Depending on permits, series production is expected to begin in March or April next year at CATL’s battery factory in Debrecen, the company’s general manager for European operations announced on Wednesday in the eastern Hungarian city.
Matt Shen said that module assembly began in Debrecen in 2024, and so far, 30,000 electric car modules have been manufactured at their local plant. Cell production is in the home stretch: production lines are being installed continuously so that series production can begin as soon as possible.
To this end, the current workforce of 1,000 will be increased to 1,500 in the first quarter of next year,
he added.
Matt Shen also pointed out that electric cars are becoming increasingly popular in Europe: 26 percent of vehicles sold on the continent are electric, and this figure could reach 29 percent by the end of the year. Founded 15 years ago, China’s CATL has become a global market leader, with 200 car manufacturers among its partners and a market share of 37.9 percent, he explained.
He added that their battery designed for the European market is now ready, allowing cars to travel more than 750 kilometers on a single charge, with a short charging time even in extreme cold. Their factory in Germany is already operational, series production in Debrecen will start soon, and their third factory in Spain is “under development.”
Balázs Szilágyi, Public Affairs Manager at CATL, announced at the Debrecen press conference that
they had submitted the third version of the environmental permit for the Debrecen factory this year. Compared to the previous version, the total amount of emissions has been cut by 43 percent, drinking-water and energy use in production have each been reduced by a third, he said.
Regarding gray water use, he said that the plant’s connection to the local water supply will be completed in the spring. Until then, surface water—water from the Tisza River and rainwater—will be used, and after that, a mixture of surface water and treated wastewater in a specific ratio, known as gray water, will be used for production.
In response to a question about the synthetic organic compound N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), that is considered hazardous and is used as a solvent in battery production, he said that the limit for NMP had been significantly reduced to one milligram per cubic meter.
Alexandra Kitta, recruitment manager, said that they are constantly recruiting new workers, with two-thirds of the current workforce of 1,000 being local employees and one-third being foreign. Their goal is to employ as many local workers as possible, with 80 percent of the workforce being manual laborers and 20 percent being white-collar workers, she added. The recruitment manager noted that they have a strategic cooperation agreement with the Debrecen Vocational Training Center and the University of Debrecen, and they also play their part in the cultural life of the city.
Via MTI, Featured image: Facebook/CATL Debrecen
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