VW launches battery cell development and production in Salzgitter

More specifically, 300 new jobs will be created for the Volkswagen Development Center with pilot plant, and 700 for the JV with Northvolt to set up and operate a battery cell factory. More than one billion euros are to be invested in the battery cell activities of the Volkswagen Group during the same period. In Salzgitter, a pilot plant for battery cell production for small batches was opened today (23-09-2019) in the so-called Center of Excellence (CoE). Around 300 experts develop, test and pilot innovative production processes for the production of lithium-ion batteries at the site. As a first step, Volkswagen is investing more than EUR 100 million in its own development and manufacturing expertise. In addition, Volkswagen is investing a further EUR 900 million in joint battery activities with the Swedish battery producer Northvolt. Construction of a 16 gigawatt hour battery cell factory in Salzgitter is to start in 2020 and is planned to start production in late 2023/early 2024. To that end, Volkswagen recently founded a 50/50 joint venture with Northvolt. 700 jobs are to be created in the medium-term in this independent joint venture. “Bringing together the development, testing and pilot production of battery cells in Salzgitter marks a further milestone in the Volkswagen Group’s comprehensive electric offensive. By pooling know-how at this site, we are making sure we drive forward our own activities to further advance the development of battery cells as a key component in electrification, develop new standards and swiftly transition them to series production,” says Dr. Stefan Sommer, responsible for Procurement at Volkswagen AG, in a press release.