Panasonic Energy is harnessing insights gained from its collaboration with Tesla at Giga Nevada to bolster its upcoming battery manufacturing facility in De Soto, Kansas, slated to become the largest of its kind globally.
“We’re very excited by the backup that we have in terms of experience, in terms of the technological advancement that Panasonic brings,” remarked Innocent Chikunya, Vice President of Operations.
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Since 2017, Tesla and Panasonic have jointly produced battery cells for electric vehicles at Giga Nevada, also known as Gigafactory 1. Panasonic intends to leverage the operational lessons learned from this venture at its new Kansas plant.
Spanning 4.7 million square feet and requiring a $4 billion investment, Panasonic’s Kansas facility will focus on manufacturing 2170 cells. As of late June, construction progress indicated the plant was nearing 50% completion.
The Kansas plant will feature two wings, each equipped with four battery assembly lines. Infrastructure development for wing one is complete, with ongoing installation of cell production equipment. Concurrently, construction on wing two continues alongside equipment installation in wing one.
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Panasonic Energy targets a spring 2025 opening for its Kansas facility, committing to creating over 4,000 local jobs in the coming years. Starting wages for these roles are estimated between $20 and $30 per hour, underscoring the economic impact and employment opportunities this mega-project will bring to the region.
