Opel to build plant manufacturing battery cells in Kaiserslautern

During a visit to Kaiserslautern, Germany, Federal Minister of Economics Peter Altmaier, Prime Minister Malu Dreyer and Minister of Economics Dr. Volker Wissing emphasised the strategic importance of the planned battery cell plant for Rhineland-Palatinate.

Supported by the Federal Government and the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, the largest battery cell production for electric vehicles in Germany is to start at the traditional Opel location from 2024. According to Opel CEO Michael Lohscheller, around €2 billion ($2.22 billion) will be invested in the future project. Around 2,000 jobs are to be created at the location. The Mayor of Kaiserslautern, Klaus Weichel, and the Chairman of the Opel Works Council in Kaiserslautern, Thorsten Zangerle, also paticipated in the working meeting.

Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Peter Altmaier expressed his pleasure on the European Commission reviewing and approving the first major battery project for Europe in just a few weeks. Kaiserslautern will be a part of this first joint battery project.

Together with the parent company Groupe PSA and Total's subsidiary, Saft, Opel wants to found a joint venture called ACC (Automotive Cell Company) that produces battery cells for electric cars. From 2023, the automaker wants to gradually build three blocks with a capacity of 8GWh each. Around half a million vehicles per year can thus be supplied with battery cells that will be ‘Made in Kaiserslautern'.

A total of two plants with a total capacity of 48 GWh are to be built - in addition to Kaiserslautern in the Hauts de France region. This would correspond to a production of about 10 to 15% of the expected European market. The total investment volume for this project is almost €5 billion ($5.55 billion).