Volkswagen To Convert Salzgitter Factory Into Main European Battery Hub

December 19th, 2021 by

Photo credit: Volkswagen

Volkswagen has established a European company to focus on all  activities of battery production and development. The automaker intends on making one of its factories the main European battery hub. Thomas Schmall, member of the Board of Management for technology at Volkswagen AG and CEO of Volkswagen Group Components is responsible for all battery-related matters. Schmall stated he intends to offer a powerful, inexpensive and sustainable vehicle battery across all segments. The automaker chooses to bundle its resources and make the Salzgitter gigafactory its main European Battery hub.

The facility in Salzgitter has been responsible for Group-wide material testing, release testing, quality assurance, and series monitoring of cells for electric car batteries. The new laboratories will enable extensive cell testing programs with up to 200 different analytical methods. With the development of new formulations on an initial area of 2,599 square meters, the Salzgitter gigafactory has over 500 employees from 24 different countries. Salzgitter uses cutting-edge technology like one of the world’s few scanning electron microscopes for detecting lithium on site. Volkswagen’s top engineers will soon produce a new battery cell which will change the cost of batteries worldwide. 

Volkswagen’s new unified battery cell will be made for mass-production that is scheduled to roll off the production line at the Gigafactory in Salzgitter starting in 2025. Volkswagen has set out to build and operate six battery cell factories in Europe. The cells will have a production capacity of 240 GWh, the production of cells with an annual capacity of 40 GWh will be produced in Salzgitter also. The new unified cell will unlock synergies and help reduce battery costs by up to 50%. For decades the Volkswagen plant in Salzgitter has supplied millions of vehicles with engines, and will now become the main battery hub for the automaker in Europe.

Soonhi Agnes will take the lead Rolfe in the development of battery cells under the management of Frank Blome. Ahn most recent post was as Global Head of Battery Development at Apple, now he will focus all of his knowledge on building a battery that will take Volkswagen into the next generation. Volkswagen Group will invest over two billion dollars into its battery cell production to supply the demand for electric vehicles starting in 2025. Interested in finding out more about Volkswagen’s future plans? 

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