Škoda tops 1m battery systems, expands Czech plant
Škoda Auto is expanding its battery plant in Mladá Boleslav in the Czech Republic with a third line as it produces its millionth battery system.
The carmaker has been manufacturing high voltage traction batteries since 2019, when it launched battery production for the Superb iV with a plug-in hybrid powertrain. The company is focused exclusively on producing larger batteries for fully electric vehicles based on the VW MEB platform with two assembly lines achieving a combined daily output of 1,500 units, with one pack every 60s.
The modular packs consist of 8 to 13 modules with 16 to 26 cells and weigh up to 490kg to produce capacities ranging from 55 to 91 kWh for the Enyaq and Elroq models as well as other Volkswagen Group brands, such as Volkswagen, SEAT/CUPRA and Audi. This comes as VW battery partner Northvolt enters Chapter 11 protection from bankruptcy.
“Reaching the milestone of one million battery systems made by Škoda Auto for Volkswagen Group vehicles testifies to the dedication of our team and the close collaboration among the different brands. This achievement also highlights our commitment to sustainable mobility and our contribution to driving the industry’s transformation towards a greener future. With determination, we are now taking the next steps: Construction of an additional battery system facility in Mladá Boleslav is already underway,” said Andreas Dick, Škoda Auto Board Member for Production and Logistics.
Škoda Auto has been producing high-voltage battery systems since September 2019, when the assembly of traction batteries was launched for the plug-in hybrid Superb iV model. In May 2022, the Mladá Boleslav plant started manufacturing battery systems for all-electric vehicles based on the MEB platform.
In 2023, the production facilities in Mladá Boleslav were expanded with a second assembly line, increasing the total daily capacity to 1,500 battery systems alongside digitalisation.
Each shift involves approximately 90 employees working in a production area of around 10,500 m². In addition, 82 fully automated robots handle tasks such as managing particularly heavy components.
This June, Škoda Auto opened a state-of-the-art facility to optimise the quality control process of the final assembled batteries. The unique system uses computed tomography (CT) technology, capable of capturing intricate internal details as small as 4 microns (four-thousandths of a millimetre).
This technology provides highly detailed imaging of internal battery components, allowing potential irregularities in individual parts to be identified without dismantling the entire battery system. Moreover, the system can be used to examine cells that have already been in operation.
Škoda operates at three sites in the Czech Republic and has additional production capacity in China, Slovakia and India primarily through Group partnerships, as well as in Ukraine with a local partner.
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