Officials gathered last week for another ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Panasonic De Soto plant, celebrating its progress toward EV battery production, which is now just months away. Readers may recall that Kansas secured the plant—bringing 3,500 jobs—after a competitive bid against Oklahoma.

Published reports indicate the plant aims to launch its first production line this spring, possibly by late March. The construction workforce currently stands at 3,800, but Panasonic plans to have 1,000 employees in manufacturing by summer, eventually growing to 4,000.

Alan Swan, president of Panasonic North America, remains confident in the demand for electric vehicles despite President Trump’s move to eliminate tax credits for new EV buyers.

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly attended Friday’s ceremony, highlighting the plant’s potential to generate over $500 million in annual labor income for the state. Once fully operational, it will produce 66 batteries per second—enough to power 500,000 EVs annually.

“When finished, this facility will put Kansas at the forefront of sustainable energy and advanced manufacturing,” Kelly said.