Daimler Truck, PACCAR, and Accelera complete battery cell JV formation

Daimler Truck, PACCAR, and Accelera have established a joint venture called ‘Amplify Cell Technologies’ in the US. The trio will localise battery cell production through the new company.

As a legacy truck manufacturer, PACCAR needs no introduction, and Daimler Truck is also a renowned company in the same business. Accelera, established in March 2023, is a new brand for Cummin’s New Power business unit. It deals in ZEV solutions like batteries, electric axle drives, hydrogen fuel cells, electrolyzers, and traction systems.

In the announcement confirming the formation of the joint venture, Daimler Truck, PACCAR, and Accelera stated that Kel Kearns will be the CEO of Amplify Cell Technologies. Kearns comes with a solid experience of two years and three months as the manager of the Tennessee Electric Vehicle Center assembly plant, part of Ford’s BlueOval City manufacturing complex in Stanton, Tennessee.

Daimler Truck, PACCAR, and Accelera each have a 30% holding in Amplify Cell Technologies. The remaining 10% ownership is with Chinese battery maker EVE Energy, whose role in the alliance will be battery cell sharing its design and manufacturing expertise.

Amplify Cell Technologies will establish a battery cell factory in Marshall County, Mississippi. The project entails an investment of at least $1.9 billion, the Mississippi Development Authority said in an earlier announcement about the collaboration. This will be the second largest economic development project in Mississippi to date, and the state government will use the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority funds to assist the joint venture with tax credits, infrastructure needs, and site preparation.

Located at the Chickasaw Trails Industrial Park Megasite near Byhalia town, the battery cell factory will have an annual production capacity of 21 GWh. It plans to make lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery cells for commercial battery-electric trucks at this factory, which explains the involvement of EVE Energy. The Chinese company is a leading LFP battery cell manufacturer on a global level, as per a previous announcement about the new joint venture.

Amplify Cell Technologies plans to start the construction of its battery cell factory in the US soon since it has scheduled the start of battery production there in 2027.

northamerica.daimlertruck.com, mississippi.org, accelerazero.com