This is a small event in the automotive world in France that just took place. France’s first battery plant for electric vehicles will be inaugurated in Billi-Berclo in the Pas-de-Calais.
Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire will attend, along with Energy Minister Agnes Pagnier-Rounachet, Industry Minister Roland Lescure, as well as Italian and German officials. The CEOs of Mercedes, Stellantis and TotalEnergies will also be present at the grand opening of this “gigafactory”.
“For the first time in a decade, we are recreating France’s industrial sector from almost nothing”, emphasizes the Ministry of Economy and Finance. The Automotive CellS (ACC) joint venture plant of Stellantis, Total and Mercedes is “first visible step”.
Starting this summer
Huge connected machines will flatten, cut and assemble sheets of aluminum coated with a paste of rare minerals, the basis of these battery cells, which will then be assembled and filled with electrolyte by workers. Production is set to begin this summer, with sales scheduled for late 2023.
This solemn moment symbolizes the hasty transition of the automotive sector to electrification, supported by significant government assistance, to prepare for the ban on heat engines in the European Union from 2035.
The ACC Group, introducing itself as a “Battery Aerobus”, will be one of the first to produce in Europe. It will be followed by four more battery plants in France, all located in Haut-de-France, where an ecosystem emerges that elected officials and industrialists have dubbed “Battery Valley.”.
Other battery factories are planned
The Sino-Japanese group AESC-Envision, located near Douai (north), plans to supply Renault from early 2025. Grenoble startup Verkor will begin production in Dunkirk from mid-2025. As for Taiwan’s ProLogium Group, it plans to start production at the end of 2026 at its first overseas plant.
In total, about fifty such projects have been announced in Europe in recent years. The stakes are high: prevent Europe from becoming dependent on Asian suppliers, especially Chinese ones, which have a 10-20 year advantage in this area.
Source: Auto Plus
Robert is an experienced journalist who has been covering the automobile industry for over a decade. He has a deep understanding of the latest technologies and trends in the industry and is known for his thorough and in-depth reporting.