ThyssenKrupp System Engineering building assembly line for Li-ion battery systems for Renault
31 October 2011
ThyssenKrupp System Engineering has received the order to plan and build an automatic assembly line for the manufacturing of Li-ion battery systems for Renault electric drive vehicles in France. The work is already underway. Renault has so far announced four electric drive models.
The entire cell production process at the plant and the module and battery assembly will be researched and developed at a technical school near Chemnitz which is being established.
Significant metrics for the plant are product cost and quality.
Is this the battery factory that will supply the Nissan Leaf in Europe?
Posted by: Herm | 31 October 2011 at 07:02 AM
In the not too distant future, standardized modular batteries, will be manufactured worldwide. Electrified vehicle manufacturers and EV buyers will be able to select batteries much the same way as they select tires and wheels. Many future EVs may be sold without the battery modules. EV buyers will decide if the buy or rent particular battery modules.
It should not be much of a challenge to design an electrified vehicle able to accept 4 to 8 or up to 12 standardized battery modules. Larger vehicles would use more modules or more powerful modules. The on board and other charging systems will recognize the installed battery configuration and supply the power accordingly or the on-board battery modules with automatically adjust their configuration to the charger.
Posted by: HarveyD | 31 October 2011 at 09:05 AM
@Herm - I believe that all LEAF batteries for Europe will be built out of the factory currently under construction in Sunderland, England. That factory is scheduled to go online in 2013.
Posted by: Dave R | 31 October 2011 at 10:12 AM
The Renault Kangou is the Leaf's grandfather? As such, they will probably share many components, including battery modules, chargers, e-ancillaries etc.
Posted by: HarveyD | 31 October 2011 at 12:28 PM