Frontier Lithium announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Panasonic Energy and Mitsubishi Corporation to explore potential collaboration in developing the North American battery supply chain. Under the agreement, Panasonic Energy has expressed interest in procuring lithium hydroxide from the PAK Lithium Project in Ontario, Canada. The project, which is being advanced through a joint venture between Frontier and Mitsubishi, plans to develop an upstream lithium mine and mill as well as a downstream lithium conversion facility. The project is expected to begin producing approximately 20,000 tonnes of battery-grade lithium salts annually starting in 2030.

Panasonic has launched a new home fuel cell system for detached houses, designed to boost solar self-consumption through HEMS‑based smart scheduling. The unit generates electricity and heat from gas, supports demand response, and can supply emergency power during outages.

Japan's Panasonic Corporation stated on December 26 that some commercial air conditioning products had issues with falsified performance data. The company noted that the actual performance of 668 air conditioning units sold from 2012 to 2024 did not meet the indicated values. Furthermore, among the 2,305 air conditioners sold by the end of 2024, in addition to the confirmed 668 units, the remaining 1,637 units might also have similar issues. The investigation to confirm these problems is expected to continue until April 2025 at the latest.

Panasonic Corporation of Japan announced a restructuring plan, deciding to dissolve its home electronics company and shift its center to high-profit areas such as artificial intelligence, data centers, and others. This move triggered a significant rise in its stock price. CEO Yuki Kusumi stated that the company is expected to abandon its traditional television business in the future and make a series of adjustments to its existing operations. According to the statement, Panasonic will be reorganized into multiple subsidiaries, including Smart Living, Air Conditioning and Food Delivery, and Electrical Engineering companies.

[Panasonic Home Appliance China and Alibaba Cloud Reach AI Cooperation Agreement] On May 30, Panasonic Home Appliance (China) Co., Ltd. and Alibaba Cloud officially announced the signing of an AI cooperation agreement. The two parties will jointly explore the creation of AI agents tailored for the vertical field of home appliances, cultivate AI application technology talents, and promote the globalization process of the home appliance industry.

[Breaking News! Lithium Battery Giant Shuts Down ESS Business!] Panasonic, a global lithium battery giant, has announced plans to shut down its solar and energy storage system (ESS) business unit. The company has been producing solar modules, inverters, and batteries for the residential market for over 25 years and was once a major solar supplier to SolarCity/Tesla dealers.

[Breaking News! Lithium Battery Giant Shuts Down ESS Business!] Panasonic, a global lithium battery giant, has announced plans to close its solar and energy storage system (ESS) business division. The company has been producing solar modules, inverters, and batteries for the residential market for over 25 years and was once a major solar supplier to SolarCity/Tesla dealers.

[Panasonic Delays Plan to Build Battery Plant in the US] According to foreign media reports, Panasonic Holdings adjusted its battery production plans due to the slowdown in global demand for electric vehicles (EVs). The company decided to delay the construction of its third battery plant in the US and instead focus on the launch of its second plant in Kansas, which is expected to commence production before March 2026. Previously, Panasonic had planned to build the plant due to the increase in demand for EVs, but issues related to charging infrastructure and battery costs led it to change its plans. Tesla, on the other hand, urged Panasonic to accelerate production in the US. In addition, Japanese producers have been adjusting their battery plans, with Nissan canceling plans to build a plant in Japan and Honda postponing its EV investment in Canada. Panasonic's suspension of investment this time indicates that it is adopting a wait-and-see approach to the market. The company also announced plans to lay off 10,000 employees, accounting for approximately 4% of its global workforce, and is targeting growth in EV batteries, energy storage, and data center power supply solutions, aiming to increase its operating profit by at least $1 billion by March 2027.

Panasonic plans to double its electric vehicle battery production in Japan.

Panasonic is reportedly set to produce an upgraded version of electric vehicle batteries as early as 2024. Shoichiro Watanabe, Chief Technology Officer of Panasonic Energy, a battery business under Panasonic Holdings, stated in an interview that the improved version of the 2170 battery will begin production at a manufacturing plant in Nevada, USA in 2024 or 2025. Watanabe mentioned that the Osaka-based electronics manufacturer aims to double its production capacity by the fiscal year 2030 without relying entirely on new factories or significant investments. 'We will expand the battery capacity while increasing production efficiency,' Watanabe said, adding that Panasonic has been working on improving the energy density of the 2170 battery, which will help reduce the overall cost of electric vehicles.