Valmet Automotive has commenced the mass production of battery systems in Kirchardt, Baden-Württemberg. The facility, which was announced almost two years ago, is now producing high-voltage battery systems for plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles.
This marks the company’s first German battery plant, and it has already received its first order: small-series production of modules, packs, and battery management systems for an unnamed sports car brand’s PHEV variant.
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Pre-series production for Valmet’s first major order from another customer is set to commence in the summer, with the customer being a German original equipment manufacturer (OEM) who has not yet been named. The factory, which was initially scheduled to begin operations by the end of 2022, was built close to the customer to minimize transport routes and conserve resources.
The identity of the client remains unknown, but Valmet had earlier suggested that it had been commissioned by a German carmaker as a Tier 1 supplier for a battery programme, with Audi being a potential candidate.
The Kirchardt facility is Valmet’s third plant for battery system production. It already operates a battery assembly plant in Salo, Finland, and another plant located in Uusikaupunki, directly attached to Valmet Automotive’s car plant, which produces battery modules for German production.
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Jyrki Nurmi, the Senior Vice President of the EV Systems (EVS) business line, Valmet Automotive, stated, “Since the start of production at our first battery plant in Salo, Finland, in 2019, we have delivered over 1 million battery systems for our customers’ hybrid, plug-in, and fully electric vehicles. The plant in Kirchardt, our first in Germany, will further strengthen Valmet Automotive as a leader in the production and development of battery systems.”
