CATL is getting closer to opening up its EV battery plant in Germany

CATL has announced on Twitter that the company received its second partial approval for battery cell production in Arnstadt, Thuringia in Germany.

Our German plant #CATT has received the 2nd partial approval for battery cell production! Located in Arnstadt, Thuringia, CATT, the first cell production facility in Germany, is expected to start cell production at the end of 2022.
For more information: https://t.co/8Jrba2YKSn pic.twitter.com/FrdFqAbRIy

— CATL (@catl_official) April 6, 2022

According to the company, the plant is in the final construction and machine installation stage.

Once up and running at the end of 2022, the plant will produce 8 GWh of batteries.

The plant is costing CATL $2 billion and will manufacture enough battery cells for 120,000 EVs.

Although it has been smooth sailing for the Chinese company, many thought they would face some issues.

However, these latest approvals suggest that Germany is still keeping an open door to investors, especially global investors.

CATL’s President for Europe has this to say at the announcement,

The project “provides a fundamental impetus for the urgently needed energy transition. We are glad to be the first company to receive approval.”

Once up and running, the CATL battery plant will be the first made-in-Germany battery.

The new plant will allow CATL to supply Tesla down the road and other major automakers in Germany and across the European Union.

Arnstadt is roughly 3.5 hours away from Tesla’s Giga Berlin factory.

CATL did not provide a timeline of when exactly the plant will open nor did they confirm the next approval phase for the plant.