Panasonic is eyeing Oklahoma as the home for its next lithium-ion battery plant, according to a report Friday by the Wall Street Journal.
The proposed venture, which is expected to supply Tesla with a high-capacity, range-boosting battery, is part of a movement to bring auto manufacturing onshore as car companies and suppliers try to mitigate inflation, geopolitical conflict and short supply of the raw materials required to make electric vehicles.
TechCrunch is seeking independent confirmation and will update if more information becomes available.
Panasonic is working on a battery expected to increase energy capacity fivefold, boost range by more than 15% and cut production costs.
In July, the Japanese electronics maker announced plans to build a $4 billion battery plant in Kansas that will manufacture and supply lithium-ion batteries to EV makers. That project, which represents the largest economic development project in Kansas …
