TOKYO — Panasonic Energy said on Wednesday that it may supply cylindrical batteries for electric vehicles to Mazda Motor in the second half of this decade, as it pushes to attract new customers and diversify away from biggest buyer Tesla.
The move by the Japanese battery maker, an affiliate of Panasonic Holdings, comes as multiple automakers announce plans to expand EV production in North America. Those include Ford Motor and General Motors, which are in cooperating with Asian battery makers such as South Korea’s LG Energy Solution.