The factory in the coastal town of Sines, around 100 kilometres (60 miles) south of the capital Lisbon, is due to become operational by the end of 2025.
Chinese battery manufacturer CALB has confirmed its plans to build a production facility for lithium-ion batteries in Portugal. The factory with an annual capacity of 15 gigawatt-hours is intended to start production in 2028. According CALB, the investment amounts to two billion euros.
China's CALB to invest $2 billion in EV battery factory in Portugal LISBON, Feb 21 (Reuters) – China's CALB, one of the world's largest battery makers for electric vehicles, said on Friday it would invest 2 billion euros ($2.09 billion) in a gigafactory in Portugal that is expected to start production in 2028.
Our factory will not only create new jobs, but will also place Portugal at the forefront of the production of batteries for electric vehicles in Europe,” said Liu Jingyu, chairman of the Board of Directors of CALB. Once operational, the plant will have a production capacity of 15 GWh of energy storage.
Alongside Spain, Portugal is leveraging its abundant lithium deposits to build a fully integrated supply chain, covering: Strengthening Europe's battery ecosystem by reducing reliance on Chinese manufacturers will enhance supply chain security and create a more resilient local production network for lithium-ion batteries.
According to CALB, the factory will create 1,800 direct jobs. Portugal has some of the world's largest reserves of lithium, a key ingredient in the batteries that power electric cars: an estimated 60,000 tonnes, according to the US Geological Survey. Read also: Lithium-Ion battery production goes global
In a statement sent to the Lusa news agency, the Chinese company, a global leader in the production of lithium-ion batteries, announced that the project for the construction of the latest generation lithium battery factory will be launched on Monday at the Técnico Innovation Center, in Lisbon.