Electric truck - Traton examines battery factory - Salzgitter hopes to be awarded the contract
The Volkswagen Trucks subsidiary Traton is testing the construction of an additional battery factory for its brands MAN and Scania. Potential locations include Salzgitter in Germany, Krakow in Poland, or Zwolle in the Netherlands, according to a MAN spokesperson speaking to the German Press Agency.
Decisions are still in an early stage. The spokesperson indicated that the decision to build a new plant is expected to fall in the fall, and production could begin as early as the beginning of the 2030s. A purchase of batteries from a supplier is also a possibility. Previously, the "Braunschweiger Zeitung" reported on this.
Niedersachsen's Economy Minister Olaf Lies expressed optimism about the possibility of attracting the new Traton plant to Salzgitter. "I am quite certain that we can make a compelling case that Niedersachsen and especially Salzgitter would be the ideal location," said the SPD politician. The Traton parent company Volkswagen is already building a battery cell factory in Salzgitter, which is scheduled to start production in 2025. MAN operates a components plant in the city, which has previously supplied axles.
Meanwhile, Daimler Truck has begun construction on its first battery cell factory in the United States. The company announced that the groundbreaking ceremony had taken place in the US state of Mississippi. Production is planned for 2027.
The joint venture Amplify Cell Technologies was announced in September. Daimler Truck entered into a partnership with Accelera, a division of US engine manufacturer Cummins, and US truck manufacturer Paccar for this project.
A 500-hectare site in Byhalia is planned for the new facility, which will have a production capacity of over 185,000 square meters and a yearly production capacity of 21 gigawatt-hours. This would be enough for 35,000 electric trucks with a battery capacity of 600 kilowatt-hours. Over 2,000 jobs are expected to be created at the factory.
MAN plans to celebrate a groundbreaking ceremony for its new battery factory in Nuremberg in the fall. Unlike Daimler Truck and Volkswagen, no battery cells will be produced here. Instead, cells will be purchased externally and then assembled into batteries, according to the spokesperson.
Approximately 100,000 battery modules per year are planned to be produced in Nuremberg, which would be enough for about 20,000 electric trucks. The same capacity is also planned for the new location. The investment volume is reportedly around 200 million euros, according to the "Braunschweiger Zeitung".
Given the anticipated surge in demand for electric heavy-duty trucks, it is already clear that the capacities of the two existing plants will not be sufficient in the 2030s. Therefore, efforts are already underway to expand battery production. Unlike the existing MAN and Scania factories, the new location will supply both Traton brands.
MAN will start delivering its new electric truck eTGX model this year, and 1,500 units are expected to be sold next year. By 2040, MAN plans to deliver every second truck with an electric drive. According to the company, this would amount to approximately 40,000 units per year.
Traton is considering building an additional battery factory for MAN and Scania in Salzgitter, Krakow, or Zwolle. The Volkswagen-owned company already has a battery cell factory in Salzgitter set to start production in 2025. Daimler Truck begins construction of its first battery cell factory in Mississippi, USA, with production scheduled for 2027.
Manufacturing at the new Traton plant is expected to start in the early 2030s, and a decision will be made by fall. MAN's components plant in Salzgitter has previously supplied axles to the company. In contrast, Daimler Truck will produce batteries at its US facility, purchasing cells externally for assembly.
Amplify Cell Technologies, a joint venture between Daimler Truck, Accelera, and Paccar, is building a new battery factory in Mississippi with a production capacity of 21 gigawatt-hours annually. This capacity is enough for 35,000 electric trucks, with over 2,000 jobs expected to be created at the site.
MAN is planning to celebrate a groundbreaking ceremony in Nuremberg for its new battery factory, with an investment volume of around 200 million euros. Unlike Daimler Truck and Volkswagen, MAN will purchase cells externally and assemble them into batteries in Nuremberg.
The new plant will have a yearly production capacity of 100,000 battery modules, enough for approximately 20,000 electric trucks per year. By 2040, MAN aims to deliver every second truck with an electric drive, amounting to 40,000 units annually. The anticipated surge in demand for electric heavy-duty trucks necessitates the expansion of battery production.
Traton's subsidiary MAN will start delivering the electric truck eTGX model this year, with 1,500 units expected to be sold in 2022. Niedersachsen's Economy Minister Olaf Lies is optimistic about attracting the new Traton plant to Salzgitter. The German Press Agency reports on the potential locations for the new battery factory.
Germany and the Netherlands are among the potential locations for the new Traton plant, along with Poland. Scania-Vabis is a subsidiary of Traton. Lower Saxony, Bavaria, Hanover, and Baden-Württemberg are German locations that could potentially house the new factory. The electrical industry in America, particularly in Mississippi, is an emerging sector.
