Chinese battery manufacturer CATL plans to double testing capacity at its Arnstadt site in Germany by early 2026, further strengthening its position in Europe’s growing electric vehicle supply chain. The expansion will make the facility one of the largest battery cell testing centres on the continent.
CATL began producing battery cells in Arnstadt at the end of 2022, marking its first European cell manufacturing site. The facility, which also includes a testing and validation centre certified by Volkswagen, supplies batteries for vehicles such as the Porsche Macan produced in Leipzig and the Audi Q6 e-tron assembled in Ingolstadt.
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Supported by the Thuringian state government, the testing centre is equipped to assess a wide range of battery chemistries and formats. The facility conducts simulations for various charging conditions, evaluates performance under extreme temperatures down to -30°C, and tests charge and discharge characteristics based on real driving profiles.
“With the expansion of our test and validation centre, CATL is taking an important step to meet the growing demand for advanced battery solutions in Europe,” said Matt Shen, Managing Director of CATL Germany, in comments to German news agency dpa.
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The expansion aligns with CATL’s broader European growth strategy. The company plans to build a new €4.1 billion cell factory in Zaragoza, Spain, in partnership with Stellantis, and is also constructing a plant in Debrecen, Hungary, which is expected to begin operations next year, supplying customers including Mercedes-Benz.
CATL currently employs about 1,700 people in Arnstadt. While the workforce initially included many Chinese specialists, the company is now shifting towards local recruitment and vocational training. The plant’s training programmes cover areas such as machine operation, mechatronics, industrial mechanics, and warehouse logistics.
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In February, CATL confirmed plans to increase production at the Arnstadt plant, which was originally designed for an annual capacity of 14 GWh and represents an investment of €1.8 billion.
Source: Handelsblatt, Linkedin