Startec Energy signs up for industrial partnership with Verkor
In France, Renault-backed battery cell manufacturer Verkor is partnering with industry group Startec Energy to develop and commercialise recyclable battery packs for electric mobility. The partnership aims to commercialise an annual volume of up to 1 GWh by 2030.
Verkor will provide cylindrical and pouch cells with the launch of its first industrial facility, the Verkor Innovation Centre (VIC) in Grenoble, to be integrated into battery packs by Startec Energy at a new factory in Pompignac, near Bordeaux. The aim is to capture a large share of the market, Verkor said in a statement.
Verkor’s know-how in the production of high-performance battery cells will be combined with Startec Energy’s expertise in the development and production of customised battery packs and intelligent systems. With the long-term commercial partnership, Verkor diversifies its market presence with new applications, Startec Energy secures its procurement and thus drives the industrial implementation of its French design strategy.
“This new collaboration opens up even more possibilities for Verkor by providing access to wider markets, thanks to a specialised partner with a common ambition, namely to manufacture low-carbon batteries in France,” says Benoit Lemaignan, CEO and co-founder of Verkor.
While Verkor’s R&D and pilot plant are located in Grenoble, the company announced earlier this year that it would build its first battery cell factory in the northern French port city of Dunkerque on the border with Belgium. Construction of the plant is to begin next year, with production starting in 2025 with a capacity of 16 GWh. By 2030, the plant is to be expanded to 50 GWh. The battery cells will primarily be supplied to Renault Group, which, as reported, entered into a strategic partnership with Verkor last summer.
In a financing round last year, the French battery company raised 100 million euros from investors. Among other things, the money is to be used to build up battery cell development and production in France.
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