LG Chem plans to build a new factory in Europe
According to Reuters, the South Korean battery cell maker LG Chem is now looking for a site to build a new factory in Europe.
LG Chem is looking for a site to build a new factory in Europe, as it plans to more than double its global car battery capacity to 260 gigawatt hours (GWh) by 2023, from 120 GWh this year.
LG Chem already has two battery cell plants in Europe and both are in Poland where most of LG Chem’s global battery cell production is located. If production capacity is expanded at its already operating plants, LG Chem can produce 120 GWh annually and this would be enough to assemble more than 2 million (2.400.000) battery packs with 50 kWh each.
With a third battery cell plant in Europe LG Chem expects to reach a global annual production capacity of 260 GWh by 2023. This would be enough to produce more than 5 million (5.200.000) battery packs with 50 kWh each.
Anyway, I wonder how much of that production capacity will be allocated to produce cobalt-free battery cells. LG Chem has been experimenting with the LNMO chemistry for a while and I think that this will be the cobalt-free chemistry that South Korean battery cell makers will push for, leaving LFP and LFMP for the Chinese makers.
Meanwhile, BYD is already mass-producing its LFP (LiFePO4) cobalt-free Blade Batteries for its own electric cars. Currently with an annual production capacity of 20 GWh, that will be expanded to 40 GWh by next year and to 100 GWh by 2022.
#BYD Changsha blade battery plant topped out, #China media reports.
Equipment installation on 15 Oct, trial run prior 15 Dec. The 4 production lines to be running Apr 2021.
BYD to add blade battery lines in Shenzhen, Xi'an, Qinghai, Changsha, Guiyang as it plans 100 GWh by 2022. pic.twitter.com/15ESxoessk— Moneyball (@DKurac) August 22, 2020
More info:
http://www.businesskorea.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=44172
On the BYD front it is looking more likely that their cars or a version of them could be manufactured in Australia…
https://thedriven.io/2020/10/19/nexports-grand-vision-to-make-electric-cars-buses-and-trucks-in-nsw-lands-deal-with-byd/
Hope they do the same in Europe and North America. Localize production is very important to reduce pollution, costs and delivery times associated with long-distance shipping.
Yes, I agree that would be great.
BYD has been assembling buses in Europe for quite a while IIRC?
Thanks for the update Pedro. Very interesting that they might focus on LMNO type batteries.
Please don’t confuse LNMO (layered oxide, mostly nickel) with LMNO (HV-spinel, mostly manganese.)
I agree that it would be great to see LG push into cobalt-free production in Europe.
What is the most important advantage and disadvantage between LMNO and LFP?
LNMO is more energy dense. LFP and LFMP are cheaper.
https://pushevs.com/2020/09/29/svolt-unveils-interesting-data-on-its-cobalt-free-batteries/
Can we expect these chemistries in Renualt Zoe since they are buying cells from them? Would that lower the price of the vehicle?
The Renault ZOE just recently got new NCM 712 battery cells. I think it’ll take a while before it gets another battery upgrade/change.
But yes, adopting cobalt-free batteries would reduce production costs.
Last month was revealed that one of two locations LG is evaluating is the Nissan plant in Barcelona which will cease operations by December this year. This is the plant where the e-NV200 is/was made BTW. Apparently a joint venture with Seat, who has its own factory close by, is on the table. Seat has announced investments to start making EVs in Spain by 2024 (currently Seat EV models are made in Germany). Spanish Gov has offered LG 600M €.
http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20200921000709
https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2020/09/22/lg-on-verge-of-saving-nissans-doomed-barcelona-factory/
Thanks.
Do you have any links for LG experimenting with LNMO? While it seems very plausible, I haven’t seen anything on that front thus far…