The Automotive Cells Company (ACC) joint venture opened its first gigafactory in France.
The Billy-Berclau Douvrin plant in the Hauts-de-France region will produce lithium-ion battery cells and modules, with the first block due to be operational by late 2024. It will have over 60,000 square metres of workshop space for the first of three blocks.
Combined production capacity will reach 40GWh by 2030 with the addition of two more production lines. Each of the three blocks will have a production capacity of 13.4GWh.
The company said the factory was built in just 17 months at a cost of nearly €800 million. Each block will have 16 mixers (1,600 litres each), five 90-metre coating lines (three cathodes and two anodes). ACC said its order book is full for the next four years. Some 2,000 jobs will be created.
Yann Vincent, ACC’s CEO, said it is the first stage of a colossal project. ACC’s three gigafactories – in Germany, Italy, and now France – will together be making 2.5 million battery modules by 2030. Production capacity target from the three gigafactories is 120GWh, and combined investment is over €7 billion ($7.5 billion), the company said.
The JV comprises Total (and its Saft battery subsidiary), plus car makers Stellantis and Mercedes-Benz.
