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KU, Panasonic Energy to collaborate on EV battery technology, talent development

Jul 10, 2024

Panasonic Energy Co., Ltd. (“Panasonic Energy”), a Panasonic Group Company and the University of Kansas (Lawrence, Kansas) today announced that they have signed an agreement aimed at promoting the development of next-generation technologies and the cultivation of specialist expertise in the field of lithium-ion batteries.

The University of Kansas is a flagship university in the U.S. state of Kansas, where Panasonic Energy is currently constructing its second North American factory. Located in the city of De Soto, Kansas, the factory is expected to commence production by the end of March 2025 and will have an annual production capacity of approximately 30 GWh. The factory constitutes a crucial part of Panasonic Energy’s strategy to boost its EV battery production capacity in North America. The project is a significant step in realizing the commitment to reduce CO2 emissions through the widespread adoption of electric vehicles, generating employment in the DeSoto area and the surrounding economic zones of Kansas, thereby contributing to the revitalization of the U.S. manufacturing sector and the overall economy.

In the wake of the 2011 University Engineering Initiative Act, Kansas has been producing engineering graduates to meet industry demand, with the University of Kansas playing a key role in this initiative. As a member of the Association of American Universities, the university is equipped with an energy and battery-related research lab and high-level research capabilities. With its extensive expertise in battery development and manufacturing, Panasonic Energy will collaborate with the university to further innovate battery-related technology and nurture specialist talent. This partnership aims to help promote the regional development of Kansas and achieve a sustainable society. Further details of these initiatives will be determined through ongoing discussions between the two parties.

About Panasonic Energy Co., Ltd.

Panasonic Energy Co., Ltd., established in April 2022 as part of the Panasonic Group’s switch to an operating company system, provides innovative battery technology-based products and solutions globally. Through its automotive lithium-ion batteries, storage battery systems and dry batteries, the company brings safe, reliable, and convenient power to a broad range of business areas, from mobility and social infrastructure to medical and consumer products. Panasonic Energy is committed to contributing to a society that realizes happiness and environmental sustainability, and through its business activities the Company aims to address societal issues while taking the lead on environmental initiatives. For more details, please visit https://www.panasonic.com/global/energy.

About The University of Kansas

The University of Kansas is a major research and teaching university and a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities, a select group of public and private research universities that represent excellence in graduate and professional education and the highest achievements in research internationally. KU has more than 28,000 students across five campuses and 14 schools, including the state of Kansas’ only schools of medicine and pharmacy. The university has 48 graduate programs ranked in the Top 50 nationally by U.S. News & World Report. Through its KU Medical Center, the university provides medical outreach to all 105 counties in Kansas. Each year, the university conducts more than $400 million in externally sponsored research. The university seeks to drive economic development in the Midwest through its partnership with KU Innovation Park, a nonprofit economic development organization and business incubator that is home to 72 companies employing more than 725 people and supporting an annual payroll of $48 million. The Park works toward building a more modern, resilient and diverse regional economy for Lawrence, Douglas County and the state of Kansas.

Thanks to Panasonic Energy for providing this press release.

Photo: Douglas A. Girod, Chancellor of the University of Kansas (left), and Akira Nagasaki, Deputy Head of Mobility Business Division, Panasonic Energy (right)

 

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