The Chinese battery manufacturer $3750 (+3.18%) CATL is doubling its test capacities in Arnstadt, Thuringia. This will make it one of the largest test centers for battery cells in Europe by the beginning of 2026, a company spokesperson said in response to a dpa inquiry.
In future, CATL will have more than 300 test stations at its disposal where, among other things, the charging speed of cells will be tested under various environmental conditions such as freezing temperatures or heat. Battery performance and safety will be tested in general.
The expansion of capacity is a response to the European expansion strategy of CATL, one of the world's largest manufacturers of energy storage systems, primarily for the automotive industry. According to the company, additional production capacities for batteries will be created at several locations in the coming years, including in Hungary and Spain.
》Reaction to rising demand for batteries《
"With the expansion of our test and validation center, CATL is taking an important step to meet the growing demand for advanced battery solutions in Europe," explained Matt Shen, Managing Director Germany.
The company has been producing battery cells in Arnstadt since 2023. Production is to be gradually ramped up. Around 1,700 people are currently employed at the Thuringian site.
Contemporary Amperex Technology Thuringia GmbH supplies various car manufacturers in Germany and Europe. According to the ministry, Thuringia's Economics Minister Colette Boos-John (CDU) will visit CATL's headquarters in Ningde, China, in October. She will be traveling with a business delegation to China from next Saturday.
》New materials laboratory also under construction《
According to the company, the test center in the immediate vicinity of the large production facilities at the "Erfurter Kreuz" near Arnstadt has been officially certified by both Volkswagen and the German Accreditation Body. The focus is on the quality testing of CATL products from Europe. However, tests for other suppliers are not excluded, according to the spokesperson. The company works together with the Thuringian Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems.
A new materials laboratory will also be created as part of the expansion. It will offer numerous additional test functions. By analyzing the individual battery components, any problems identified during performance tests can be rectified more quickly and precisely in future, according to the company.