2022 alone, 21 EV investment projects were announced in the U.S., totaling $11.9 billion across the country. Read more about trends in the EV industry here.

The Panasonic Energy announcement made headlines around the world, drawing a high number of views and significant engagement.

The announcement generated 1,764 stories, reaching an audience of 5.81 billion. Select media highlights include: 

• The Wall Street Journal, “Panasonic Energy, Kansas to Partner on $4 Billion EV Battery Factory,” appeared July 13, 2022.

• Bloomberg, “Panasonic Picks Kansas for $4 Billion Battery-Production Site,” appeared July 13, 2022.

• Forbes, “Tesla’s Long-Time Partner Panasonic Building $4 Billion EV Battery Plant In Kansas,” appeared July 13, 2022. (Editor’s Pick)

• Financial Times, “Panasonic to build $4bn battery plant in Kansas to meet Tesla demand,” appeared July 14, 2022.

• IndustryWeek, “Panasonic Picks Kansas to House New $4 Billion EV Battery Plant,” appeared July 14, 2022. 

Read the News Release.

Learn more about the automotive industry in the Kansas City region.