Betting On Green: Poland Plans to Open Largest Battery Factory in Europe
South Korea’s LG Chem is planning to open the largest lithium-ion battery factory in Europe to aide the continent’s automotive industry as it prepares its much-hyped shift toward EV production. According to LG, construction of the battery plant — located in Wrocław, Poland — is set to begin immediately and batteries should be ready for slotting into vehicles before the end of next year.
In a an announcement, the company said the plant would have a production capacity of 100,000 batteries per year for EVs that can run up to 199 miles once charged. Previous estimates were more conservative but, with German automakers promising widespread electrification, LG saw no reason for half measures.
“We will turn the Poland EV battery plant into a mecca of battery production for electric vehicles around the world,” said company president UB Lee. “As LG Chem’s Poland EV battery plant is the first large-scale automotive lithium battery production plant in Europe, it will play the role of vitalizing the electric vehicle industry across the whole of Europe. We will put all our efforts into making the plant into a main production hub for EV batteries.”
The factory will employ roughly 2,500 people. LG Chem did not name prospective customers but said they would include top car companies — although Volvo Cars would be a safe bet, since the two companies already announced a partnership last December.
By adding roughly 6 Gigawatt hours of energy production, building the plant in Poland would effectively double LG’s battery capacity for electric vehicles for a total annual capacity of 280,000 EVs — with help from its other factories in South Korea, the United States, and China.
[Image: LG Chem] [Source: Reuters]
A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.
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A coal powered battery factory for "clean" EVs? Poland is the 2nd largest coal user in the Europe, with only "clean" Germany ahead since coal is replacing Germany's "dirty" nuclear plants. Of course those coal power plants will also be charging up those coal produced batteries, so I'm sure the world will be breathing much easier.
Why would anyone build a lithium battery plant when the ttac chatterati says there will be lithium shortages?