DE SOTO, KS — A joint venture team of Turner Construction Company and Yates Construction celebrates the official opening of Panasonic Energy Co., Ltd.'s, a Panasonic Group company, new cylindrical lithium-ion battery factory for electric vehicles (EVs). Located in De Soto, Kansas, the facility marks the opening of one of the largest automotive battery plants in North America. A grand opening ceremony was held to commemorate the milestone. Panasonic Energy has also begun mass production of 2,170 cells at the second North American facility, the Kansas Factory, with plans to establish an annual production capacity of approximately 32 GWh in the future.
Built on a site spanning approximately 300 acres — the size of more than 225 American football fields — the Kansas factory signifies Panasonic Energy’s investment in and advancement of the electric vehicle industry through a dual-region model in Japan and North America. As the company’s second EV battery production site in the region, following the Nevada factory, the Kansas factory aims to significantly boost Panasonic Energy’s U.S.-based production capacity to approximately 73 GWh once fully operational. The new plant will also help meet the demand from automotive customers expanding their electric vehicle production.
By introducing labor-saving production lines, the Kansas factory is expected to achieve approximately 20 percent higher productivity compared to the Nevada Factory. In the near future, Panasonic Energy plans to introduce products using advanced materials that will increase cell capacity by around 5 percent. This also represents a significant step forward in Panasonic Energy’s efforts to strengthen the domestic supply chain for electric vehicles.
As the largest economic development project in Kansas state history, 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 industry-academia partnerships focused on technological advancement and specialized talent development.
“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. This facility represents not only our commitment to the region but also a foundation for long-term collaboration and innovation in the U.S.”
