Gotion High-tech's Battery Achieves "Made In Germany"
-The first battery product produced at Gotion Germany Battery GmbH has been officially launched
-Stephan Weil, Governor of Lower Saxony, and other Chinese and German dignitaries jointly witnessed the ceremony
-Simultaneously, Gotion signed contracts with many internationally renowned companies such as BASF, ABB, Ebusco, and Ficosa
On the morning of September 16, the first locally produced battery product was officially launched in Göttingen, a famous university town in central Germany. This is a milestone event for Gotion's first battery production and operation base in Europe. The ceremony was witnessed by Stephan Weil, Governor of Lower Saxony, and Cong Wu, Consul General of China in Hamburg. On the same day, Gotion also signed cooperation agreements with internationally renowned companies such as BASF, ABB, Ebusco, and Ficosa.
At the event, participating guests collectively pressed the start button to formally launch the first automated battery pack production line at Gotion's German base. When an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) slowly transported the first battery pack from the testing area to the guests, everyone erupted in enthusiastic applause. "I'm very lucky, it's a very good moment in my life." Andreas, a worker at the Göttingen factory who just signed the first battery pack, shared his excitement with more than 200 colleagues. The official commissioning and operation of the battery pack production line demonstrate that Gotion has achieved localized production and supply in Europe. Gotion's batteries have officially embarked on the path of "Made in Germany".
"Our Göttingen factory's production line is highly automated, with an overall automation level of nearly 70%, and close to 80% in the module assembly stage," said Ray Chen, Vice President of Gotion Global. Klaus Gohde, General Manager of the Göttingen plant, stressed that there is a high degree of consensus and consistency of action among the Göttingen team in promoting the transformation of the plant from ICE business to battery business in a "One Gotion" approach. In addition, Steven Cai, Gotion's CTO, also unveiled the company's strategic planning in Europe. As he introduced, the current battery pack capacity plan for the Göttingen factory is 20GWh, which is expected to be completed in four phases. Once fully operational, it is estimated to generate an annual output value of EUR 2 billion. Peter Willemsen, COO of Gotion Global and managing director of the German entities, said that the spirit of cooperation between China and Europe was important in efforts to "make Europe green again". The first production line of Gotion's Göttingen factory was officially put into mass production today. At present, the factory has received a large number of orders from Europe. It is expected that it can supply products for European customers from October. "The battery pack products from the factory include those for commercial vehicles, energy storage systems, and passenger vehicles. Additionally, the factory will serve as an R&D, logistics, and after-sales service center for Gotion's European production and operations base."
The high demand for orders was evident in the signing ceremony. On September 16, Gotion High-tech signed cooperation agreements with five internationally renowned companies, covering various aspects such as battery materials, product development, and the supply of automotive and energy storage products. Specifically, Gotion will further collaborate with BASF on battery material-related projects. Gotion and ABB from Switzerland will work together on battery product supply and technology R&D, to support Gotion's new factories in Europe and the United States. Cooperation with Ebusco will focus on the development and production of energy storage battery systems and wind and solar energy storage projects. In addition, Gotion will cooperate with Ficosa and Idneo in intelligent mobile energy storage and charging vehicles, battery banking, battery recycling, BMS, and Big Data engineering.
Li Zhen, Chairman of Gotion, delivered the opening speech: “I would like to extend a warm welcome to the Anhui Economic and Trade Friendship Delegation to join us for this special occasion. Throughout the settlement of Gotion's factory in Göttingen, the governments of China and Germany have offered strong support and assistance, which Gotion feels deeply moved and appreciative of. Moreover, we've seen the presence of many European enterprises gathering here to support our localized battery production in Göttingen. I believe we can make joint efforts to promote carbon emission reduction in the EU. The transformation of the Göttingen factory has encountered various challenges. However, the official launch of the first battery pack today stands as a testament to the hard work and ingenuity displayed by all the factory's employees. I am truly grateful for everyone's contributions. Lastly, we look forward to collaborating with European enterprises to promote EU carbon emissions reduction and foster the dynamic growth of both new energy vehicles and industries. I hope for a successful global energy transition.
Michael Schumann, Chairman of the Board of the Federal Association for Economic Development and Foreign Trade (BWA), said, "At present, Chinese enterprises employ over 100,000 individuals in Germany, a number that continues to grow. This workforce plays a crucial role in providing significant technical impetus in key areas of the future. Germany will have at least 15 million all-electric vehicles on its roads by 2030, and it is still a long way from achieving this goal. Gotion has made a long-term commitment to Germany and Göttingen, and I wish you great success. In particular, the exemplary path your company set will serve as a precedent for more investors to emulate. This will enrich Germany as a hub for technology and business while strengthening the friendship between the peoples of China and Germany."
Ms. Petra Broistedt said that it was remarkable to see the inauguration of the battery production line and the operation of the state-of-the-art battery pack assembly line at the former Göttingen factory of Bosch. Göttingen takes pride in welcoming Gotion's battery factory as part of its big family. She expressed, "I am also pleased to see that Gotion can work with local universities and colleges to promote school-enterprise R&D and enhance the R&D capability of enterprises. The best time to plant a tree was ten years ago, and the second best time is now. Göttingen is very willing to work with Gotion to find a new path for international cooperation in the battery industry."
In his speech, Mr. Stephan Weil, Governor of Lower Saxony, expressed that the 40-year cooperation between Lower Saxony and Anhui Province is the first of its kind. In the past, engines were the most important parts of fuel vehicles, but in the future, batteries will be the core components of electric vehicles. Therefore, it is of great and far-reaching significance for Gotion to acquire Bosch's Göttingen factory. "I would like to thank Bosch for its contributions over the years to Göttingen and Lower Saxony. But I'm also glad Gotion took the baton." Mr. Stephan Weil said Gotion from China's Anhui Province enjoys a high reputation in the battery field and has bright prospects. Volkswagen Group is the largest shareholder of Gotion. Lower Saxony is the largest automotive state in Germany. The Göttingen factory project has a distinct advantage as it allows Gotion to manufacture power battery products that cater to the broad market demand in Göttingen for decades to come. It is hoped that Lower Saxony will be able to contribute to the transformation of the automotive industry, and I am confident that it can do it.