The European Union could self sufficient in automotive batteries for electric vehicles by 2025 to according to European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic. The development would end the reliance on imported cells, with China currently responsible for some 80% of lithium ion cell production.

Sefcovic said, “I am confident that by 2025, the EU will be able to produce enough battery cells to meet the needs of the European automotive industry, and even to build our export capacity.”

There are currently 15 battery cell production facilities in construction across Europe, in Sweden, Germany and Hungary. When they all come on stream it is expected that they will satisfy capacity for up to 6 million electric vehicles.

Battery powered vehicles and plug in hybrids are seen as the major growth areas for European car production as the EU looks to become carbon neutral by 2050.  Sales of these types of vehicle are expected to double in 2020 and break the one million units barrier. This is against a backdrop of a sharp decline in petrol and diesel vehicle sales due to Coronavirus.

The EU anticipates there be 13 million low-emissions vehicles on Europe’s roads by 2025.