Panasonic to supply lithium-ion 2170 batteries for Harbinger’s medium-duty EVs

Panasonic Energy has been chosen as the official battery cell supplier for Harbinger, a prominent US manufacturer of medium-duty electric vehicles.

The partnership will involve integrating Panasonic Energy’s lithium-ion 2170 batteries into Harbinger’s battery systems, known for their exceptional energy density of over 800Wh/L.

Initially, the batteries will be produced in Japan and then shipped to Harbinger’s headquarters in Garden Grove, California. However, there are plans to incorporate Panasonic Energy’s facility in De Soto, Kansas into the supply chain to utilize US-manufactured cells for future production.

This move would make Harbinger the first in the commercial vehicle sector to have its battery pack assembly fully sourced within the US.

Harbinger specializes in manufacturing its stripped chassis in-house, designed for various applications such as delivery vans, box trucks, and emergency response vehicles. The chassis includes key systems like an electric drivetrain and high-voltage battery system, all assembled at its California facility.

Production at Harbinger commenced in early 2025, with efforts focused on fulfilling approximately 5,000 pre-orders from notable customers like Bimbo Bakeries USA and THOR Industries.

John Harris, the CEO and co-founder of Harbinger, emphasized the company’s commitment to safety and engineering, which paved the way for the partnership with Panasonic Energy. The 2170 cells used are the latest version supplied by Panasonic Energy to top consumer EV OEMs.

Described as essential for Harbinger’s high-performance commercial vehicles, Panasonic Energy’s 2170 cells offer superior energy density, safety, and reliability, with the company having supplied around 19 billion lithium-ion EV batteries globally as of March 2025.

Kazuo Tadanobu, CEO of Panasonic Energy, highlighted the transformative milestone achieved through the partnership, focusing on battery innovation and sustainability in the transportation industry.

Lastly, it’s worth noting that Panasonic Energy recently signed a significant seven-year agreement with Nouveau Monde Graphite for the supply of natural graphite.