T&E – Assembly plant or battery powerhouse? Analysis of foreign battery investments in EU
External experts commissioned by T&E find no EU-wide or national requirements on technology transfer and breaches of air pollution rules from battery factories in Poland and Hungary. T&E calls on clear foreign investment rules and a comprehensive European strategy for battery supply chains.
Europe’s ambition to build a world-leading battery industry is facing many headwinds. As local plans falter, over 90% electric car and storage batteries are produced by South Korean and Chinese companies in the EU. An additional 40% of announced battery gigafactories are from these companies, who are global leaders in the technology and more likely to succeed. Many European carmakers are entering partnerships with Chinese battery players to secure the supply.
But there are concerns about the environmental and social conditions under which some of these facilities, e.g. CATL battery plant in Hungary, are operating. Critically, as homegrown battery companies struggle, will the upcoming partnerships with foreign battery leaders enable the EU to gain the expertise we lack? Is it the road to becoming a battery powerhouse or an assembly plant?
T&E has commissioned a study to Carbone 4 and independent experts to find out. The study analysed the environmental and social conditions in the CATL battery plant in Hungary and the LG one in Poland, as well as the technology transfer provisions in the VW-Gotion and CATL-Stellantis battery partnerships.
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T&E – Assembly plant or battery powerhouse? Analysis of foreign battery investments in EU, source
