CALB to expand production capacities by 2025

The Chinese battery manufacturer CALB (China Lithium Battery Technology) has announced the expansion of its production capacities to 300 GWh by 2025. Among other things, the company is planning a new factory in Hefei with a capacity of 50 GWh. International carmakers could also benefit from this.

As the company recently announced on its WeChat account, CALB has reached an agreement with the municipal government of Hefei. The agreement provides for the construction of a battery factory with a production capacity of 50 GWh. In the announcement, the investment sum is given as 24.8 billion yuan, the equivalent of 3.25 billion euros.

Other locations with which the 300 GWh installed production capacity is to be achieved are in Changzhou, Luoyang and Xiamen. CALB had already announced in January that it intended to double its production capacity to 200 GWh “in the near future” – these plans have since been adjusted upwards. In April, the construction of a 50 GWh factory in Chengdu was announced, a new plant is also to be built in Wuhan – and in Hefei.

CALB also wants to push ahead massively with research and development, and is currently working with the Shenzhen Research Institute. According to the state-owned company, R&D centres in Shanghai, Japan, Europe and North America have “entered the planning phase”. It is not known when these development centres are to open.

CALB’s automotive customers already include GAC Aion, Changan Auto and Geely Automobile. Interestingly, CALB also states in the announcement that it is in “discussions on technology development cooperation” with Volkswagen, Daimler and Great Wall Motor in the passenger car sector.

CALB’s increased focus on the automotive sector is also reflected in the company’s name. Until now, the “A” in the abbreviation of China Aviation Lithium Battery Technology stood for aviation. In the current announcement, the company refers to itself only as China Lithium Battery Technology.

Source: Info via email