Volkswagen enters partnerships to strengthen battery tech

The Volkswagen Group has entered into three more strategic partnerships to strengthen its position in the field of batteries.

The new partners are materials technology group Umicore, battery specialist 24M Technologies, and cleantech company Vulcan Energy Resources Ltd.

The three partnerships share the common goal of industrialising battery technology and increasing the volume production of even more sustainable, cutting-edge batteries.

Thomas Schmall, Member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Group for Technology and CEO of Volkswagen Group Components: “Volkswagen is implementing its battery strategy very consistently and at a high pace. Volkswagen’s unified cell must be at the forefront of performance, costs and sustainability right from the start. With our new partners, we are one step closer to reaching this goal. Together, we will focus on key parts of the battery value chain and develop cutting-edge technologies.”

Volkswagen AG and Umicore plan to establish a joint venture designed to supply Volkswagen AG’s European cell factories with cathode materials.

In order to develop cutting-edge production technology for its cell plants, Volkswagen AG is investing into Cambridge-based battery start-up 24M, a spin-off from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The goal is to industrialise the 24M technology, a semi-solid process that is an improvement over the dry coating process, in the automotive battery area.

Volkswagen AG and Vulcan Energy Resources Ltd meanwhile have signed an agreement regarding the supply of CO2-neutral lithium from the Upper Rhine Valley in Germany. The binding contract focuses on providing lithium hydroxide over a period of five years starting 2026. The product will contribute to securing Volkswagen demand for future in-house cell production both in Germany and Europe. Further aspects of a possible strategic partnership are under negotiation.