ACC opens its first battery gigafactory

News | May 31, 2023

By Nick Flaherty

Automotive Batteries / Power Supplies

Battery startup ACC has opened its first gigafactory, based in Billy-Berclau/Douvrin, France, to supply European electric car makers Mercedes and Stellantis.

The first of the €850m project’s three production units will be operational before the end of 2023, with ramp-up scheduled for completion by the end of 2024.

The custom lithium ion technology for the battery cells was developed at the ACC R&D centre in Bruges which was set up in 2020 with battery maker Saft, a subsidiary of TotalEnergies. The industrial process was developed at the Nersac pilot plant in France since 2020. Equipment will be supplied by Siemens and

The site includes over 60,000 m2 of workshops, with an initial production line with a capacity of more than 13 GWh, rising to 40 GWh by 2030. ACC has also developed a local, skilled workforce that will contribute to the growth of the region with the creation of around 2,000 direct jobs by 2030. Two other companies, Verkor and ProLogium, are also setting up battery gigafactories in the same area.

Siemens digital twins for ACC battery gigafactories

Two other gigafactories are being built in Kaiserslautern, Germany, to open in 2025 and Termoli, Italy, by 2026. The aim is for ACC’s industrial capacity to reach 120 GWh at full capacity by 2030.

The site will have an industrial water consumption 5 to 10 times lower than that of a standard car manufacturing plant and will recycle 90% of its waste. The site has been classified SEVESO, a European regulation designed to maintain a high level of prevention and guarantee the highest standards and control in terms of safety.

ACC says it is committed to sourcing the strategic materials that make up its batteries, including cobalt, lithium, copper and nickel, from suppliers who support environmental and human rights standards, and says it actively contributing to the development of the batteries’ recycling industry.

“We are proud to have developed a battery technology in France, whose production in our three sites in France, Germany and Italy illustrates our commitment to European industrial sovereignty in a strategic sector that is currently dominated by competition from Asia, which accounts for 85% of global battery production. With this inauguration, all ACC employees are committed to contributing to the ecological transition of transport through the production of innovative batteries,” said Yann Vincent, Chief Executive Officer of ACC.

“ACC’s new plant marks a key milestone in Europe’s transformation to make its auto industry more resilient, competitive, and sustainable, also in the electric era. Together with our partners, we will develop and produce high-tech battery cells and modules in the heart of Europe, enabling Mercedes-Benz to build desirable electric cars for the world,” said Ola Källenius, Chief Executive Officer of Mercedes-Benz.

“ACC will produce tailor-made, high-performance batteries which are made exclusively for Mercedes-Benz and based upon our own specifications for the cell chemistry. Last year, we proved what is possible with this kind of battery: The Vision EQXX covered 1,200 kilometres in real-world traffic on a single battery charge,” he said.

The opening was attended by French and Italian politicians.

“This inauguration is the culmination of efforts undertaken several years ago to create ACC, with the aim of making it a European leader in the battery industry, based on technology developed in France,” said Carlos Tavares, Chief Executive Officer of Stellantis.

“The start of battery production at the same location where Stellantis used to produce – and still produces – internal combustion engines is a strong symbol. It shows how anticipation and constructive dialogue with our stakeholders – trade unions, employees, leading industrialists, local and regional elected officials, and the State – can help build a future for our employees in the context of intense change in our industry. The ACC Gigafactory will enable Stellantis’ electric vehicles to be equipped with high-tech batteries, serving clean, safe, and affordable mobility for all.”

The ACC project in Billy-Berclau/Douvrin has received support from the French government, the Hauts-de-France and Nouvelle-Aquitaine Regions, the Artois-Flandres Industrial Park, and the towns of Béthune-Bruay and Lens-Liévin.

www.acc-emotion.com