Automotive Cells Company (ACC), a joint venture between Stellantis, Total, and Mercedes-Benz, held a grand opening for their Douvrin battery factory in France. Commercial production is expected to begin by the end of 2023. 

Automotive Cells Company (ACC) opened its first battery gigafactory in France. The lithium-ion battery factory was constructed in the Billy-Berclau Douvrin in the Hauts-de-France region, spanning over 60,000 square metres of land. Commercial production at the factory is expected by the end of 2023 with an estimated 8GWhpy of capacity. ACC states that the factory will reach its expected initial 13GWhpy production capacity by the end of 2024.

Beyond 2024, two additional production lines will be constructed within the factory to reach the limit of 40GWhpy capacity by 2030. Alongside the construction in Douvrin, ACC is also constructing two additional battery factories in Europe, one in Italy, and one in Germany.

Of the 60,000 square metres of production space, one-third, or 20,000 square metres, is a designated dry room. Sixteen mixers, with a volume of 1,600 litres each, have been installed in the hall to mix the active materials and auxiliary substances. Overall, capacity is expected to reach 56,000 cells per day, enough for 2.4 million battery modules, or between 200,000 and 300,000 Electric Vehicles (EV) per year, from the announced 13GWhpy capacity.

Project Blue’s battery demand outlook forecasts that EU battery demand will surpass 1 terawatt-hour per year by 2033. In response to this growing demand, ACC and others will need to significantly accelerate and grow the number of gigafactory projects in Europe in order for that demand to be met through domestic production within the region.