This story is part of an ongoing series, Powering Change: Panasonic and De Soto. If you'd like to share your excitement or concerns about the electric vehicle battery plant, you can do so here.
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On Thursday, a federal appeals court approved the Trump administration’s request to temporarily pause a lower-court ruling that struck down most of President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Experts are watching for the impact tariffs could have on battery manufacturing in the U.S., including at the upcoming Panasonic plant in De Soto, Kansas.
As new housing pops up across De Soto in preparation for the Panasonic facility, local business owners and economists are questioning how changing tariff policies might affect both construction costs and battery production.
"Honestly, it's very hard to predict right now," said Sherelle Witt, a realtor, business owner and resident of De Soto.
The growing city is preparing to accommodate more people when the Panasonic plant opens, from workers to new residents in town, with housing developments already visible throughout the area.
"Is wood gonna go up? Is steel gonna go up?" Witt said. "You know, things like that. Are those costs going to go up?"
Chris Kuehl, an economist in Kansas City, said market conditions have changed significantly since Panasonic first announced its plans for the facility.
"When Panasonic opened its negotiations and started looking for things, the electric car was the thing, and it was going to be the dominant form of transportation sooner than later. Well, now that is in question," Kuehl said.
Tariffs on Chinese imports have already increased battery costs for U.S. buyers, and experts are watching how additional tariffs could further impact both the price and production of batteries.
"The challenge for companies like Panasonic, or anybody else, is that there's a lot of difference between 10% and 20%," Kuehl said. "Are we going to see really costly steel or just kind of costly steel?"
With tariff policies constantly changing, planning can be difficult for businesses and developers.
"I think time will tell on how that affects everything," Witt said.
According to a Panasonic spokesperson, there are no updates on anything tariff-related to share.
Panasonic has hired more than 665 workers so far and plans to hire 1,000 by the summer. Openings are still listed on the company's career page with wages between $50,000 and $80,000.
“The Panasonic Energy facility in De Soto remains a growth area for the company and we are actively recruiting to fill positions," the spokesperson said. "Our hiring plans for that site have not changed. We encourage those interested to visit our careers page."
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KSHB 41 reporter Elyse Schoenig covers the cities of Shawnee and Mission. She also focuses on issues surrounding the cost of health care, saving for retirement and personal debt. Share your story idea with Elyse.
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