SVOLT Expands Global Footprint with Battery Module and Pack Plant in Thailand

SVOLT, the battery cell manufacturer that emerged from the Chinese carmaker Great Wall, has begun setting up a plant in Thailand for the assembly of battery modules and packs for electric and hybrid cars. Completion is scheduled for this year.

The firm has begun the construction of a module and pack factory at Sri Racha in Thailand’s Chon Buri Province. The first factory of its kind in the Southeast Asian country strengthens SVOLT’s presence in the thriving Thai electrified vehicle market.

SVOLT’s presence in Thailand is realized through its wholly owned subsidiary, SVOLT Energy Technology (Thailand) Co. Ltd. The factory is designed to have an annual production capacity of approximately 60,000 module packages, the company statement notes.

Battery Cell Production

The upcoming plant will not be constructed from scratch. A locally leased facility will be transformed to accommodate the production needs. This explains the relatively short timeframe between the current start of construction and the targeted completion within six months.

The Sri Racha plant will consist of two dedicated production lines. One will focus on manufacturing modules for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). The other one will produce modules and packs for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs). These production lines will utilize independently developed pouch cells and prismatic cells, incorporating advanced automated welding processes and monitoring equipment to ensure efficient and high-quality production.

SVOLT intends to supply batteries to its existing customers, including Great Wall Motor and Hozon, while also engaging in negotiations with potential new customers in Thailand. While SVOLT has not disclosed the exact investment amount, local media reports estimate it to be around $30 million.

Currently, SVOLT operates eleven production sites in China and plans to establish five battery cell factories in Europe. The company aims to achieve a total production capacity of at least 50 gigawatt-hours in Europe by the end of the decade.

SVOLT has already announced two sites in Germany, with one of them set to supply Stellantis starting in 2025. The conversion of an existing plant into a 12-gigawatt facility in Lauchhammer, Brandenburg, is currently in progress. However, the start of construction for a planned €2 billion factory in Saarland has been delayed to at least 2027 due to local protests. Nonetheless, SVOLT has secured a lease for its future assembly plant for battery modules and packs at the Heusweiler site in Saarland, signed in December.