Groupe PSA/Opel and Total/Saft have signed a JV for the development of battery technology and production. According to the companies, Total/Saft will contribute its expertise in battery R&D and industrialization, and Groupe PSA its knowledge of the automotive market and its experience in production.
An R&D center in Bordeaux and a pilot site in Nersac (France) have already been established to develop high-performance lithium-ion technologies. The plan, according to Total, is that at the end of an R&D phase, mass production of batteries will be launched at two gigafactories located in Douvrin (France) and Kaiserslautern (Germany).
The companies are targeting an initial capacity of 8GWh, reaching a cumulative capacity of 48GWh on both sites by 2030, representing approximately one million EVs per year, equivalent to around 10% of the projected European market.
Carlos Tavares, chairman of Groupe PSA, said, “The construction of the European battery consortium that we wished for is now a reality. I would like to pay special tribute to the commitment of the Total/Saft and Groupe PSA/Opel teams who have made this project come true. This new step is consistent with our central purpose; to offer citizens clean, safe and affordable mobility, and gives Groupe PSA a competitive advantage in the context of growing sales of electric vehicles.”