SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision 
Jensen Huang Urges Taiwan Suppliers to Boost AI Chip Production Amid Surging Demand 
Dow Hits 50,000 as U.S. Stocks Stage Strong Rebound Amid AI Volatility 
Australian Household Spending Dips in December as RBA Tightens Policy 
Asian Stocks Slip as Tech Rout Deepens, Japan Steadies Ahead of Election 
Palantir Stock Jumps After Strong Q4 Earnings Beat and Upbeat 2026 Revenue Forecast 
Taiwan Says Moving 40% of Semiconductor Production to the U.S. Is Impossible 
Once Upon a Farm Raises Nearly $198 Million in IPO, Valued at Over $724 Million 
Washington Post Publisher Will Lewis Steps Down After Layoffs 
Anta Sports Expands Global Footprint With Strategic Puma Stake 
Missouri Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Challenging Starbucks’ Diversity and Inclusion Policies 
Amazon Stock Rebounds After Earnings as $200B Capex Plan Sparks AI Spending Debate 
Gold and Silver Prices Climb in Asian Trade as Markets Eye Key U.S. Economic Data 
Nvidia, ByteDance, and the U.S.-China AI Chip Standoff Over H200 Exports 
Global PC Makers Eye Chinese Memory Chip Suppliers Amid Ongoing Supply Crunch 
U.S.-India Trade Framework Signals Major Shift in Tariffs, Energy, and Supply Chains 
Kroger Set to Name Former Walmart Executive Greg Foran as Next CEO 
Panasonic's battery manufacturing arm is reportedly set to supply Subaru with electric vehicle (EV) batteries, strengthening Panasonic's position in Japan's burgeoning EV sector. The partnership, intended to enhance Panasonic's customer network, coincides with an announcement about the company's first-quarter earnings.
With automotive batteries as a priority investment, Panasonic's group company plans to establish a new production facility in North America to expand its EV battery capacity. Panasonic recently agreed to provide Mazda Motor Corp with batteries for its EV models set to launch in the latter half of the 2020s.
As a prominent battery supplier for Tesla Inc, Panasonic Energy faces increasing competition from global rivals such as LG Corp and Contemporary Amperex Technology Co (CATL) from China. Notably, Panasonic's cylindrical lithium-ion batteries are gaining recognition for their remarkable fast-charging performance, aligning with the rising demand for EVs in the pursuit of reducing global carbon dioxide emissions.
Panasonic aims to bolster its global market share as Chinese and South Korean competitors strengthen their presence. While no source was provided, there is a possibility that Subaru may adopt 4680 batteries, the latest cells championed by Tesla's CEO, Elon Musk. Panasonic's energy unit is exploring plans to ramp up production for these advanced batteries.
Panasonic and Subaru are set to disclose their first-quarter earnings results, with Panasonic reporting on Monday and Subaru on Wednesday. While Panasonic is evaluating various growth strategies for its automotive business, Subaru, which heavily relies on the North American market, refrained from offering any comments.
Additionally, it is worth mentioning that Panasonic's energy unit and Mazda Motor announced in June their intentions to initiate discussions for establishing a battery supply partnership targeting EVs. Subaru has its sights set on achieving global sales of 200,000 battery-powered vehicles per year by around 2026 to tap into the expanding EV market.
Photo: Ryunosuke Kikuno/Unsplash
