LG Chem plans to build a new factory in Europe

LG Chem Global Manufacturing Capacity

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.

 

 

 

More info:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-lg-chem-ceo/top-ev-battery-maker-lg-chem-in-jv-talks-with-automakers-ceo-idUSKBN2710PG

http://www.businesskorea.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=44172

Pedro Lima

My interest in electric transportation is mostly political. I’m tired of coups and wars for oil. My expectation is that the adoption of electric transportation will be a factor for peace and democracy all over the world.

14 Responses

  1. yoyo says:

    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/

  2. Marcel says:

    Thanks for the update Pedro. Very interesting that they might focus on LMNO type batteries.

    • antrik says:

      Please don’t confuse LNMO (layered oxide, mostly nickel) with LMNO (HV-spinel, mostly manganese.)

  3. Maximilian Holland says:

    I agree that it would be great to see LG push into cobalt-free production in Europe.

  4. Rok says:

    What is the most important advantage and disadvantage between LMNO and LFP?

  5. Rodri says:

    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/

  6. antrik says:

    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…

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