InoBat, a Slovakian battery company, has announced the official start of production for its battery cells in Slovakia, marking a significant milestone in the company’s journey. The company has successfully produced its first cells on a pilot line in Voderady and is now gearing up for large-scale production in partnership with Gotion High-Tech.
The pilot line, inaugurated at the end of 2023, has the capacity to produce up to 50,000 cells per year. The equipment for the production line is sourced from Wuxi Lead, a Chinese company that also supplies Volkswagen. With all necessary certifications in place and employees trained, InoBat is ready to begin production of its high-performance cells.
CEO of InoBat, Marián Boček, expressed pride in the company’s achievement, stating, “We not only manufacture batteries but also design and tailor them to meet each customer’s needs. This process requires exceptional knowledge and specialised skills, and I am proud that we have developed it in Slovakia.” The preparation for production involved careful adaptation of technological processes and ensuring an adequate supply of qualified personnel.
The production line consists of 35 machines covering the process from the preparation of the anode and cathode mixtures to the final formation. InoBat’s partnership with Gotion High-Tech includes plans for a large battery cell factory in Šurany, Slovakia, with an annual capacity of 20 gigawatt hours, potentially expandable to 40 GWh. Production is set to commence in the second quarter of 2026, with series production starting in 2027, providing employment for ‘more than 1,500 people.’
Gotion InoBat Batteries (GIB), the alliance between the Slovakian and Chinese companies, will begin building the factory this year. The Slovakian government will provide subsidies, offer a 65-hectare site, prepare the building plot, and ensure the connection to the power grid. InoBat, however, has not commented on whether the timetable will be maintained in light of the current weakening demand for electric vehicles.
InoBat’s core objective is to supply customers with customized battery cells tailored for their specific applications. Using high-throughput screening and artificial intelligence, the company aims to identify the right cell chemistry for each use case. Potential customers include those from the passenger car, commercial vehicle, motorsport, and aerospace sectors.
Patrick Križanský, Director of the Slovak Association for Electromobility, highlighted Europe’s potential and strategic location in the automotive industry. He stated, “InoBat is evidence that with favorable conditions and incentives for research and development, innovations competitive on a global scale can emerge in Slovakia.”
InoBat’s strategic investors and partners include Rio Tinto, Gotion, Amara Raja, Lilium, International Finance Corporation (IFC), Slovak Investment Holding (SIH), and original backers IPM Group, Avanea, and Across. Additionally, InoBat has received or is receiving subsidies from several EU funding programs and the Slovakian government.
