Following Tesla, BASF also moves to Brandenburg

Tesla’s decision to build Gigafactory 4 in Germany was risky, but strategically correct, and it encouraged BASF to build a new battery factory in Brandenburg.

As expected, the choice fell on the Schwarzheide site in Lausitz. Reuters reports that the Chemical Company announced Wednesday that cathode materials for electric vehicle batteries will be produced there.

The company did not want to comment on the amount of investment. However, BASF has set itself the goal of investing 400 million euros in the production of battery materials in Europe. Harjavalta in Finland has already been selected as the first place for this.

Foto: Patrick Pleul/dpa

Federal Minister of Economics Peter Altmaier spoke of a strong signal for Brandenburg and Germany’s future as a car location. By the end of the decade, tens of thousands of new jobs could be created in the production of battery cells in Germany. Opel plans to produce batteries in Kaiserslautern from 2024, as well as sell them to other companies. A subsidiary of the French car manufacturer PSA plans to invest two billion euros in it and it will provide up to 2,000 new jobs. About half a million cars a year may be equipped with Kaiserslautern battery cells in the future.

The BASF Schwarzheide plant will have a funding volume of over 100 million euros. All details of this will be announced only in the spring. The plant can also count on financing from Brandenburg.

Finnish-made primary products will be used at the new BASF plant, and they will have an initial capacity that will equip about 400,000 electric vehicles with battery materials.

The state of Brandenburg is pleased that Tesla, with its presence, is pushing other manufacturers focused on the development of new automotive technologies to settle here. “We now have the opportunity to create a new value chain in Brandenburg that spans the entire spectrum of new drive concepts,” said Christian Amsinc, general manager of business associations Berlin-Brandenburg. “Adequate capacity for the production of batteries is extremely important for the future of the German automotive industry.”

Brandenburg Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke added: “Two wheels mate with Tesla and BASF.” According to Altmaier, Tesla’s decision to invest in Brandenburg was reinforcement for BASF.

Altmaier emphasized that Tesla does not receive any special treatment other than normal government subsidies. Brandenburg is currently considering assistance for the construction of the plant, and everything looks good here.

Featured image: BASF