Volkswagen and Bosch have announced a partnership that aims for the two companies to become leaders in the industrialisation of battery production.
Volkswagen and Bosch want to industrialize manufacturing processes for battery cells. Credit: Volkswagen
Front left to right: Thomas Schmall, Volkswagen Group Board Member for Technology; Frank Blome, Head of Battery Volkswagen Group, Sebastian Wolf, Head of Operations Battery Cell Volkswagen Group.
Back left to right: Günter Krenz, General Manager Bosch Manufacturing Solutions, Rolf Najork, Member of the Board of Management, Robert Bosch GmbH, Aemen Bouafif, Assistant to the Bosch Board of Management. Credit: Volkswagen
The two companies plan to supply integrated battery production systems as well as on-site ramp-up and maintenance support for battery cell and system manufacturers. The aim is to establish cost and technology leadership in the industrialisation of battery technology and the volume production of sustainable, cutting-edge batteries.
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Through the “local for local” production approach, this will also be a step towards the objective of carbon-neutral mobility. In Europe alone, the Volkswagen Group plans to build six cell factories by 2030.
The companies aim to supply the entire range of processes and components needed for the large-scale manufacture of battery cells and systems.
In a press release, Volkswagen said that for both partners, this alliance was a further step towards playing leading roles in the world of eMobility and that the partnership will draw on complementary areas of expertise.
"While Volkswagen is an accomplished at-scale automaker and is on its way to becoming a major battery cell manufacturer, Bosch has excellent know-how in factory automation and systems integration," the release said.
Thomas Schmall, Member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Group, said that Europe has the unique chance to become a global battery powerhouse in the years to come.
"Volkswagen and Bosch will explore opportunities to develop and shape this novel, multi-billion-euro industry in Europe. Setting out to establish a fully localised European supply chain for eMobility made in Europe certainly marks a rare opportunity in business history."
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Rolf Najork, Member of the Board of Management of Robert Bosch Group and Chairman of the Executive Board of Bosch Rexroth, said: "Together with Volkswagen, we seek a path to industrialise production processes for battery cells with standardised equipment.
"With more than 135 years of automotive experience and our proven industrialisation expertise, we want to serve the growing demand for batteries. European industry has the potential to become a technology driver for the ecological transformation of the economy."
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