Battery makers Verkor SAS and Enersys agreed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore the building of a lithium battery gigafactory in the US.
They said they will develop a plan to determine location, plus evaluate funding and operating structures for the facility. Enersys said the factory would represent a long-term growth opportunity for both companies and allow Enersys to optimise cell sizing, providing independence from non-domestic cell suppliers.
Verkor, based in France, has developed a process for designing and manufacturing electrodes, battery cells and modules. It is planning a 150 MWh per year pilot line in Grenoble and its first gigafactory of 16 GWh per year is due to start production in 2025 in Dunkirk.
Its customers include car manufacturer Renault Group.
Enersys President & CEO, David M Shaffer, said: “Establishing a US lithium-ion cell supply is a critical element of our supply chain strategy. EnerSys is accelerating the global clean energy transition by significantly expanding our production of lithium-ion batteries across a broad range of end markets and applications.”
Highly efficient local manufacturing is essential to that, he said.
He expects current US battery production to continue to yield credits through the Inflation Reduction Act, and that will help fund the new facility. Future lithium battery production will also benefit from IRA tax credits, he said.
