BMZ Acquires TerraE & Aims to Establish German Li-ion Cell Production
The BMZ Group, the largest producer of lithium-ion battery systems in Europe, takes over the majority of TerraE, with the goal to build the first cell production in Germany by 2020. The company, which was originally founded with four shareholders, will in future be managed by Sven Bauer, CEO & Founder of the BMZ Group, and will resume its business operations.
In addition to the €120 million that BMZ is already investing in the expansion of battery production lines, the global player continues to pursue the clear path to placing cell production in its home country of Germany. If Germany, more than ever, needs its own cell production, then BMZ, as the largest buyer of Asian cells to date, is the best shareholder that one can have on board for this challenge.
"We are pleased to be able to continue the plans for a German cell production through the takeover of TerraE in order to cover the enormous economic demand for battery cells in our own country," says Sven Bauer.
"Especially in the Electromobility segment, we will use the cells produced by TerraE in the future to build high-tech battery systems for BMZ automotive customers," Bauer concluded.
BMZ already supplies Germany's largest electric vehicle fleet with lithium-ion battery packs. Even newcomers, who have announced the first mass-market e-vehicles for 2019, rely on the 25-year experience of the Lower Franconian battery experts.
Developments of the consortium Fab4Lib are progressing
The Fab4Lib consortium led by TerraE Holding, consisting of 19 European companies and institutes, will be continued with all partners. As planned, Fab4Lib will deliver results in 2019 on competitive production in the area of lithium-ion technology, which will be incorporated directly into large-scale serial production of battery cells. The funding project also maintains talks with several federal states regarding a location decision.
Production start 2020
A total investment of around €300 million were already promised by BMZ for the 4GWh output planned in the first phase of expansion. In the medium-term TerraE aims for a cell production with a volume of 8GWh.
