Machine Nation News Team
July 29, 2025 at 10:00:00 AM
Panasonic Energy Opened One Of The Largest Electric Vehicle Battery Manufacturing Plant In The US. Panasonic Is Investing $4 billion And Already Has Hired Approximately 1,000 Staff At The De Soto Plant
Panasonic Energy Co., Ltd., a division of Panasonic Group, celebrated the grand opening of its 4.7-million-square-foot electric vehicle (EV) battery manufacturing facility in De Soto, Kansas, on July 14, 2025, marking it as one of the largest automotive battery plants in North America. Located at Astra Enterprise Park on a 300-acre site, the $4 billion investment—the largest in Kansas history—began mass production of 2170 cylindrical lithium-ion batteries on July 7, 2025, with a target annual capacity of 32 gigawatt-hours (GWh), enough to power approximately 500,000 EVs. The facility, employing 1,100 staff and projected to create up to 4,000 direct jobs and 8,000 indirect jobs, integrates advanced automation, including rail-guided and autonomous vehicles, achieving 20% higher productivity than Panasonic’s Nevada Gigafactory. Supported by $829 million in Kansas tax incentives and federal Inflation Reduction Act subsidies, the plant diversifies customers beyond Tesla to include Lucid, Mazda, and others, targeting a $5 billion EV battery market amid President Trump’s 10% global and 25% Japanese tariffs. CEO Kazuo Tadanobu stated, “This facility accelerates electrification, strengthens supply chains, and fosters battery talent.”
For the precision machining industry, Panasonic’s De Soto plant underscores the critical role of tool engagement in manufacturing EV battery components. Parts like battery casings require CNC milling with precise tool engagement, typically 30–50% of tool diameter, to achieve tolerances within ±0.001 inches and surface roughness as low as Ra 8 µin for high-strength alloys. 5-axis milling machines, optimized for tool engagement to ensure stability and precision, support automated production with real-time quality control. The project drives demand for local machine shops to supply precision tooling, adopting Industry 4.0 technologies like AI-driven milling and additive manufacturing. As part of a $50 billion precision manufacturing market, this initiative creates opportunities for suppliers in Kansas, where manufacturing jobs grew 2% since 2022, strengthening EV supply chains.
Source:
Panasonic Energy Press Release, July 14, 2025
Source:
Social Media Buzz (powered by X):
X is charged with enthusiasm for Panasonic’s De Soto plant opening, with posts from July 14–August 3, 2025, hailing it as a “powerhouse for EV innovation.” Users celebrated the 1,100 jobs, with one stating, “Kansas is electrifying the future!” while another linked it to “reshoring clean tech.” Some expressed concerns over tariff impacts and Tesla’s sales dip. The X current surges with optimism for green energy but questions economic risks.
What is the Tool Engagement?
This is one of many key terms of our broad Machine Nation Essential Modern Precision Industries Guidebook (MPIG). Click here to get a copy straight to your inbox.
Tool Engagement - The percentage of a CNC milling tool’s diameter in contact with the workpiece, critical for ensuring stability and precision in component production.
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Related Tags:
#PanasonicDeSoto #EVBattery #ToolEngagement #PrecisionMachining #CleanEnergy #Reshoring