The Volkswagen Group brand SEAT recently announced its decision to invest € 300 million towards a battery assembly plant in Martorell, Barcelona in Catalonia state of Spain. The battery cell facility is scheduled for completion in 2025.
The facility is expected to assemble battery cells sourced from VW's PowerCo gigafactory in Sagunto, Valencia. The battery assembly will also be linked to the automaker's EV production line meant for many of VW Group's electric cars.
"Today is a very important day because we are taking another step forward in our electrification plan. The plant will cover an area of 64,000 square meters, equivalent to about nine soccer fields", said Wayne Griffiths, CEO of SEAT and CUPRA brands.
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He also highlighted that "these facilities are fundamental for our company and also provide the impulse to obtain a second platform in Martorell, Barcelona". For Griffiths, "public-private cooperation is essential to accelerate the transformation, and in Spain, we have already taken some steps in the right direction".
According to news reports, Griffiths has noted that his company is currently focusing on electrifying the CUPRA brand at the moment, while SEAT may take some time until 2026 to roll out an EV on its own.
Over the long time, SEAT is investing €10 billion, claimed as the largest industrial investment in Spain's history, to electrify the automotive industry, create thousands of jobs, and maintain the country's competitiveness in the emerging e-mobility scenario.
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"This is a key moment for our industry. SEAT S.A. and the Volkswagen Group are committing significant resources to sustainable mobility. And to move forward in our ambition to make Spain a hub for European electric mobility", the CEO added.
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