2023-08-04 00:08:48
The investment could translate into thousands of jobs. The European Commission authorized Thursday the French State to pay a subsidy of 1.5 billion euros to the Taiwanese manufacturer ProLogium to install its first European battery factory in Dunkirk (North).
The aid will constitute, according to the company, “solid support for the ProLogium project for the research and development of a new generation of batteries for electric vehicles as well as for the installation of a gigafactory of 48 gigawatt hours in Dunkirk”. , enough to equip hundreds of thousands of vehicles each year.
The group will receive the 1.5 billion euro subsidy “depending on the company’s investment milestones,” said the Ministry of the Economy. The total investment planned is 5.2 billion euros, with 3,000 jobs in the factory and 12,000 other indirect jobs for the territory.
The North of France at the heart of battery manufacturing
The manufacture of batteries for electric cars has become a key sovereignty issue, and producing them on its soil is now a priority in Europe and North America, while China still dominates the sector.
Dunkirk is also to host the factory of the French start-up Verkor. The first French battery factory was opened at the end of May by Stellantis, Total and Mercedes in Billy-Berclau (Pas-de-Calais), while Renault is to open its own in Douvrin (North) with the Chinese Envision.
The Dunkirk project will contribute to “promoting an innovative value chain for batteries for electric vehicles in Europe, while limiting any distortions of competition”, underlined Margrethe Vestager, the European Commissioner for Competition.
The Commission has approved the grant under the European framework for state aid for research, development and innovation (RDIF), the group said in a press release.
Assistance that can be repaid
The Taiwanese group is betting on solid electrolyte batteries, a promising solution in terms of performance and safety, but whose production is not fully controlled. ProLogium’s first full-scale demonstration line is scheduled to go live in late 2023 in Taoyuan, Taiwan.
ProLogium is committed to actively sharing the technical know-how acquired within the framework of its French project with industry and the academic world, specifies the European Commission.
In addition, if the project proves to be a great success and generates additional net income, the beneficiary “will repay to France part of the aid received within the framework of a recovery mechanism”, according to the Commission.
ProLogium is due to launch a public consultation around the Dunkirk project in September. The construction of the plant should begin in the second half of 2024, for an estimated production launch at the end of 2026.
The establishment will be located not far from the Stellantis battery factory, inaugurated at the end of May, but also those of Renault and Verkor. ProLogium also indicated that it was looking for a location for its research and development center.
The global battle rages around battery manufacturing. In North America, Stellantis has harshly negotiated subsidies from the Canadian government for its Ontario plant, while the United States will lend nearly $10 billion to Ford for the construction of three battery factories.
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