Panasonic Energy Co., Ltd. officially opened its new cylindrical lithium-ion battery factory in De Soto, Kansas, marking the debut of one of North America’s largest EV battery production sites. The Kansas Factory sits on approximately 300 acres outside Kansas City and has commenced mass production of 2170 cells. Panasonic Energy plans to ramp up output to achieve an annual capacity of about 32 gigawatt-hours (GWh).
This facility is Panasonic Energy’s second EV battery plant in North America, complementing its Nevada Factory, which has operated since 2017 with roughly 41 GWh of annual capacity. Once the Kansas plant reaches its full output, the combined U.S.-based capacity will total approximately 73 GWh. The investment underscores Panasonic Energy’s dual-region strategy spanning Japan and North America, designed to support growing EV production by automotive customers in the United States.
Leveraging nearly three decades of lithium-ion battery expertise, including eight years at the Nevada site, Panasonic Energy has refined its manufacturing processes to deliver high-performance cells that meet range, capacity, and safety requirements. The Kansas Factory incorporates labor-saving production lines that are expected to boost productivity by about 20 percent compared to the Nevada facility. Future upgrades will introduce advanced materials aimed at increasing cell capacity by another five percent.
The project is the largest economic development effort in Kansas history. It is projected to create up to 4,000 direct jobs and an additional 8,000 roles in related industries. Panasonic Energy is partnering with the University of Kansas and other institutions to foster industry-academia collaboration on technology development and workforce training, contributing to local economic growth and strengthening the U.S. manufacturing sector.
Kazuo Tadanobu, CEO of Panasonic Energy stated, “The opening of our Kansas Factory marks a major milestone in our journey to scale advanced battery production in the United States. 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.”
Panasonic Energy’s high-capacity cells, featuring an industry-leading volumetric energy density of 800 Wh/L, have powered approximately 3.7 million EVs, with around 19 billion cells delivered as of March 2025. The company reports zero vehicle recalls to date. By scaling domestic production and advancing cell performance, Panasonic Energy aims to accelerate EV adoption and support greenhouse gas emissions reduction.
Source: Panasonic Newsroom
