Panasonic has emerged as the mystery company behind the $4 billion APEX bill and will develop a second U.S. electric vehicle battery factory in Kansas, planned in the Kansas City area.
Nikkei Asia reported the Japanese company today selected Kansas over Oklahoma for its proximity to Texas, the site of its other plant and favorable tax treatment. Panasonic will develop electric vehicle batteries for Tesla and aims to triple or quadruple EV battery production capacity by fiscal 2028 from the current level of about 50 gigawatt hours per year.
It’s been rumored the site for the new facility will be in northwestern Johnson County, near DeSoto.
Gov. Laura Kelly was set to speak on the announcement at a 5 p.m. news conference in Topeka.
