French battery manufacturer Verkor has inaugurated its first battery cell gigafactory, in Bourbourg near Dunkirk.
The facility has an initial annual production capacity of 16 GWh. The commercialization of the first batteries is planned for 2026 for the A390 electric compact crossover SUV produced by French auto manufacturer Alpine. Verkor aims to reach 50 GWh of capacity by 2030.
Verkor has transferred its research activities from the Verkor Innovation Centre (VIC) in Grenoble to the Bourbourg Gigafactory. The aim is for the VIC to design and validate battery technologies and develop future chemistries and product platforms, while the gigafactory industrializes the technology at scale.
The pilot line at the VIC operates 24/7 and has produced tens of thousands of cells. For several months, the gigafactory has been assembling modules from VIC cells and is now manufacturing its own cells.
Since 2020, Verkor has secured more than €3 billion to support the two facilities from several industrial and financial players, and has the support of a consortium of international banks and public institutions such as the European Investment Bank and the French government.
“The inauguration of our Gigafactory, five years after Verkor’s creation, marks the culmination of an exceptional commitment from our teams and the steadfast support of our partners,” said Benoit Lemaignan, CEO of Verkor. “Driven by strong political ambition, this milestone symbolizes Verkor’s transition into a European industrial company and opens the way for the imminent delivery of our batteries.”
Source: Verkor
