Panasonic Postpones EV Battery Plant’s Operation In US
Cites its main customer, Tesla’s sluggish sales as the reason for the decision
Panasonic Holdings Corporation has postponed its plan to bring the new U.S. electric vehicle (EV) battery plant to full capacity by March 2027.
The target date to reach full production of 30 gigawatt-hours at the $4 billion plant in the U.S. state of Kansas has not been fixed.
It is Panasonic’s second large-scale battery plant in the US after Nevada, which is scheduled to shortly go into mass production.
Panasonic cited Tesla’s sluggish sales as the reason for the decision. The company has been battling with a series of challenges including ageing vehicle lineup, the end of EV tax credits and CEO Elon Musk’s public feud with U.S. President Donald Trump.