Panasonic Corp and California-based Tesla Motors Inc are considering jointly building a car battery plant in the United States, news reports said on Wednesday.
Panasonic is inviting Japanese suppliers to join it in the integrated factory making battery cells for electric vehicles. The total investment is expected to reach more than ¥100 billion ($965 million), the Nikkei business daily reported.
Tesla aims to produce more affordable electric vehicles, and slashing battery prices is the key, it said.
The new factory would open in 2017, producing small, lightweight batteries for Tesla and perhaps other carmakers such as Toyota, the report said.
Panasonic has posted net losses of more than ¥750 billion for two consecutive years due mainly to poor sales of flat-panel televisions.