Kansas Governor Laura Kelly yesterday announced Panasonic's plans to build a new EV battery factory in De Soto, Kansas.
Panasonic, which has deals to make batteries for Tesla and Toyota, will invest $4 billion in the state-of-the-art facility.
It is the largest economic development project in Kansas history and will create 4,000 new jobs with average salaries of $50,000.
The facility stands to be one of the largest EV battery manufacturing facilities in the U.S.
The company picked Kansas due to its business-friendly climate and workforce as well as support for innovation, transportation infrastructure and central location.
According to the Kansas City Star, the project could cost taxpayers some $1.3 billion in refundable tax credits, payroll tax incentives and training grants.
The new factory will likely be located at a former Sunflower Ammunition plant that closed in the early 1990s and left quite a mess.
The Army has reportedly spent about $200 million removing contaminated foundations and trucking out unsafe soil.
The factory made gunpowder used in artillery shells and rockets.
