InoBat, Slovakian battery maker for electric vehicles (EVs), and Hefei Gotion High-Tech Power Energy, Chinese manufacturer of batteries and energy storage solutions (ESSs), announced a Memorandum of Understanding to explore a joint venture including a European Gigafactory.
They will work on EV battery and energy storage technologies. InoBat said they will look to co-develop a Gigafactory with cell and pack production capacity of 40GWh to support EV applications. Central and eastern Europe is a region under consideration.
They will also look at technical co-operation on LFP and NMC batteries, and development of ESS battery production at InoBat’s premises in Slovakia for ready access to the European market. The duo will investigate recycling concepts for production scrap and end-of-life batteries.
InoBat focuses on lithium-ion batteries for specialist OEMs within the automotive, commercial vehicle, motorsport, and aerospace sectors. It has a battery research and development facility and pilot line under development in Slovakia.
It said it will draw on Gotion’s expertise in electric storage solutions whilst Gotion will benefit from InoBat’s existing manufacturing sites and expansive market connections in Europe. They will maintain their independent businesses and chemistries.
Steven Cai, President of Gotion’s General Research Institute of Engineering, and CTO of Gotion, said: “Gotion High-Tech intends to carry out a comprehensive co-operation with InoBat in battery technology innovation, localised production of EV batteries in eastern Europe as part of a green energy ecopark, battery recycling etc.”
Gotion High-tech said it was the first private enterprise in the power battery industry to enter the capital market in China, where it listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in May 2015. It specialises in the development and manufacture of power batteries for new energy vehicles, energy storage application, power transmission and distribution equipment.
