Japanese battery producer Panasonic Energy and carmaker Subaru are discussing lithium-ion battery supply for electric vehicle (EV) production in east Japan.
Panasonic Energy, a subsidiary of Japanese conglomerate Panasonic, and Subaru have started discussions on building a mid- to long-term partnership for lithium-ion batteries, the companies said on 31 July. The aim is for Panasonic to start supplying batteries to Subaru's factories in the eastern prefecture of Gunma from the late 2020s. The companies did not disclose the supply volumes.
Demand for EVs is set to continue rising with a global push towards decarbonisation. Japan has pledged to ban sales of gasoline-only passenger cars and shift to EVs by 2035, as part of its 2050 net zero emission goal.
Panasonic has 12 GWh/yr and 38 GWh/yr of battery production capacity at its domestic and overseas plants respectively. It aims to expand its production capacity globally to 200 GWh/yr in 2030, but a breakdown by geography is unavailable.
The battery maker hinted at more tie-ups to come.
"We have many requests [for battery supply] and already under discussions with them on original equipment manufacturing," Panasonic's chief financial officer Hirokazu Umeda said on 31 July. "For Subaru's Gunma plants, all batteries will be supplied from our domestic plants but for other projects, nothing has [been] decided yet."
The potential partnership with Subaru is the latest for Panasonic Energy, which is aiming to secure more supply contracts. The company agreed in April to supply lithium-ion cells to Oslo-based Hexagon Purus, expecting to start deliveries from early 2026.
