Thuringia as the first European CATL production site
Since 2019, we have been expanding our CATT (Contemporary Amperex Technology Thuringia GmbH) site in Thuringia. By the end of 2022, CATL's first European production facility will be built here at Erfurter Kreuz for EV batteries, which is to become the headquarters for whole of Europe. As part of this project, we are investing up to 1.8 billion euros and creating up to 2,000 jobs for skilled workers with a wide range of qualifications in the upcoming years. This is one of the biggest investments in Germany in recent years.
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Jason Chen, General Manager CATL Europe
"The establishment of our first manufacturing facility outside of China is also an enormous technical, economic and last but not least also an intercultural challenge, which will have to be mastered by our management and employees."
Europe as an important market for CATL
As a globally thinking company, a location in Europe is strategically important for CATL. In the rapid growth of the European market for e-mobility, we also see an opportunity for us to grow as a company and expand our customer base in an area with a high concentration of automotive manufacturers. With our plant in Arnstadt, we ensure production close to our customers. This will intensify our customer relationships, increase our delivery reliability and at the same time save CO2 and transport costs. In addition, we want to use our technology to help the EU achieve its goal of carbon neutrality.
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Our products
In Germany, we initially focus on the production of lithium-ion batteries. CATL battery cells are prismatic and vary in size and capacity performance depending on the vehicle type.
Our batteries are particularly innovative because CATL has managed to combine high energy density with fast charging time and maximum range.
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Our production
Our independent production in Germany is based on two main pillars.
In cell production, the first step is to manufacture various cell types for different customers. The individual cells are then processed into modules in module production and sent to our customers, who then install the modules in their vehicles. Depending on the customer and vehicle type, there are different numbers of cells in a module. -
Our central distribution centers
To complement our independent production and to meet our high customer demand, we have established Central Distribution Centers in Erfurt and Magdeburg. Here we receive already produced battery cells from our plants in China. These are repacked, tested and then shipped to our customers.
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Our final product
Several battery modules are installed in the e-vehicles as so-called packs. Due to their special characteristics, our products cover the needs of a wide range of car manufacturers. We are proud to list all well-known European automobile manufacturers as our customers.
