Panasonic Electric Vehicle Battery Plant (Mystery Kansas 'Mega Project')

[Cratedigger]

https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity ... tives.html

In addition to the full session debating the amount of incentives pledged, 11 Oklahoma republican lawmakers signed a letter questioning Panasonic’s “woke politics”

Maybe they see Panasonic is leaning towards KS and they’re trying to position themselves as always being against the deal?

Either way, seems like KS has handled this whole thing much more professionally.

[alejandro46]

Tangential, but you can kind of connect the dots to understand why these things take a while. Panasonic probably wants to supply these cells to Tesla in Austin, who are likely Panasonic's largest battery customer. Once Tesla confirms they are good, I suspect Panasonic would make the factory announcement.

At first, Panasonic is preparing the product and first production lines in Japan, but the recent news confirms also that the company is willing to invest in North America - potentially in Oklahoma or Kansas.

A separate report by Automotive News indicates that Panasonic might build a quite massive battery factory to support Tesla's needs.

The report says that the output in North America might at least triple by 2029. Assuming that Panasonic's current battery cell production (2170-type) at the Tesla Gigafactory 1 in Nevada is at 39 GWh/year, it would require building at least an additional capacity of 80 GWh/year (for 4680-type and/or other type of cells).

We guess that besides Tesla, there might be other customers interested in Panasonic batteries (cylindrical or prismatic), including Toyota.

"Panasonic expects its North American capacity to triple or quadruple by the fiscal year ending March 31, 2029, Tadanobu said. New customers are currently evaluating the 4680 battery, he added."

The report says also that Panasonic aims to increase local sourcing of battery materials to 50%.

https://insideevs.com/news/589715/panas ... les-tesla/

[dukuboy1]

this would be awesome if it came to the KC Metro, but if KS can get it to help boost their economy, which in turn will have ripple effects into the KS Metro I'm for it.

Looks like states like OK, TX, etc. are going to end up shooting themselves in the foot more often over the years as they choose to "die on their hills" so to speak in decisive politics and pushing a narrative that placates to a base

[brewcrew1000]

I've heard the Sunflower Ammo plant is the place they would choose for the Panasonic plant so it would have a big impact on the KC Metro, probably just not so much the Missouri side of the Metro

[earthling]

If an employee attends any games, concerts, downtown events, etc on MO side (or lives on MO side), it does have an impact on both 'sides'. The Rag needs to stop feeding the state line tribalism. We are a metro of an economic engine involving 2.2M people. This would be good for the _metro_.

[AlkaliAxel]

Exclusive report from the business journal todays says Gov Kelly is “very confident” they’re gonna win the $4 bil plant.

Also notes that this would be more than twice as large as the last 10 mega-projects KS has gotten combined. Wow.

[alejandro46]

My biggest concern with this project is that it is so far from the city and not easy to get to. They are going to have to pay a lot to get people to work all the way out there, especially with how tight the labor market is everywhere right now.

[AlkaliAxel]

My biggest concern with this project is that it is so far from the city and not easy to get to. They are going to have to pay a lot to get people to work all the way out there, especially with how tight the labor market is everywhere right now.

How do you know the location of it?

[alejandro46]

My biggest concern with this project is that it is so far from the city and not easy to get to. They are going to have to pay a lot to get people to work all the way out there, especially with how tight the labor market is everywhere right now.

How do you know the location of it?

I am presuming based on reports from KCBJ and others. See the article from today.

https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/ ... 2#cxrecs_s

[Cratedigger]

My biggest concern with this project is that it is so far from the city and not easy to get to. They are going to have to pay a lot to get people to work all the way out there, especially with how tight the labor market is everywhere right now.

If it ends up with some significant pull though this could be another way to connect Lawrence with the KC metro

[earthling]

Another edge for KC area... assuming it's Panasonic... their US HQ is in Newark and KCI has nonstop flights to EWR, I don't think Tulsa or OK City do.

[AlkaliAxel]

My biggest concern with this project is that it is so far from the city and not easy to get to. They are going to have to pay a lot to get people to work all the way out there, especially with how tight the labor market is everywhere right now.

If it ends up with some significant pull though this could be another way to connect Lawrence with the KC metro

I was about to say the same thing, this is a good area to where they can draw from Lawrence/Topeka and create a corridor.

[GRID]

I for one will be impressed and happy if Kansas can pull this off. For once they land a big fish from out of freaking town instead of poaching from MO.

[bones.25]

This would be absolutely huge for the region if we can land this mega project. I can't even remember the last time we had an opportunity to land something of this size that is being talked about on the national level in business news, Google fiber is the only thing that comes to mind. Opportunities like this do not happen often and we (Topeka politicians) have to do everything possible to get it.

[GRID]

This would be absolutely huge for the region if we can land this mega project. I can't even remember the last time we had an opportunity to land something of this size that is being talked about on the national level in business news, Google fiber is the only thing that comes to mind. Opportunities like this do not happen often and we (Topeka politicians) have to do everything possible to get it.

And personally, if KC is going to sprawl, doing so down the K-10 corridor to Lawrence probably makes the most sense. KC doesn't have a legit university in the core of the metro, so the more the metro is attached to Lawrence, the better.

[bones.25]

This would be absolutely huge for the region if we can land this mega project. I can't even remember the last time we had an opportunity to land something of this size that is being talked about on the national level in business news, Google fiber is the only thing that comes to mind. Opportunities like this do not happen often and we (Topeka politicians) have to do everything possible to get it.

And personally, if KC is going to sprawl, doing so down the K-10 corridor to Lawrence probably makes the most sense. KC doesn't have a legit university in the core of the metro, so the more the metro is attached to Lawrence, the better.

Completely agree! I would love to have this in kc metro but every time I drive to Lawrence I swear it gets a little closer to kc. I work in kcmo with people who drive in from lawrence every day and have been doing that for years and sunflower is half that distance. So if it has to be there along a corridor that is already sprawling like crab grass I really don't see it as a negative to kc. The net benefit for the kc area is still going to be a huge plus IF we get this.

[FangKC]

I'm going out of a limb here and stating that instead of this facility going in an undeveloped area where people have to drive some distance, I would have rather have seen Missouri put in a bid for it. Build the new plant on the parcel where the former GM Leeds plant is being demolished. The plant would be in an already developed industrial area with access to rail and highways.

The jobs would be near a large pool of low-income residents on the East Side that desperately need access to better jobs. Bus lines could be routed there, as well as potentially having a light rail stop nearby that would go on to TSC and perhaps Lee's Summit which is often discussed here.

This would have replaced some of the lost industrial jobs when the GM plant shut down, and AMCOR Steel was loaded with debt and sold off by Bain Capital. Many middle-class East Side residents worked at those places.

https://www.google.com/maps/search/bus+ ... a=!3m1!1e3

The Kansas location will require all employees to likely own and drive cars to get to work.

My solution would solve economic inequity on the East Side, and create a workplace less dependent on car use.

More of the plants will be needed to service the growing electric vehicle industry, so I hope Missouri and KCMO economic development staff get on the ball and go after one of these plants for the Leeds location.

[earthling]

^It's a good idea, unfortunately probably too late. And some forms of battery manufacturing can be hazardous, not sure of what materials/processes this one will use. Might be a reason certain plants are generally outside cities.

[Cratedigger]

As we wait for news, interesting KCBJ article on missed opportunities in MO and KS

https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity ... ction.html

[AlkaliAxel]

As we wait for news, interesting KCBJ article on missed opportunities in MO and KS

https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity ... ction.html

Couldn’t give a shit about MO missing out on projects they were prob gonna shove in STL or some boonie like Springfield or something