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The factory, belonging to Chinese company Gotion High-Tech, is based on the cathode-to-cell lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery technology with an initial capacity of 10 GWh intended for the automotive market.
Morocco is laying a new cornerstone in its industrial strategy. In the country’s Kenitra Atlantic Free Zone, Chinese group Gotion High-Tech is finalizing the commissioning of the first battery gigafactory in Africa.
Intended for use in the automotive and stationary storage sectors, the project was formalized through a memorandum of understanding in 2023, with an estimated investment cost of MAD 65 billion (almost $7 billion).
Built by Gotion Power Morocco, Gotion’s local subsidiary, the plant is expected to begin production by the end of the summer and is based on cathode-to-cell technology using LFP (lithium-iron-phosphate) chemistry. This architecture allows the cathode to be directly integrated into the cell in order to reduce costs and improve thermal safety. The energy density is therefore slightly lower than that of NMC (nickel-manganese-cobalt) batteries.
The project is supported by a recent €100 million loan from the African Development Bank, which also plans to mobilize up to an additional €141 million from other financial partners, in its capacity as mandated lead arranger under the New African Financial Architecture for Development.
The first industrial phase of the Gotion project anticipates a production capacity of 10 GWh per year, with a gradual increase to 100 GWh in the long term. For Gotion High-Tech, listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange and one of the world’s leading manufacturers of lithium-ion batteries, the Moroccan site represents a strategic link for exports to Europe, while also contributing to the growing regional demand for electric mobility.
“In terms of electric mobility, the batteries produced in Kenitra are primarily intended to power automotive production sites based in Morocco and in Southern Europe, fitting into existing regional industrial chains,” Khalid Qalam, president of Gotion Power Morocco, stated earlier this month in the journal of the Regional Investment Center of the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region.
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