Panasonic is reportedly looking to strengthen their ties with Tesla by building a battery cell manufacturing facility in the United States.
According to a report by Japanese media outlet NHK, Panasonic is considering Oklahoma or Kansas as potential sites for the new factory.
Citing an unidentified source, NHK reports Panasonic will spend several billion dollars to build the plant, which will be located close to Tesla’s newest factory in Texas.
No timeline was provided for when an official announcement would be made, or when the project might come online, reports Reuters.
Panasonic and Tesla have a longstanding relationship, most notably at Giga Nevada where the company currently produces 2170 cells for Tesla vehicles.
Panasonic to invest $100M at Giga Nevada to expand production
Panasonic also recently unveiled their 4680 cell prototype, which they plan to manufacture in Japan and supply to Tesla before March 2024.
Elon Musk has repeatedly said Tesla will buy as many cells as manufacturers can produce as demand for their vehicles skyrocket.
That demand will only increase with Giga Texas coming online soon, and the introduction of the Cybertruck, Roadster, and Semi next year.
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