Recently, Samsung SDI has been engaged in final-stage negotiations with Mercedes-Benz regarding a cooperation for the supply of prismatic batteries for electric vehicles. The core content of the cooperation is that Samsung SDI will supply prismatic batteries for new electric vehicle models to be launched by Mercedes-Benz in 2028. To ensure supply stability and cost control, both parties are exploring the establishment of a production base or dedicated production line exclusively for Mercedes-Benz in Europe. Potential candidate locations for the new factory include Austria, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. Industry insiders have revealed that the overall scale of this supply project is relatively large, with the battery supply expected to reach tens of GWh.

Agratas, the global battery arm of the Tata Group, has reached a major milestone at its Sanand facility in western India by completing the steel framework, bringing the lithium-ion battery plant closer to becoming operational. The company plans to begin production in 2027. In its initial phase, the plant is designed to deliver an annual capacity of 20 GWh. Once operational, it will manufacture advanced battery cells for electric vehicles and energy storage systems.

Caremag SAS, a French Carester subsidiary, has obtained €216 million in funding to establish a large rare-earth recycling and refining plant in Lacq, southern France, slated to begin operations by late 2026. The facility will process 2,000 t of magnets and 5,000 t of mining concentrates each year, making it Europe’s first major rare-earth recycler and a key Western producer of purified heavy rare earths. The project is supported by €110 million from Japanese investors and €106 million from the French government and will provide essential materials for electric vehicles, wind turbines, and electronics.

'Agratas', the global battery business of the Tata Group, has completed the steel frame for its battery manufacturing facility in Sanand, India, marking a major milestone toward its 2027 production target. The first phase of the project features an annual production capacity of 20 GWh, focusing on advanced battery cells for electric vehicles and energy storage applications. Executed by Tata Projects Ltd., the massive structure spans 105,000 square meters and utilized over 24,000 tonnes of steel. The company is now pivoting towards developing the necessary systems, processes, and a skilled workforce to deliver world-class batteries to the global market.

SK On will transition to a unified production system centered on its SK Battery America (SKBA) operations in Georgia to improve efficiency in North America. According to the company on the 3rd, starting April 6 (local time), production volumes from SKBA’s first plant will be transferred to the second plant. In addition, part of the second plant’s production lines will be converted from electric vehicle (EV) battery manufacturing to energy storage system (ESS) production. The Georgia Plant 1 has an annual capacity of 10GWh and began commercial operations in the first quarter of 2022, while Plant 2 has a capacity of 12GWh and started operations in the fourth quarter of 2022.

German company, Tozero, announced on March 27 (local time) the official launch of its industrial-scale demonstration plant. The company has built a facility at the Gendorf chemical park in Bavaria, Germany, capable of processing more than 1,500 tons of waste batteries annually. The process enables the recovery of lithium carbonate, graphite, and nickel-cobalt mixtures from spent batteries for reuse as battery raw materials. The plant is expected to recycle resources equivalent to batteries from approximately 6,000 electric vehicles per year, reducing reliance on landfill disposal.