Panasonic Energy Co., Ltd. has officially opened a new cylindrical lithium-ion battery factory for electric vehicles in De Soto, Kansas, marking one of the largest automotive battery plants in the United States. The facility is expected to reach full production capacity later this year, according to Megan Myungwon Lee, CEO of Panasonic North America. This development underscores Panasonic's commitment to supplying batteries to major electric vehicle manufacturers, including Tesla and Lucid Motors, the latter of which is collaborating with Panasonic to source more battery materials domestically. The plant's opening is also seen as a boost to local employment and advanced manufacturing in Kansas. While Panasonic has confirmed the timeline for full production, some reports indicate challenges remain in diversifying its supply chain and fully ramping up output.