This one will be in Oklahoma, to join the facility planned for Kansas

Battery maker, Panasonic, is apparently conducting talks to put together a third electric vehicle battery plant within the US.

The Japanese company currently jointly operates a battery factory with Tesla in Nevada, and also has obtained approval to build an extra battery factory in Kansas. However, as The Wall Street Journal The Wall Street Journal reports, persons familiar with the matter feel that Panasonic wishes to build a third plant, and is willing to shell out another $4 billion while doing so.

The most likely venue for this third manufacturing facility is Oklahoma, and it would likely function as a companion to the Kansas plant. Both will produce new EV batteries at the same rate to keep up with increasing demand for the automobiles. The Kansas facility is also anticipated to be priced at $4 billion and create 8,000 jobs while doing so. Oklahoma would no doubt appreciate a very similar rise to local area work if the new factory goes ahead.

Meanwhile, no one is commenting, including Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt. However, it’s worth considering that EV startup Canoo is getting ready to start off manufacturing vehicles at a plant in Oklahoma, and the company signed a battery supply deal with Panasonic last year. Canoo is also set to supply Walmart with 4,500 all-electric delivery automobiles next year.

Back in February, Panasonic declared that it would start mass production of Tesla’s new 4680 battery by the end of March 2024. That being said, that manufacturing is preparing for all new lines at the company’s Wakayama manufacturing facility within Japan.

The brand new factory in Kansas, and now possibly Oklahoma, will likely likewise create the 4680 batteries when they come online, and Tesla believes are crucial if we want electric vehicles that sell for $25,000 or under.

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