Poland and Germany cooperate on battery cell production: these companies compete for Europe’s first “Gigafactory”

09/06/2018

Poland and Germany cooperate on battery cell production These companies compete for Europe’s first “Gigafactory”

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Production of electric car battery packs at BMW

The automotive industry is under power: Volkswagen Show stock market chart By 2025, it wants 50 electric car models and 30 plug-in hybrid cars to offer, Daimler Show stock market chart has recently introduced the Mercedes EQC, the first representative of his electric carSub-brand EQC. By 2022, the Swabians want to offer 10 pure electric car models. BMW Show stock market chart wants to expand its range of electric cars, Tesla pushing with its entry-level vehicle Model 3 to Europe – and Japanese manufacturers also.

For this, the automakers have to buy large quantities of lithium-ion battery cells. Currently, the cells for electric car batteries almost exclusively come from Japanese, Korean and Chinese manufacturers. For cost reasons, European car manufacturers and suppliers can not yet achieve their own cell production.

The result: Asian battery specialists still produce the cells installed in Europe in factories in Asia. However, the battery cells are heavy and expensive to transport. If you are serious about electromobility, you have to set up your own cell plant in Europe. This is increasingly demanded by managers and politicians, including at EU level. It’s not just jobs and jobs value addedon the game. Many – including VW boss Herbert Diess – fear the dependence on a few manufacturers.

Now Federal Minister of Economics Peter Altmaier dares a push: He has a visit to Warsaw Cooperation with Poland in the field of battery cells announced. The aim is to build a joint cell production – in Lusatia and in western Poland. Small and medium-sized enterprises in Poland, which specialize in battery components, could become part of a European joint venture – a kind of airbus for battery production that is set to outperform Asian manufacturers.

However, the Asian battery specialists are already rushing ahead: They invest primarily in Eastern Europe, the first companies have already set groundbreaking. However, European start-ups are also looking at opportunities: At the end of 2017, the Swedish company Northvolt announced its decision on a production site, a German consortium also has big plans. We introduce the most important players in the big European e-car battery Monopoly.

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