Bloomberg Tech Panasonic Unveils EV Battery Plant in Kansas
Jul 14, 2025
Megan Myungwon Lee, CEO of Panasonic Corporation of North America, discusses the newly unveiled EV battery plant in De Soto, Kansas, which will produce batteries for 500,000 electric vehicles each year. Mark Winterhoff, Interim CEO of Lucid Motors, joins to talk about the strategic partnership with Panasonic and the importance of a resilient battery supply chain. They highlight the local workforce's role in this expansion and the broader implications for the EV industry in the U.S., as well as challenges and trends shaping the market.
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Panasonic's US Battery Expansion
- Panasonic's new Kansas plant aims for 30 GWh capacity, enough for 500,000 EVs per year.
- It diversifies their US EV strategy beyond Reno, boosting American battery manufacturing.
Build Workforce Early
- Invest with the community by collaborating with local schools to build skilled workers.
- Create curriculum ahead to ensure workforce readiness when production begins.
Economics Favor Local Production
- Producing cells domestically avoids tariffs, improving economic feasibility.
- Local production combined with increased supply chain localization lowers costs and boosts resilience.