The world’s largest battery manufacturer has made yet another new factory announcement this week, set to begin building its second European factory upon approval.
China-based manufacturer Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. (CATL) announced plans to invest 7.34 billion euros ($7.69 billion USD) into a 100 Gigawatt-hour battery plant in Hungary, as detailed in a Friday press release.
The news, announced on Friday, will mark CATL’s second European battery plant after it announced it would construct a factory in Germany near Tesla’s Gigafactory Berlin, for which it has already gained German approval.
The factory will be built in Debrecen, in east Hungary, though it’s still subject to shareholder meeting approval. If approved, the facility will begin construction within this year.
CATL Founder and Chairman Dr. Robin Zeng said, “There is no doubt that our plant in Debrecen will enable us to further sharpen our competitive edge, better respond to our European customers, and accelerate the transition to e-mobility in Europe.”
Zeng continued, “The greenfield project in Hungary will be a giant leap in CATL’s global expansion, and also an important step in our efforts to make an outstanding contribution to the green energy drive for humankind.”
Ford to Buy CATL LFP Batteries for Mustang Mach-E https://t.co/iWlZhWIuxg
— TeslaNorth.com (@RealTeslaNorth) July 21, 2022
The Hungary CATL factory is seeking to build a plot of land of about 221 hectares in Debrecen’s Southern Industrial Park. Once completed, the factory will supply battery cells and battery modules to automakers across Europe. The project is in partnership with Mercedes-Benz Group AG.
Debrecen is centrally located in Europe and it’s close to automakers such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Stellantis and Volkswagen.
CATL is also seeking a site for a production facility in Mexico for a North American location.
