DeSoto City leaders reviewed the first set of plans for the new Panasonic $4 billion electric vehicle battery plant, Tuesday, December 20. A site plan was submitted to city leaders from SSOE Group, an architecture and engineering firm representing Panasonic. The tentative plans for the new battery manufacturing facility show a two-story, U-shaped building to be constructed near the southwest corner of West 103rd Street and Dual Drive.

The plans for the 2,739,000 square-foot manufacturing building includes several parking lots surrounding the main building and three detention ponds to the east of the main facility.

There will be a total of 3,000 parking spaces that include 48 handicapped spaces, 150 electric vehicle spaces and 40 motorcycle spaces. The newly named Astra Enterprise Park will dedicate 304 acres to the battery plant.

Panasonic hopes to begin construction on the former Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant site in Spring 2025. The facility will produce lithium-ion batteries for Tesla and Lucid electric vehicle manufacturers.